modeling chocolate help

I've had great luck with modeling chocolate using this recipe...1 bag of Wilton candy melts, melted until smooth, 14 ounce size, any color and 1/3 cup of corn syrup. Mix until it seizes (it will be the consistency of thick buttercream). Spread onto wax paper and then wrap it up in the wax paper and then in a ziplock bag. Leave on countertop overnight (not in fridge). When ready to use, break off a piece and work it with your ands like fondant until it is like a firmer version of play dough. Because it is chocolate, it will melt a little if you work it too much, especially if your hands are warm or the kitchen is warm. When this happens, just put it down for a minute and wash your hands with cold water. Don't add water to the modeling chocolate. It's also best to work with small pieces at a a time. If you want to cover a cake with modeling choc, you can mix it with some fondant to increase its elasticity. 50/50 usually works great.

Hope that helps!

 

I have no idea why anyone would say that water prevents modeling chocolate from being sticky.  You actually use water to get modeling chocolate to STICK to things--AND, too much water breaks down modeling chocolate into chocolate syrup.  So, when you defrost it, you're essentially getting Hershey's syrup.  This batch CANNOT be fixed.

 

If you make another batch and it's sticky, you can roll it on just the tiniest bit of corn starch.  If it stays sticky, you need to put it down, or in the fridge, for a little while before working with it again.

 

HTH

Rae

The reason your modeling chocolate is sticking is that it has too much oil in it and condensation from the fridge. When you make it, once it's cool enough to handle, knead as much oil out of it as possible. DON'T refrigerate it. Once it's made, handle it like fondant.  I've found that the majority of recipes out there have the same proporation of corn syrup to candy melts/almond bark/whatever. It's way too much corn syrup and makes it difficult to work with and doesn't hold its shape well. Unless i'm using it to cover a cake, I mix it 50/50 with fondant to help it hold its shape.

The recipe I just used was 1 lb. coating chocolate, 1/3 cup +1 Tbsp. corn syrup and 1/2 tsp. glycerin.  The modeling chocolate turned out great.  I stored mine on the kitchen counter wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap.  It has to be kneaded a little to soften before using it.  This recipe gave me a great chocolate for modeling figures.  I haven't tried covering a cake with it, but I think the consistency would have worked fine for covering cakes as well a modeling.

 

I had also read about using water to keep it from sticking.  I tried it, and it does keep the chocolate from sticking to your hands when modeling, but you use VERY little on you fingers.  Too much water is not a good thing!

Please watch Lauren Kitchens on youtube. Great video.

Can you also  do flowers with this mixture?  gumpaste and modeling chocolate ?

Holy cow! "PROPORTION", duh!  Yes, you can use modeling chocolate and gumpaste for flowers.  Once it's made, modeling chocolate can be handled just like fondant - anything you mix with fondant, you can mix with modeling chocolate. I like to cover cakes with it because it tastes so much better than fondant, but by itself is not great for anything that needs to hold its shape.