Looking to start making some amazing creations out of your food? Learn all the tips and tricks right here with some Chocolate Basics!
Chocolate is my passion. Creating something sweet to eat or to give as a gift brings me incredible joy. I took my first candy making class at the local cake/candy decorating store when I was 13 years old. I instantly fell in love with the art of candy making and have been creating confections ever since. I enjoy sharing my passion for chocolate by teaching candy making to others. Whether you want to make simple bon bons and truffles or an elaborate chocolate sculpture, there are some very basic principals that apply. In my next post I will teach you how to make the adorable White Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats Lady Bug pictured at left. But before I give you those instructions, you need to know the chocolate basics.
CHOCOLATE INFORMATION:
There are several different types of chocolate that are available to the home cook for use in candy making: pure chocolates, confectionery coating, and chocolate chips. Pure chocolates contain cocoa butter and must be properly tempered in order to set up correctly. Tempering refers to a process of heating and cooling pure chocolate to ensure that the cocoa butter in the chocolate hardens in a uniform crystal structure. Chocolate that is tempered has a smooth texture, a 
experience or you just feel that tempering is too difficult, don’t fret as there is a chocolate product that is easy to melt and sets up beautifully with very little effort. Chocolate manufactures, such as Peters, Merkens, and Wilton make products called candy melts, confectionery coating, or summer coating . These products do not contain any cocoa butter which is what needs tempering. The cocoa butter has been replaced with a vegetable oil, usually palm kernel oil, so that the product melts smoothly and sets up easily. The flavor is
definitely not the same as chocolates made with cocoa butter, but it is an acceptable alternative. This product is available in milk, dark, white, and even flavored and colored varieties. These coatings can be purchased from craft or cake decorating supply stores in wafers or blocks. I personally prefer the taste of Peter’s confectionery coatings, but Merkens coatings are very popular and Wilton’s coatings are easily available at most craft stores. The third type of chocolate available to home cooks is chocolate chips which are available in bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk, white (some with cocoa butter, some with palm kernel oil), peanut butter, butterscotch, and cinnamon flavors. Dark and milk chocolate chips usually contain cocoa butter and can be used for some recipes, however they have additives that allow them to retain their shape at higher temperatures so they don’t melt as easily as a chocolate bar. If you melt chocolate chips and use them for candy making, unless you temper the chocolate, your candy will be soft and sticky. Please don’t add paraffin (wax) to melted chocolate chips for dipping as some recipes suggest. Why would anyone want to eat wax? You are better off using a confectionery coating or learning to temper.
MELTING CHOCOLATE OR CONFECTIONERY COATING INSTRUCTIONS:
If you are using a large block of chocolate or a candy bar, chop your chocolate into small uniform pieces. The best way to do this is to use a serrated knife to shave off small bits of chocolate. Place the knife blade on the edge of the chocolate block, and press down on the top of the knife while shaving off a small amount of chocolate. Then just chop any larger bits before using. You can also use a food processor to chop your chocolate. Add small chunks of chocolate to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs.
Melting chocolate or confectionery coating in a double boiler:
Heat 1” of water over low heat in a saucepan. Place a bowl over the saucepan, being sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Put chopped chocolate, wafers, or chips in the bowl and stir occasionally until melted. It is very important that you do not allow any water to come in contact with the chocolate. Chocolate mixed with a drop or a few drops of water with seize (stiffen or harden). If this happens your only option is to add more liquid in order to get the chocolate smooth again. However, you can not use this thinned batch of chocolate for tempering or dipping as it will never harden properly. All is not lost as you can turn it into a delicious chocolate ganache or use it for baking.
Melting chocolate or confectionery coating in a microwave:
Every microwave is different so this is just a guideline, but it is safest to go slow and stir often. I always use high power for short busts of time. Pour 16 ounces chopped chocolate or confectionery coating wafers into a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds, remove from microwave and stir. Your chocolate wont look melted much at all at this point (1), but if you don’t stir it, you may burn the chocolate in the center of the bowl. Return to the microwave and heat for 25 seconds. At this point the chocolate will look only slightly melted around the edges (2) but if you stir vigorously the chunks will indeed start to become liquid (3).
