modeling chocolate- what can I use?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sandi Newsome on August 9, 2012 at 9:07pm

I've used both.  Candy coating/candy melts are easier to work with in my opinion only because they don't sieze up as easily when melting but other than that I didn't notice any difference when working with it.  However, I'm a bit of a chocolate snob and if you plan on eating your chocolate creations take that into consideration.  Nothing tastes as good a pure chocolate.  :-)

Permalink Reply by Debbie D on August 9, 2012 at 10:33pm

I'm interested too - I've tried making it with real chocolate, but it has been very hard to work with.  Any suggestions or good recipes would be a big help.  Also, can you use color dusts on it?  Thanks

Permalink Reply by Jen Montalto on August 9, 2012 at 11:13pm

Hi Aronna!

I make my own in many colors using candy melts and also do it with chocolate chips. The best quality comes from using couveture chocolate as it has less "extra" ingredients. I follow Toba Garrett's method from "The Well-Decorated Cake". But have made adjustments for candy melts and cheaper "chocolate chips". The adjustments must be made to accommodate the extra fats in the lighter chocolates.

 

You will need:

cookie/jelly roll pan

newsprint paper (the kind artists sketch on)

a 1 cup pyrex glass measuring cup

rubber/silicone spatula

saran wrap

INGREDIENTS

Dark Modeling Chocolate

1 lb. good quality semi- or bittersweet chocolate

2/3 c. light corn syrup

White & Milk Chocolate Modeling Chocolate

1 lb good quality white or milk chocolate

1/2 c. light corn syrup

Candy Melts Modeling Chocolate

1 lb candy melts/wafers

1/3 c. light corn syrup

Line the pan with a layer of newsprint sheets. Set aside. Tear out several extra sheets of the newsprint and set this aside too. Chop chocolate and melt completely over double-boiler (I use my Wilton electric melt pot). As chocolate cools down a bit, measure the corn syrup in a pyrex-type measuring cup. Heat in microwave in 5-10 sec increments on high until the temp is similar to the temp of the chocolate. Pour into the chocolate and stir together with the spatula gently until it starts to thicken. Don't over mix! you could cause it to separate and end up with an oily mess. Turn out onto the newsprint and spread 1/4" - 1/2" thick. 

When the mixture is just starting to firm up, use the extra clean pieces of newsprint to soak up the oils on the surface of the chocolate. The more fat in the chocolate, the more you will pull up. Melts and cheap chips will secrete more oils. Just keep laying another piece over, peel it off and do it again with a clean piece until very little comes up. If the chocolate sticks to the paper, let it cool more before laying on a new piece of newsprint.

When finished, cover the chocolate on the newsprint base with saran wrap and let stand 2-3 hours. Peel off the paper and gently knead together. Wrap up tightly with saran wrap and place in fridge overnight. Take out and let come to room temp. Knead minimally and have yourself some fun! 

2 final tips.

First:  to paint this stuff, use a blush brush to lightly but generously coat the figure then paint with gel paints or powdered colors mixed in alcohol. Or get chocolate food colors.

Second:  to color dark chocolate to make black, add a very generous amount of black/super black gel TO THE WARM CORN SYRUP, then mix with the chocolate.

I think that's all I've got. Good luck! Let us know how you make out.

Permalink Reply by monica murphy on August 9, 2012 at 11:19pm

hi aronna:

i always use modeling chocolate for everything i design.  I use dark or milk chocolate almond bark, taste great mealts wonderfully.  If you are using candy melts, or semi sweets, to avoid seizing, melt in a double boiler or you can melt them in the microwave at 50% less power.  Also at times it helps to add a teaspoon of oil, up to a tablespoon depending on how much you are melting,(canola,vegetable,any kind) prior to melting, this is help the chocolate not to seize while it is melting.   I use the recipe for chocolate from Toba Garrett(the well decorated cake).

Dark Modeling 1lb (454g) of semisweet/bittersweet/almond bark chocolate

2/3cup (8 oz 0r 224g) light corn syrup , if your using white/milk chocolate: 1/2cup (6 oz-168g) light corn syrup. melt chocolate and pour in corn syrup, place in a plastic storage or freezer bag for 23hrs.

good luck

                          

Permalink Reply by Joy's Creative Cakes on August 10, 2012 at 12:27am

I made modeling clay last week out of candy melts, I found it very oily and soft, not sure if I did something wrong. My recipe was pretty close to the ones above. Any thoughts or suggestions. It certainly was not very usable the way it turned out. Thanks J:~D

monica murphy said:

hi aronna:

i always use modeling chocolate for everything i design.  I use dark or milk chocolate almond bark, taste great mealts wonderfully.  If you are using candy melts, or semi sweets, to avoid seizing, melt in a double boiler or you can melt them in the microwave at 50% less power.  Also at times it helps to add a teaspoon of oil, up to a tablespoon depending on how much you are melting,(canola,vegetable,any kind) prior to melting, this is help the chocolate not to seize while it is melting.   I use the recipe for chocolate from Toba Garrett(the well decorated cake).

Dark Modeling 1lb (454g) of semisweet/bittersweet/almond bark chocolate

2/3cup (8 oz 0r 224g) light corn syrup , if your using white/milk chocolate: 1/2cup (6 oz-168g) light corn syrup. melt chocolate and pour in corn syrup, place in a plastic storage or freezer bag for 23hrs.

good luck

                          

Permalink Reply by Jen Montalto on August 10, 2012 at 8:08am

Joy-

Do you use the newsprint? The candy melts have extra fat/oil in them that will make them really soft unless you get it soaked up early on. try not to over-mix or over-knead. and use less corn syrup for more fatty/oily chocolates.

