Working With Modelling Chocolate

Decorating By SallyBratt Updated 5 Mar 2010 , 1:25am by Jenn2179

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SallyBratt Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 2:44pm
post #1 of 19

k...I've been searching thru the topics but I can't find what i'm looking for. If this question has been answered before (which I'm sure it has) feel free to direct me to the thread. Thanks.

Anyway, I make most of my figures out of gumpaste but thought I'd try modelling chocolate. We used it at school but we used store bought stuff...this time I made my own. It seems to have turned out ok but I find, as I'm working with it, the heat from my hands makes it too greasy and I'm having a hard time sculpting with it.

Any tips on the best way to work with this stuff?

18 replies
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djs328 Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 2:57pm
post #2 of 19

I've commented on a couple of threads on here the past couple of weeks about modeling chocolate. Here are the links. icon_smile.gif The first one has some good advice from someone who makes and sells her stuff! icon_smile.gif
HTH!
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-669815-.html

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-670109-.html

I love working with it myself! Have had some good (beginners!) success with making figures, etc. icon_smile.gif

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SallyBratt Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 3:43pm
post #3 of 19

Thanks. No one seems to address the problem of it getting greasy. Maybe my recipe just didn't turn out well?

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djs328 Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 3:59pm
post #4 of 19

What type of chocolate did you use? Did you let the mixture sit for 24 hours before playing with it? Hmm.....
Also, read down to lower on page 2 of the first link - Chocolatecraftkits addresses issues of temperature, types of chocolate to use, getting it to emulsify properly. etc. Maybe you could PM her and ask? She seems very knowledgeable.
Mine is usually greasier when I use colored chocolate, but probably more likely because I'm not always patient to wait 24 hours to play with it! LOL!

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SallyBratt Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 6:00pm
post #5 of 19

I used semisweet chocolate chips for the dark and candy wafers for the white. I did let them sit for 24 hours. The dark was way greasier than the white but the white still gets pretty greasy when I work with it and it gets too soft to properly make a figure out of it.

I wonder if I should try mixing in some gumpaste?

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djs328 Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 6:42pm
post #6 of 19

Hmmm....I've never worked with gumpaste before, so I don't know if that would work or not. I know some people have mentioned mixing in fondant...What are you trying to mold? I've always only used Merckens, so don't know if that makes a difference.
It is not as 'matte' finish as fondant, if that's what you were looking for. Also, after working with it, it will re-firm up when it sits.
Maybe try adding more chocolate to it? how much corn syrup did you use?
I use 1/3 c corn syrup to 14 oz. chocolate.

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SallyBratt Posted 27 Feb 2010 , 8:17pm
post #7 of 19

I'm trying to do a little animal.

I can't bloody well find my recipe now so I can't tell you how much of anything I put in it. I'll get in touch with one of my classmates and get the recipe from them.

I didn't let the chocolate cool fully before mixing the glucose. Does that matter?

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djs328 Posted 28 Feb 2010 , 2:10am
post #8 of 19

Hmmm....Now I'm wondering if the glucose could be the issue? Is that the same chemical make up as corn syrup? (I honestly don't know...) Maybe that is the issue...
Sorry it's been such a pain for you! icon_sad.gif

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SallyBratt Posted 28 Feb 2010 , 4:05am
post #9 of 19

Glucose is a lot like corn syrup...it's just thicker.

oh well, for now I'll stick with my gumpaste and give the chocolate a try again later. Maybe I just need to get used to it.

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cheatize Posted 28 Feb 2010 , 4:37am
post #10 of 19

I used corn syrup and mine was greasy, too. I tried to knead in the grease, but it didn't work. The whole experiment was one big mess.

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diane706 Posted 28 Feb 2010 , 9:49pm
post #11 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by SallyBratt

I wonder if I should try mixing in some gumpaste?



That's what I ended up doing for the monkey in my avatar because the MC was sooo oily! Turned out fine. Very workable and the monkey firmed up nicely.

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kitty122000 Posted 28 Feb 2010 , 11:10pm
post #12 of 19

I've mixed it with fondant with a good result before. Another thing you can do to reduce the oily-ness is to blot it with a paper towel. I mix it in a bowl then spread it out on wax paper until it cools to room temp. once its on the wax paper blot it. once it is at room temp I put it in a ziplock bag until the next day.