Continue to heat for 20 seconds. Now your chocolate will look more liquid (4), but you will have chunks remaining. Stir vigorously and the heat from the melted chocolate will indeed melt the chunks (5). If, after stirring for a while you still have chunks of chocolate remaining (6), heat for 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each until melted (7). Do not rush this process. Chocolate burns easily. If you do burn the chocolate, throw it away and start over in a clean bowl. To melt more than 16 ounces, you can increase your times by 10-15 seconds per interval. For 2 lbs. (45 seconds, 35, 25, 10). For 3 lbs. (60 seconds, 45, 30, 20). If your microwave is less powerful, increase the times, but go slowly.
Melting Confectionery Coating in a Skillet:
If you are planning to make a lot of chocolates using various colors of confectionery coating, then melting them in a skillet is a great option. Fill your skillet with some warm water. Fill glass jars, coffee mugs, or ramekins with the confectionery coating wafers. Place jars in water in skillet. Make sure the water comes up about half way on your shortest jar. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow the wafers to melt, stirring occasionally. You can keep your coatings melted all day using this method. Just be sure to replenish the water as it evaporates and be careful that you don’t spill water in the chocolate, or it will be ruined.
Coloring Confectionery Coating:
Confectionery coating wafers are available in a rainbow of colors and even various flavors. Most colored wafers taste like vanilla, but there are mint, fruit, peanut butter, and butterscotch flavors available. If you need a large amount of one color or need dark red or green, I suggest buying the pre-colored wafers. If not, then just melt down white wafers and color them yourself. You need to use colorings that are specially formulated for chocolate. Standard grocery store food coloring is water based and it will not work. Gel, paste, or powdered colors will work to beautifully color your confectionery coatings. These colorings are easy to find at craft and cake decorating stores. Add a small amount of coloring at a time and stir well. Add more coloring if needed to achieve the desired shade. Just a note, that some colorings are more vibrant than others. Pink for instance is very vibrant. Add one drop at a time. You can always add more, but the only way to tone down a color is to add more chocolate.
MODELING CHOCOLATE RECIPES:
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| I created these calla lilies out of white modeling chocolate. |
Modeling chocolate or chocolate clay can be used like fondant to decorate and cover cakes or it can be used as a sculpting material to create forms and shapes. I personally think modeling chocolate tastes much better than fondant and use it almost exclusively. I love working with modeling chocolate and find that almost anything you can create with polymer clay, you can also make using modeling chocolate. It will harden when left at room temperature to dry, but can still be eaten once hardened. You can purchase pre-made modeling chocolate, but it only requires two ingredients, and is very simple to make.
You can use pure chocolate for this recipe without having to temper it or you can use confectionery coating. I use pure milk and dark chocolate, but use white confectionery coating to make my modeling chocolate. The pure milk and dark chocolate have a richer flavor than the coatings but I actually prefer the taste of the white confectionery coating in this application and it is much less expensive than pure chocolate. Use your judgement when selecting a chocolate for this recipe. You will definitely taste the chocolate, so choose what you like to eat. Every chocolate has different amounts of fats and sugars so this recipe is a guide. Some chocolates will require more corn syrup than others. Also, the moisture in your room can also effect the moisture in your modeling chocolate. See the troubleshooting section below for instructions to solve problems with your modeling chocolate.
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| Chocolate bucket decorated with modeling chocolate. |
Modeling Chocolate Ingredients:
White Modeling Chocolate:
16 ounces white chocolate
1/3 cup light corn syrup (add more if needed)
Dark Modeling Chocolate:
16 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup light corn syrup (add more if needed)
Milk Modeling Chocolate:
16 ounces milk chocolate
1/3 cup light corn syrup (add more if needed)
Modeling Chocolate Instructions:
Melt chocolate or confectionery coating (1). Allow the chocolate to cool to about 91 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring often. If you add the corn syrup when the chocolate is too hot, the cocoa butter or oil will rise to the surface and you will have a greasy mess. (See trouble shooting below.) If you don’t have a thermometer, test the temperature of the melted chocolate by putting a drop on your lip. It should feel cool. If it’s hot, let it cool longer. Pour in corn syrup (2). Stir until well incorporated (3).
Trouble shooting – How to fix dry or greasy/oily modeling chocolate:
Dry modeling chocolate: As I mentioned, all chocolates have different amounts of fat in them. That is why these recipes may need some adjustments. If you are kneading your mixture and find that it is crumbling and dry (A), then you will need to add some corn syrup. Pour on a small amount of corn syrup and mix it in (B). If you begin to knead the mixture and it still feels dry, add some more corn syrup and continue to knead until the mixture becomes smooth and soft (C). Just a note, that if you are working on granite or marble, the surface is cold which is great for kneading this mixture. If, however, you are in the middle of kneading the mixture, and you walk away, when you return, you may have hardened bits of chocolate stuck to the granite or marble. These hardened bits may not melt back into a smooth dough.