Joy's Creative Cakes said:

I made modeling clay last week out of candy melts, I found it very oily and soft, not sure if I did something wrong. My recipe was pretty close to the ones above. Any thoughts or suggestions. It certainly was not very usable the way it turned out. Thanks J:~D

monica murphy said:

hi aronna:

i always use modeling chocolate for everything i design.  I use dark or milk chocolate almond bark, taste great mealts wonderfully.  If you are using candy melts, or semi sweets, to avoid seizing, melt in a double boiler or you can melt them in the microwave at 50% less power.  Also at times it helps to add a teaspoon of oil, up to a tablespoon depending on how much you are melting,(canola,vegetable,any kind) prior to melting, this is help the chocolate not to seize while it is melting.   I use the recipe for chocolate from Toba Garrett(the well decorated cake).

Dark Modeling 1lb (454g) of semisweet/bittersweet/almond bark chocolate

2/3cup (8 oz 0r 224g) light corn syrup , if your using white/milk chocolate: 1/2cup (6 oz-168g) light corn syrup. melt chocolate and pour in corn syrup, place in a plastic storage or freezer bag for 23hrs.

good luck

                          

Permalink Reply by monica murphy on August 10, 2012 at 10:03am

Hi Aronna:

I agree with Jen, in sometimes you have to adjust your recipe to suit the type of chocolate that you are using.  I have tried many before i found what worked for me.  I used to use the newprint as Toba's book instructs, now do a shortcut.  First thing, donot stir they corn syrup into the melted chocolate, think of it more as folding it in, this was you wont do it too much as jen says.  Then i put the mixture into a plastic bag, press it flat, and refrigerate for approx 20mins, then i open the bag, but leaving the mixture in, i just dab with a thick paper towel, dont press down to hard, just dabbing, it will start to release oils into the paper towel, then flip it over and do the same on the other side.  if you are using candy melts either add 1/4 to 1/3 more candy in your mixture or add less corn syrup.

Permalink Reply by Aronna Sevan on August 10, 2012 at 12:50pm

I'm not sure what you ladies mean by 'use thet newsprint'

Permalink Reply by Jen Montalto on August 10, 2012 at 1:10pm

Aronna-

The artists newsprint paper is used like you'd use parchment to line the pan you turn the mixture out onto. It absorbs the excess oils from the modeling chocolate. I go further using it to absorb even more oil from the top of the cooling mixture too (see my steps above).

Monica- right into a bag? hmmm... i'll try it next time and see how it works!

Permalink Reply by monica murphy on August 10, 2012 at 1:17pm

Hi jen,

yes, i do it right in the bag, sometimes im rushed, i dont have time for all of Toba's steps, so when you flatten, frige for 20mins. put in the bag and it works fine. Still absorbs because you have flatten it, when i do the white chocolate, i only let it rest 10mins in the frige before i start the process.

Permalink Reply by Aronna Sevan on August 10, 2012 at 2:56pm

FYI- i put my main point in bold so that people can skim it easier........

so I can use regular milk chocolate? this stuff is blowing me away!

when I want to color something, can I mix in gel colors then sculpt?
thanks so much for all the help, can't wait to give it a try!
Jen Montalto said:

Hi Aronna!

I make my own in many colors using candy melts and also do it with chocolate chips. The best quality comes from using couveture chocolate as it has less "extra" ingredients. I follow Toba Garrett's method from "The Well-Decorated Cake". But have made adjustments for candy melts and cheaper "chocolate chips". The adjustments must be made to accommodate the extra fats in the lighter chocolates.

 

You will need:

cookie/jelly roll pan

newsprint paper (the kind artists sketch on)

a 1 cup pyrex glass measuring cup

rubber/silicone spatula

saran wrap

INGREDIENTS

Dark Modeling Chocolate

1 lb. good quality semi- or bittersweet chocolate

2/3 c. light corn syrup

White & Milk Chocolate Modeling Chocolate

1 lb good quality white or milk chocolate

1/2 c. light corn syrup

Candy Melts Modeling Chocolate

1 lb candy melts/wafers

1/3 c. light corn syrup

Line the pan with a layer of newsprint sheets. Set aside. Tear out several extra sheets of the newsprint and set this aside too. Chop chocolate and melt completely over double-boiler (I use my Wilton electric melt pot). As chocolate cools down a bit, measure the corn syrup in a pyrex-type measuring cup. Heat in microwave in 5-10 sec increments on high until the temp is similar to the temp of the chocolate. Pour into the chocolate and stir together with the spatula gently until it starts to thicken. Don't over mix! you could cause it to separate and end up with an oily mess. Turn out onto the newsprint and spread 1/4" - 1/2" thick. 

When the mixture is just starting to firm up, use the extra clean pieces of newsprint to soak up the oils on the surface of the chocolate. The more fat in the chocolate, the more you will pull up. Melts and cheap chips will secrete more oils. Just keep laying another piece over, peel it off and do it again with a clean piece until very little comes up. If the chocolate sticks to the paper, let it cool more before laying on a new piece of newsprint.

When finished, cover the chocolate on the newsprint base with saran wrap and let stand 2-3 hours. Peel off the paper and gently knead together. Wrap up tightly with saran wrap and place in fridge overnight. Take out and let come to room temp. Knead minimally and have yourself some fun! 

2 final tips.

First:  to paint this stuff, use a blush brush to lightly but generously coat the figure then paint with gel paints or powdered colors mixed in alcohol. Or get chocolate food colors.

Second:  to color dark chocolate to make black, add a very generous amount of black/super black gel TO THE WARM CORN SYRUP, then mix with the chocolate.

I think that's all I've got. Good luck! Let us know how you make out.