Tutorials

How to make Modeling Chocolate, Wilton Candy Clay

Modeling chocolate is something that seems like a specialty ingredient, but it really is simple to make at home, and will take your cake decorating to a whole new level. I mix my fondant with modeling chocolate regularly to cover and decorate cakes, I think it brings out the best features in both products. Modeling Chocolate is definitely a do-ahead task, as it needs to rest in the refrigerator for easiest workability. This post is the basic recipe and method for making modeling chocolate, a following post will detail how to work with the finished product :)

You will need:

• One package of candy melts, any flavor (except the ones with the flavor burst crystals or whatever they're called)
• 1/4 Cup light corn syrup
• A medium sized microwave safe bowl
• A stiff spatula
• Plastic wrap or a plastic baggie

Step 1

Make sure everything is dry; your bowl, your spatula, your hands. You don't want any water to come into contact with your chocolate or it will ruin the texture. Dump the whole bag of candy melts into your bowl and stick them in the microwave.

Step 2

Now comes that part that is the easiest to get wrong. We're going to melt the candy, but we do not want to over heat it! Once you get it too hot the candy will essentially curdle and there's no going back from that. So... The directions on the package say to first microwave for 1 minute, but that scares me. Until you know for sure how the candy will melt in your specific microwave I wouldn't heat them for more than 30 seconds at a time. This is what they look like after 1 minute (30 seconds two times) in my microwave.

Not quite done

***Important Note!*** This is after 1 minute and being stirred well! I think where most people have problems is that they are looking for the microwave to do all the work. You wont get a perfectly smooth, evenly melted bowl of candy right out of the microwave. You Have To Stir It. Otherwise you'll just end up with an over heated mess that you can't do anything with.

Anyway, so I have to heat my candy for a total of 1:30 and stir it well to completely melt it. 

This is what it looks like when it comes out of the microwave

And this is what it looks like after you stir it

See what I mean? :)

Step 3

Make sure your candy is smooth and evenly melted, this is your only chance to get rid of the lumps. Any candy that is not melted in this step will have to be removed and tossed eaten before you can work with it. I recommend stirring and squishing any lumps with your spatula rather than heating it any more.  Once it's smooth, add 1/4 Cup light corn syrup.

Step 4

Stir the mixture to incorporate, make sure you're are scooping the candy from the bottom and sides of the bowl, because you are only going to get 5-6 stirs before it starts to harden. The candy and the corn syrup have sort of a strange reaction, as soon as you start to think "Hm, I don't think this looks right, doesn't look like any modeling chocolate I've ever seen, maybe I heated it too much..." Then it's done :)

Step 5

Plop your candy out onto some plastic wrap or into a baggie. 

It should stay together and be fairly easy to get the whole mass out in one scoop. If you pour it out and all the corn syrup runs out and you make a huge mess, that means you got the candy too hot. Start over, 'cause that mess is just going to get worse. 

Wrap up your modeling chocolate like a burrito (or just zip the bag). Try not to have too many creases and folds in the part actually touching the chocolate, it will just make it harder to get the plastic off tomorrow after it sets. Stick that puppy in the fridge.

I like to let both my fondant and my modeling chocolate rest in the fridge over night. So since that's resting, we should too! Check back soon for ideas on how to work with your home made modeling chocolate!