Patriotic Modeling Chocolate Recipe

Modeling clay a.k.a modeling chocolate and candy clay.

Is the cake maker's best friend, because it’s easy to make, color, and form into beautiful works of art for cakes and other confectionary desserts. The bonus is it tastes way better than fondant...unless you make fondant and use it fresh.

Let’s chat about the basics of Modeling clay

Having good chocolates and the right temperature determines how the modeling chocolate turns out, unless you have experience with chocolate, the fun can become frustrating fast, not to mention costly, as I encountered one steamy summer.
We'll make the modeling chocolate with Candy melts and corn syrup first before I delve more into working with real chocolate which is about half cocoa and half cocoa butter, which makes all the difference in the outcome. Simple chemistry. 

I don't normally use microwaves but for summer projects...it's best. Even so, keep a hand towel ready for wiping condensation on spatulas and such.

Modeling chocolate can be used to make figures, flowers, and amazing characters used in sculpting cakes. You can make it and store it for a few months but why do that? 
Let's make the Modeling Chocolate! 

Tools and Supplies

                            Modeling chocolate

• Clean Hands and nails.
• Candy Melts about 10 oz. I used vanilla and chocolate 
• Gel food color: Dark Blue and Red
• Clear Corn syrup
• Heat-proof bowl, deep small to medium
• Plastic baggies or containers for storage
• Spatula for stirring modeling mixture.
• Cling or parchment to wrap, cool also for the final kneading

Modeling Chocolate Recipe(Small batch)
10 oz. candy melts or chocolate
1.5 oz. corn syrup

Microwave Method

This is melted too far. Melt half
If you want to use the fondu
pot, then turn off the pot and add
the rest of the melts slowly stirring
until it's melting and cooling down.

1. Melt most of the Chocolate in the microwave( at 50%) leaving quite a bit of the chocolate melts in shape, to stir in after removing the chocolate from the heat. (don't stir or melt all the chocolate in the microwave or the double boiler.
2. Microwave corn syrup (30% or on defrost)for 30-second intervals to just warm. Cool and test with your finger for both chocolate and syrup to be about body temperature.
3. Next, stir the color gel into syrup.

*(For pre-colored candy melts, such as the chocolate/brown, tap red color gel using a toothpick. Knead before adding more to achieve the red color depth you want.)

From left to right: vanilla and chocolate clay
skewer tips, dark blue and red food gel.

  4. Finally pour the corn syrup into the center of the chocolate. Stir in the corn syrup it will quickly change to clay. Once it's combined place on a piece of parchment or wax paper. It should be quite flexible and soft at this point.

  5.  Leave it there for at least an hour/overnight. Knead a couple more times before working on your creations. 

Jessica Harris How to save modeling chocolate that goes wonky