Oily modeling chocolate: There are several reasons you may end up with oily modeling chocolate (D). First, if your chocolate is too hot when you add the corn syrup the oils may separate from the chocolate. I recommend you allow your melted chocolate to cool to around 91 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the corn syrup. Second, you may be working in a warm room or have warm hands. As you knead the mixture, the warmth will begin to bring out the oils in the chocolate. I use a plastic bench scraper to knead because I have warm hands (E). and I knead my mixture on a granite slab to keep it cool, even if my room is warm (F). If you do find that you have oily modeling chocolate, all is not lost. Don’t just wipe up all the oil and get rid of it. You do want to get that oil back into the chocolate, or your modeling chocolate will end up being brittle as it dries. You will need to continue to knead the chocolate until all of the oil is absorbed back into the chocolate. This can take a while, but don’t give up. Eventually it will become smooth and glossy (G) . You may need to try one of these techniques to make this work:
- Move the chocolate to a cooler work surface like granite or marble.
- Dip you hands in ice water to cool them down and continue to knead.
- Use a plastic bench scraper or a rubber spatula to knead instead of your hands.
- Scape up the mixture and set it on plastic wrap for about 2 minutes allowing it to cool slightly. Then remove from plastic wrap and continue to knead. If you allow it to just sit directly on your work surface, you may end up with hardened pieces of chocolate that will not blend in to the mixture.
Sticky, Soft, or Wet Modeling Chocolate: You may find that you have added too much corn syrup or too much coloring and that your modeling chocolate is just too sticky, soft, or wet. If it is sticky, wash your sticky hands then continue to knead until all of the corn syrup is incorporated. Take the sticky, soft, or wet dough and roll it in a ball then flatten it out in a disc. Then wrap it in plastic wrap and allow it to sit for at least an hour so that it can dry out a bit before using. If it is really wet, allow it to dry at room temperature until workable. As a last resort, you can try to knead in some melted chocolate, but you can end up with hard clumps of chocolate or an oily mess. Drying is your best option.
Hard Modeling Chocolate: Your modeling chocolate will harden as it ages. Always keep it formed into a flat disc and keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in a zip top bag or airtight container. Even if you do this, you will find that your modeling chocolate is fairly hard when you go to use it after it has been stored for a few days. You can break off a piece of modeling chocolate and hold it in your hands for a few moments in order to warm it enough to begin kneading. Knead it until it becomes workable. If you just can’t get it soft enough, place a hunk in the microwave and heat on defrost for 3-5 seconds. Remove and knead it carefully (there will be hot spots and you can burn your hands, so be cautious.) The modeling chocolate may become oily if you do this and you will have to follow the instructions above to fix the oily mixture.
Coloring Modeling Chocolate:
White modeling chocolate can be colored using paste food coloring or powdered food coloring. I have even had success using store bought liquid food colorings, however the modeling chocolate becomes very soft and doesn’t harden as well. I recommend using food handling gloves when coloring modeling chocolate, or you will end up with brightly colored hands that may take days to return to normal. If you need a large amount of any one color, you can make the modeling chocolate recipe using colored confectionery coating wafers.
Coloring Modeling Chocolate using Paste Food Coloring:
Add a drop of color to the modeling chocolate and knead until well blended. Add more drops of color until you reach the desired shade. Remember, you can always add more coloring, but you can’t take it out, so add drops slowly then knead and check the color before adding more.
Coloring Modeling Chocolate using powdered food coloring:
Sprinkle a small amount of coloring onto the modeling chocolate and knead until well blended. Add more color as needed to get your desired shade. I prefer to use powdered coloring for red and green, as I can get a more vibrant color that way.
To Store Modeling Chocolate: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a zip top bag or airtight container. It keeps for months if stored properly. If it becomes hard, break off small pieces and knead until soft. If you can’t do that, place the hard modeling chocolate in the microwave and heat on defrost for 3-5 seconds. Remove and carefully knead. It can be very hot, so proceed with caution.
To use Modeling Chocolate:
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| Chick made from modeling chocolate in a hand made chocolate egg sitting on a chocolate pretzel nest. |
Simply pinch off pieces of modeling chocolate and sculpt into shapes. If you have a hard time working with the modeling chocolate because it is hard, warm it in your hands and knead until it is pliable. If it is too, soft, wrap it in plastic wrap and allow it to cool down for a while before using.