I've never used glucose to make my candy clay, I used Kyro light corn syrup and wilton candy melts. Here's a video I made of how I make it.


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SallyBratt Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 4:13am
post #13 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by diane706

Quote:
Originally Posted by SallyBratt

I wonder if I should try mixing in some gumpaste?


That's what I ended up doing for the monkey in my avatar because the MC was sooo oily! Turned out fine. Very workable and the monkey firmed up nicely.




That monkey is awesome! I wanted to get a closer look but couldn't find him in your pictures. icon_sad.gif

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SallyBratt Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 4:15am
post #14 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by kitty122000

I've mixed it with fondant with a good result before. Another thing you can do to reduce the oily-ness is to blot it with a paper towel. I mix it in a bowl then spread it out on wax paper until it cools to room temp. once its on the wax paper blot it. once it is at room temp I put it in a ziplock bag until the next day.

I've never used glucose to make my candy clay, I used Kyro light corn syrup and wilton candy melts. Here's a video I made of how I make it.





Thanks for that. I'll check it out and give it a try. I likely wont be making more for a while yet but when I do I'll come back and let you know how it goes.

I really appreciate all the advice, everyone!

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Bfisher2 Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 4:33am
post #15 of 19

This is going to sound weird.... go find yourself some paper grocery bags, or roll ends from a news paper printing place (nothing printed on it of course)

Once you have mixed your modeling chocolate.... turn it out onto the paper and it absorbes the grease without pulling up any paper particles into the modeling choc. Let it cool there and then wrap it up in a plastic bag and let it cure....

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anasasi Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 4:58am
post #16 of 19

Sallybrat,
When you work MC it will get softer from the warmth of your hands, so you kind of have to work efficiently with it (especially in the summer). Most importantly, when I use it I always make sure to use gloves so as not to allow any oil from my skin to contribute to this. You can also throw the modeling chocolate in the fridge for a couple of minutes if you find it getting too soft, this firms up in no time at all.

If you are using the 1/3 cup of glucose/Karo Syrup this may be the reason for the greasy issue. I always had a problem with this ratio, so I did a bit of research and a ton of test runs resulting in the folowing: 3/4 of a cup of Karo to 1 lb of dark chocolate or 2/3 - 3/4 cup Karo to 1.5 lbs of white/colored chocolate. I use the Wilton disks for this though, so if you're using real chocolate the ratio will likely be a bit different. I have covered most of my cakes in modeling chocolate using this ratio and I've pretty much thrown the towel in on fondant because the MC works so well for me.

Also, don't store your modeling chocolate at room temp. It works much better when you wrap it well and store it in the refrigerator.
HTH

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diane706 Posted 2 Mar 2010 , 3:00pm
post #17 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by anasasi

3/4 of a cup of Karo to 1 lb of dark chocolate or 2/3 - 3/4 cup Karo to 1.5 lbs of white/colored chocolate. I use the Wilton disks for this though, so if you're using real chocolate the ratio will likely be a bit different.




anasasi, I'm going to be a pain in the butskie and ask this again: When you say "dark chocolate, are you referring to the darker chocolate Wilton disks or another type of chocolate? I realize in your next sentence you wrote that you use the disks, but I'm not sure if you're referring to the white chocolate version of MC. I'm considering using MC as a covering for a few of my cakes and not just modeling with it so I really want to make sure. Thanks!! thumbs_up.gif

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anasasi Posted 5 Mar 2010 , 12:57am
post #18 of 19

I was referring to the Wilton's disks dark chocolate. Though the ratio should be adjusted accordingly for real chocolate as well. HTH

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Jenn2179 Posted 5 Mar 2010 , 1:25am
post #19 of 19

We used modeling chocolate in a class I took with Bronwen Weber. I remember her saying not to use chocolate chips to make modeling chocolate because of the wax they put in them to hold their shape. Also in the recipe I have I use a 2 to 1 ratio of chocolate to glucose. I melt 16 oz chocolate and let cool to about 90. Warm 8 oz glucose and let cool to 90. Mix them together. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 24 hours. I used real chocolate and candy melts with this recipe. I really like to use modeling chocolate with my cricut.

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