Modelling Chocolate

Modelling chocolate is a delicious alternative to fondant. Whilst it’s not as pliable and elastic as a traditional fondant, it can be successfully used to cover cakes and form decorations with a little time and patience. Modelling chocolate is quite expensive to buy ready made, however making your own is entirely possible and actually quite simple when you know how – there are literally two ingredients.

Follow the recipe and tips below to make your own at home, for a delicious cake covering you’ll be clamouring to eat rather than leaving on your plate!

Modelling chocolate

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Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 2.2/5

( 12 voted )

Ingredients

500g white chocolate
150g light corn syrup, or golden syrup

Instructions

Melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
Warm the corn syrup slightly so that it is a similar temperature to the melted chocolate, then gently fold together until fully incorporated.
Do not beat the chocolate.
If oil starts to separate from the chocolate, stop folding immediately.

Place the chocolate onto some cling film, and shape into a flat square. This will help it set up faster. Cover completely, and leave for at least 12 hours.

Unwrap the modelling chocolate and knead until it is smooth and pliable.
Do not continue to knead any longer than is necessary.

It’s a good idea to warm the chocolate gently over a bain marie, and leave it to cool slightly before using. This should prevent the syrup from ‘shocking’ the chocolate and causing it to seize too quickly. Then, I simply drizzle in my corn syrup, and gently, slowly, carefully, fold it through to incorporate. I treated this just like I would fold a delicate meringue, aiming for maximum efficiency; scraping around the bowl thoroughly, and turning everything over.

Once everything is combined, with no obvious streaks of unmixed chocolate or syrup, turn it out onto some clingfilm, and press it into flat square shape. Wrap carefully and completely, then leave it at room temperature for at least 12 hours to set up completely.

Once the chocolate has set up completely, a few minutes kneading are required to allow a smooth, workable paste to form. You will almost certainly need to work in batches, as attempting to knead the whole block at once will be quite difficult. It is possible to cover a smaller cake with modelling chocolate using the traditional method, however there will be a strong likelihood that the chocolate will tear along the edges. Pushing the edges together and rubbing them vigorously with your finger will smooth these over somewhat, but not completely.

The best way to deal with cracks and breaks in the chocolate, it stimply to cover them. Other than ribbons and other applique-style decoration, flowers and leaves are an escellent choice. Modelling chocolate lends itself very well to this kind of decoration, and as long as you have the appropriate equipment, you will find these very easy to make.

If you leave the decorations to harden up for an hour or so, it will be a lot easier to transfer them to the cake. You can also use a foam pad (or perhaps some crumpled paper or tin foil) to create a natural curve to the decoration. Egg white, or other edible glue can be used to attach the decoration easily to the cake.