Modeling chocolate can be rolled thin using a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Dust your work surface or the rollers on the pasta machine very lightly with powdered sugar for white chocolate, milk, and colored chocolates or dust it with cocoa powder for dark chocolate to keep the modeling chocolate from sticking. Cut the modeling chocolate using a pizza cutter, knife, or cookie cutters. You can even mold the modeling chocolate using silicone molds that are dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
I’ll post the instructions for decorating the Rice Krispies Treats Lady Bug Pops tomorrow.
What is the shelf life of made up modeling chocolate?
If you store modeling chocolate in an airtight container it will keep for up to 6 months.
We make our chocolate eggs for Easter and have a lot Chocolate wafers left and wondering how to best store these. We have 25 pounds. also how long can we store it.
If you are using confectionery coating wafers (Candy Melts) they have a 6 month shelf life from the time they are manufactured. If you bought them at a craft store or grocery store, they might already be a few months old. I would suggest using them within a few months. I keep mine stored in an airtight container in a cool (not refrigerated) room. I keep my house at about 68-70 degrees, and that is fine. Just keep them out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source.
If you pack them in a metal tin with a tight sealing lid, you will extend the shelf life a bit more than using Rubbermaid or Tupperware.
If your wafers are pure chocolate (with cocoa butter) they have a shelf life of 12-18 months. Store them the same way.
I am making 300 chocolate spoons to give to our homeless who love hot chocolate in the winter. If I have volunteers do it a week in advance will the chocolate be too sticky for consumption?
Chocolate has a great shelf life and your spoons should be fine as long as you temper the chocolate, if using pure chocolate (with cocoa butter in it.) If you don't temper the chocolate, and the spoons are dipped when the chocolate is too hot, it will never set correctly and will always be soft, and possibly a bit sticky if it is exposed to humidity. If you don't want to temper the pure chocolate then I suggest using confectionery coating/candy melts instead. Have fun! I know those you give them to will really appreciate the special treat.
Wow , I dont know if my comment went through . If it didn't , I just need to know if you could help me find a way to add peanut butter flavor to modeling chocolate for me to use as like a fondant on a cake . A chocolate with peanut butter icing cake ! I make homemade peanut butter icing that is not sickening . But really wanted to spice up this cake with fondant to go with the theme . I wasnt expecting this person to want these flavors . So now im just trying to incorporate a little peanut butter into the fondant or modeling chocolate. Im just worried that adding even a little peanut butter to this recipe will cause it to be too oily . Is there something like confectioners suger I could add to compensate for the oil ? I think using peanut butter chips would b too sickening . What do you think ? Please help !!!
Yes, your comment went through. I moderate all my comments, because I get a lot of spam. I've responded to your first comment.
How can I make peanut butter modeling clay for a cake . I was thinking maybe I could add peanut butter to modeling chocolate easier than fondant . U cant find peanut butter chocolate waffers . Only peanut butter chocolate chips . But I dont want it to b sickening . Because im going to make peanut butter icing n cover the cake with that . But was gonna cover with fondant also . So how do I just put a hint of peanut butter in my modeling chocolate . Im thinking the peanut butter has alot of oil in it n might b too sticky . What can I compensate for the oil in the peanut butter ? Or do you have any ideas . I need help ! Thx Ashley
Hi Ashley,
You can do a couple of different things. You could use peanut butter chips or peanut butter flavored confectionery coating to make the modeling chocolate. I agree that it might have too strong of a flavor. I suggest using half of the peanut butter wafers and half white chocolate. If you want a richer flavor, you can use milk chocolate in place of the white chocolate. You could also use milk chocolate and swap out peanut butter for the corn syrup. I have done this in a recipe, here, https://hungryhappenings.com/2012/11/chocolate-peanut-butter-fudge-or.html. The texture isn't as smooth as modeling chocolate, but you can sculpt it. It is a bit sticky. You could do half corn syrup and half peanut butter. That might give you a better texture.
Good luck with your cake. I hope it turns out great.
Beth
I really love your site. It has tons of great ideas and so many helpful tips. I am making a lemon cake with lemon curd filling and a cream cheese icing for my son that unfortunately needs to be refrigerated. The problem is that I want to cover it with black color modeling chocolate the night before so the cake needs to sit in the fridge overnight. I don't want it to crack or change colors and I am getting mixed results when I search for answers if it will be ok or not. I don't want to use marzipan or fondant instead of the modeling chocolate. Can you offer any tips? They would be appreciated.
