Why Temple Balls?
Most home hashers end up with a pile of 3-4 star bubble hash and aren't sure what to do with it. It's too low-grade to dab comfortably, but too good to dump into edibles. Temple balls are the answer.
Pressing hash into a temple ball does two things: it forces the trichome heads to rupture and release their oils, and it creates an anaerobic environment inside the ball where the hash slowly cures over months. The result is smoother, darker, more complex in flavour — like the difference between fresh-pressed olive oil and one that's been properly aged.
Frenchy Cannoli (1956–2021) popularized this technique in the modern cannabis world. He learned it during years living in hash-producing regions. His method is simple, requires no special equipment, and turns average hash into something remarkable.
What You Need
Hash: At least 5g of dried bubble hash. Works with any grade from 2-star up, but 3-4 star is the sweet spot. Don't waste 5-6 star hash on temple balls — dab that. Use your star rating to sort your grades.
Cellophane: Turkey oven bags from the grocery store. Not plastic wrap, not parchment paper — you need actual cellophane that can handle heat. A single turkey bag gives you enough cellophane for dozens of balls. About $3 at any Canadian grocery store.
Heat source: A wine bottle or glass jar filled with hot water (60-70°C). Not boiling — that's too hot and will degrade terpenes. Frenchy used a wine bottle because it's the perfect shape for rolling. A mason jar works too.
Glass surface: A cutting board, countertop, or any smooth, clean surface to work on.
Skip parchment paper. Parchment works for pressing rosin, but it tears and absorbs oils during the sustained rolling of temple balls. Cellophane is non-stick and heat-resistant enough for this purpose. Turkey bags are the move — Frenchy was adamant about this.
The Process — Step by Step
Step 1 — Collect and Combine Your Hash
Gather your dried bubble hash. You can combine grades if you want — many people mix their 73μ and 90μ pulls together. Keep your 45μ (if it's higher quality) separate for a premium ball.
Your hash needs to be fully dry before pressing. If it's still damp, it'll mould inside the ball. Check our drying guide if you're not sure.
Step 2 — Wrap in Cellophane
Cut a piece of cellophane from your turkey bag, about 15cm × 15cm. Place your hash in the centre. Fold the cellophane over it to create a sealed pocket — no air pockets, press it tight. You want the cellophane touching the hash on all sides.
Step 3 — Apply Heat and Pressure
Fill your wine bottle or mason jar with hot water (60-70°C from a kettle — not boiling). Place the wrapped hash on your glass surface. Roll the bottle over it with firm, even pressure. The heat softens the trichome heads and the pressure ruptures them, releasing oils.
Roll back and forth for 2-3 minutes. Open the cellophane, reshape the hash into a tighter mass, re-wrap, and roll again. Repeat this cycle 5-8 times over about 20 minutes. Refill the bottle with fresh hot water as it cools.
Step 4 — Shape the Ball
When the hash becomes pliable and greasy (not crumbly), it's ready to shape. It should feel like warm plasticine.
Roll it between your palms — through the cellophane — into a smooth sphere. The surface should be glossy and uniform. No cracks, no dry spots.
If it's cracking, it's too dry or too cold. Warm it again with the bottle and keep working it.
Step 5 — Wrap for Curing
Wrap the finished ball in a fresh piece of cellophane, pressed tight with no air. Then wrap that in a second layer. Some people add a third layer. The goal is airtight — you want anaerobic conditions inside.
Step 6 — Cure
Store in a cool, dark place — a drawer, a closet, a basement shelf. Not the fridge — too cold, and condensation is a risk when you take it out. Room temperature (15-20°C) is ideal.
Minimum cure time: 2 weeks. Good: 1-3 months. Excellent: 6-12 months. Frenchy aged some balls for years.
The flavour deepens and smooths out over time as the terpenes and cannabinoids interact.
What Happens During Curing
Inside the wrapped ball, a slow transformation happens. The ruptured trichome oils migrate through the mass, distributing evenly. Terpenes interact with cannabinoids in ways we don't fully understand yet, but the subjective effect is clear: aged temple balls hit differently than fresh hash.
The colour darkens — from golden-brown to deep brown or almost black on the outside. This is normal. The interior stays lighter. When you slice an aged temple ball open, you should see a gradient from dark exterior to lighter interior.
Flavour changes dramatically. Fresh hash can be sharp and floral. Aged temple balls develop earthy, spicy, sometimes almost wine-like complexity.
The harshness mellows. If your starting hash was a bit rough to smoke, a 3-month cure in ball form often fixes that.
Common Mistakes
Using too much heat. If your water is boiling, you're cooking off terpenes. The hash should soften, not sizzle. 60-70°C is the range.
Quick test: if you can hold your hand on the bottle comfortably for a few seconds, the temperature is right.
Not drying the hash fully before pressing. Moisture trapped inside a temple ball leads to mould. The hash should be bone dry — crispy, crumbly, breaks cleanly.
If it's sticky or pliable before you apply heat, it's not dry enough. Give it more time with the microplane and pizza box method.
Pressing 5-6 star hash into temple balls. Full melt hash is best consumed as-is — dabbed, or pressed into rosin. Temple balls are ideal for 3-4 star hash because the curing process genuinely improves it. With 5-6 star, you're not adding value; you're just making it harder to dose.
Checking on it constantly. Every time you unwrap and re-wrap, you introduce air and disrupt the anaerobic environment.
Wrap it. Put it away. Forget about it for at least a month. The anticipation is part of the experience.
How to Smoke a Temple Ball
Slice, don't crumble. Use a sharp knife to cut a thin sliver off the ball. The interior should be slightly softer than the exterior shell. Roll the sliver between your fingers and place it in a bowl, on top of flower, or on a screen.
In a joint: Flatten a thin piece and lay it along the inside of the paper before rolling. Don't put it in the centre — it won't burn evenly. Spread it thin against the paper.
Glass pipe or bong: Put a small piece on a screen or on a bed of flower. Apply flame gently. Temple ball hash smoulders rather than ignites — that slow burn is the point.
Hot knife method: Old school but effective. Heat two butter knives on a stove element, squeeze a piece of hash between them, and inhale the smoke through a funnel or cut bottle. Canadians have been doing this since the 70s.
Ideal Hash Grades for Temple Balls
Best: 3-4 star hash from the 73μ and 90μ bags. Enough purity to produce excellent flavour after curing, with enough plant material that the curing process has something to work with.
Fine: 2-star hash. The temple ball won't be as flavourful, but curing still improves it. Good for bowls and joints.
Interesting: Mixing grades. Combine your 45μ, 73μ, and 90μ pulls into one ball. The blend often produces more complex flavour than any single grade alone. This is common practice — don't feel precious about keeping grades separate for temple balls.
Not sure what grade you have? Check the star rating guide to assess your hash.
Related Guides
→ Star Rating Guide — grade your hash before pressing
→ Drying Without a Freeze Dryer — make sure your hash is fully dry first
→ Best Strains for Hash — genetics that produce great temple ball material
→ Beginner's Guide — start here if you haven't washed yet