Modeling Chocolate

Modeling Chocolate Monkeys

In two weeks, I’m making a shower cake for a very dear friend who is having twins, a girl and a boy!  Here’s the modeling chocolate monkeys I’ve been working on.  The first one I did took about 2 hours to figure out how to get it right (the girl monkey).  The next one was the boy monkey.  He only took about 1/2 hour, but that was because the hat was giving me fits!  It was supposed to be a baseball cap, but ended up being a little beany.  The third was the one laying down…he only took about 20 minutes.  Then the last one was the sitting one.  He only took about 10, but I wasted about 1/2 hour trying to find something small for him to sit on!  I imagine these will get easier to do as time goes on!

Here’s the recipe (by the way, I used 3 recipes…one dark chocolate, one white chocolate and one peanut butter chip…the leftovers are going to be used as decoration for the cake):

Modeling Chocolate (or Candy Clay)
14 oz chocolate (any kind will work)
1/3 cup light corn syrup

Using a double boiler, bring the water to a boil.  Poor chocolate into a bowl that fits over the pan but doesn’t touch the water.  Turn off the heat and add the bowl over the saucepan.  Gently stir until all the chocolate is melted.  Poor in the corn syrup and stir until a ball forms.  It will look as if the chocolate has seized, but it is normal.  Pour out onto waxed paper and allow it to cool.  When cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest overnight.

To use the chocolate, break or cut off a small amount and knead in your hands until the chocolate softens.  Repeat with small chunks until you have enough to complete your project.

Things I did learn:

1. Modeling chocolate is SUPER easy to make.  I almost thought I screwed it up!
2. Modeling chocolate is difficult to work with if you have hot hands…fortunately, mine only get that way under pressure (or if I’m standing on a ladder changing a light bulb in the ceiling fan…eeek!)
3. It smells yummy!  And tastes pretty good too.  Next time though, I’ll use a higher quality chocolate.
4. It helps to get everything set up first and all the chocolate kneaded until it’s softened before you start.
5. Keep your work area dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, because once that stuff starts to melt a little, it’s sticky!
6. It is much easier to use than fondant or gumpaste, as it doesn’t dry up.  It does, however, cool and harden as it cools, but you can warm it up with your fingers to make it pliable again.

When I get the cake done (March 7), I’ll be sure to post a picture!