Thanks! The problem you will have by storing a modeling chocolate covered cake in the refrigerator is condensation. Your modeling chocolate will get sticky and wet looking. The condensation may dry once the cake comes to room temperature, but the modeling chocolate will have a texture to it, like little bumps where the beads of condensation have dried, otherwise it may just be sticky. I'm sorry to say I have no tips other than to add the modeling chocolate the day of your event. I love modeling chocolate, but it does have it's limitations.
Hello- Thanks for all the great info. I was wondering if I could add the color to the melted chocolate before the corn syrup.I've tried adding it after and it seems to be messy and time consuming. What do you suggest.
Yes, if you want an entire batch of one color you can certainly add the coloring to the melted chocolate. It is also super easy to make smaller batches of the modeling chocolate which can be colored.
Hello! I''ll be making angry birds figures out of modelling chocolate and I'll make it in advance. How do I store the figures and I've done modelling chocolate once but it got a bit greasy?
You can store your figures in an airtight container for several weeks. Tupperware or Rubbermaid type containers work great. A zip top bag would also work, but I prefer to hard sided container to protect my figures. Read the trouble shooting tips in this post to learn how to avoid having greasy modeling chocolate. Good luck!
Hi Beth,
I am going to be making modeling chocolate for my sons birthday cake. I only have dark corn syrup, will that work also or do I need to make a store run?
Thanks!
Hi Tina, Yes, dark corn syrup will work, it will just change the flavor a bit. Below is some information I got from Karo's web site about the differences between light and dark corn syrup. You can decide if you need to run to the store after reading it.
Yes. Karo light and dark corn syrups perform similarly in recipes and can usually be used interchangeably. Recipes usually specify which type to use but the choice may be guided by personal preference. Typically, light corn syrup is used when a delicately sweet flavor is desired, such as in fruit sauces and jams. Karo light corn syrup is made with real vanilla.
Dark corn syrup is made with refiners' syrup, a type of molasses. With its more robust flavor and color, it is ideal for many baked goods.
I hope this helps.
Hi Beth,
I want to try modeling chocolate for my sons birthday cake but I only have dark corn syrup. Will that work also or do I need to go buy the light syrup?
thanks!
Hi Beth,
I want to try modeling chocolate for my sons birthday cake but I only have dark corn syrup. Will that work also or do I need to go buy the light syrup?
thanks!
This post is incredibly informative. The pictures were a life saver. I was so frustrated trying to work with dry modeling chocolate. Your fixes solved the problem right away! This is my new favorite cake decorating tool! Thank you so much!
I am so glad this tutorial helped you out. Modeling chocolate can be tricky, but once you figure out how to fix it, you'll never have to scrap a batch:)
I would like to know why candy melts get to hard when they set up in a mold. I melt tbem as the bag says. Am I suppose to add something to it.
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking here, but I think you might be having issues with the candy melts getting really thick while you are trying to fill molds. The best thing to add to thin them out is Paramount Crystals. They are solid flakes of fat that will melt when added to the thick candy melts and help thin them out. You finished candy will have a good snap. You can also add a small amount of vegetable oil, just be aware that your candy may not harden quite as well. A very small amount might not have any effect, but it may take more than a tiny amount to thin out the candy melts. The reason they get thick can be that they weren't stored properly, that they were exposed to moisture, or that they are old. I hope this helps.
OK, thank you for your help.
Regards
Sharon
Hi Beth
Your site is very helpful indeed and I have made modeling chocolate before sucessfully. I am making a cake for a young lady whi is a ceoliac and a diabetic. Is there a recepie for diabetic modeling chocolate?
Regards
Sharon
Hi Sharon, I am unaware of any recipe for modeling chocolate that would be alright for a diabetic to eat. I haven't used any artificial sweeteners in any of my food in many years and am not really too aware of any that could be used. You can find sugar free chocolates and would need to replace the corn syrup with a sugar free sweetener that is thick and sticky. If you don't use sweeteners either, you may want to go to a health food store and ask if there is something that might work.
Dear Chocolate Guru,
Your site has inspired me and has my creative wheels turning. I'm nervous of what's ahead but, I plan on making the hatchlings for Easter. I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out.
On another note, I plan on having a basketball themed party for my son using the same concept.
