Modeling Chocolate

Modeling chocolate, or chocolate clay, is a great alternative to fondant for cake or cupcake decorations. You can usually use the same techniques with modeling chocolate as you do with fondant to create decorations. Most people pick off the fondant decorations and throw them away because they taste so bad. (Unless you are using Marshmallow Fondant, of course.) But they'll want to eat the modeling chocolate decorations, because they taste great.

Modeling Chocolate Paste
Use good quality chocolate for good flavor and texture. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. To melt it in the microwave, warm it for 30 seconds at a time at 50% power, stirring between each time. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate, or your mixture will go greasy and separate.

Dark Chocolate Modeling Chocolate:

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Modeling Chocolate:

7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Milk Chocolate Modeling Chocolate:

7 ounces milk chocolate

3 tablespoons light corn syrup.

White Chocolate Modeling Chocolate:

7 ounces white chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

This makes about 1 cup of modeling chocolate, which is enough to make quite a few decorations. 

Add the corn syrup and stir briskly. The chocolate will thicken very quickly. Stir until completely combined and smooth. Put the chocolate into a plastic baggie or container. Let it sit for an hour or two, until thickened.

Remove the Modeling Chocolate from the container and knead it until it is pliable. If it's too hard, try working with small pieces. The heat from your hands will warm the modeling chocolate. If your hands are melting the chocolate too much, try oiling your countertop or a marble or granite slab and working on the countertop to minimize the contact between your hands and the chocolate. Or stick the chocolate in the freezer for a couple of minutes.

You can roll this out between two pieces of plastic wrap to get it very thin. You can also use cocoa instead of flour to keep this from sticking to your surfaces.

Melinda's Notes: If this is your first time making modeling chocolate, give yourself plenty of time to work on the recipe, cool the paste, and make the roses or whatever ribbons or decorations you want. This is not a last-minute type of recipe if you've never used it before. This will keep for a month in the fridge, so you can make your decorations quite a bit in advance and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.

If your chocolate is old (or cheap), the modeling chocolate will be grainy, brittle, and oily. Throw it away and get some new chocolate. If your chocolate is oily, and you really can't get to a store to buy new chocolate, you can use paper towels to soak up some of the oil.