If i make circular crispy treats and dip in orange Wilton melts…. can I 'paint' on the black stripes with chocolate after the orange has cooled? Is there a better method such as tubed cookie icing or the colored food pens?
Thanks
Elena
Hi Elena, I don't think I've been called a guru before – thanks! Sounds like you have some fun projects ahead. If you dip rice krispie treats in orange candy melts, then you can pip on black stripes using a pastry bag, or use a paint brush to paint it on. You can also use a black food coloring marker and draw the lines on or dip a fine tip paint brush in black food coloring and paint it on. You can use cookie icing. So many possibilities. Have fun:)
I was able to make the modeling chocolate. I was successful in recovering from the oily mess I made. I was worried at first but stuck with it. I was so happy I wanted to do flips 🙂
I have stored it airtight as you had instructed. My next question is: Can I complete the project and store them in the refrigerator until Easter? Will they have condensation on them when I take them out???
What is the best way to store them?
Elena
Yay, I'm so glad it worked for you. Don't refrigerate the modeling chocolate, it's best just to leave it at room temperature. You can let it sit for well over a month that way. If you put it in the fridge, you will get condensation on it and even after it dries it will be spotty. I usually just store mine in Rubbermaid or Tupperware on the counter away from heat and sunlight. A zip top bag works too.
Hi, Beth,
I ended up not using my crock pot to melt the chocolate wafers because I saw this microwavable plastic bottle from the craft store and tried it instead. I was able to make chocolate lollipops with the plastic lollipop sticks. But my only concern is that when I placed the lollipop molds in the freezer, to make the chocolate hard, it made the chocolate lollipops a little moist like sweaty. I wrapped them anyway and stored them in an air tight plastic jar. I plan to make lollipops on weekends and then store them in the jar for party treats in May. I am just worried if the little sweat in the chocolate lollipops would melt them or degrade the chocolate lollipops. I just placed the molds in the freezer for ten minutes because that was the instruction that I have read somewhere – I can't remember where. Should I not put the chocolate molds in the freezer for ten minutes? Should I just let the chocolates cool down at the kitchen counter? or is that normal to get sweats on the chocolate and perhaps the moist will just dry up if I leave it at the counter for a while? Thanks a lot.
If you used candy melts and only kept them in the freezer for 10 minutes, I'm really surprised you got condensation on your lollipops. That will definitely happen if you leave them in the freezer for too long, but 10 minutes is perfect. I always leave mine in for about 10 minutes and don't have any trouble with them. If I forget them, then yes, I also do get condensation. I suppose you could just have a lot of moisture in your freezer. Try checking the lollipops a bit sooner. As soon as they are set, take them out. If you are making plain milk or dark chocolate pops, you can put them in the refrigerator instead of the freezer. I get better results with painted or colored pieces if I use the freezer. If you leave the sticky lollipops on the counter, they will dry but will still look like they have droplets on them. I hope this helps a bit and hope you have better luck with your next batch.
You are right, Beth. I probably left the chocolates in the freezer too long which caused all the condensation in some of my first batch of chocolate lollipops. On the next batches that I made, I really watched the clock and kept them in the freezer for only 10 minutes and they all came out nice and no more condensations 🙂 I am so happy I already finished my chocolate lollipops and they all look pretty. Thanks so much for your big help. Next weekend, I plan to use your recipe in making Modeling Chocolate. I will make chocolate flowers out of it for my cupcake toppers.
Hi Beth,
My husband and I decided to try modeling chocolate for the first time. We've made gum paste, marshmallow fondant, and several kinds of buttercream for our cakes, but the modeling chocolate sounded like a much better option for our sculpting. We ran into some snags tonight! Our first batch was so wet, it squelched and oil ran out as soon as we started to knead it. We're currently trying your tips for drying and continuing to knead it. Our other two batches we tried just seemed so dry. We kneaded both batches for at least ten solid minutes, occasionally adding more kayro syrup/honey, but the chocolate never seemed to loose the crumbliness – it just began to get oily. Any suggestions on why? Did we heat the chocolate too much, or not put enough syrup/honey in…or does it really take 20-30 minutes of kneading?
I know this will be a fantastic option once we can figure out how to make it work!
Thank you!
Hi Jenn,
When you make modeling chocolate successfully, you will, I am sure, really like the flavor and enjoy working with it. It can be challenging to get it right and I understand and have encountered the same issues you are having. I just made milk modeling chocolate last week and at first it felt dry, then when I added more corn syrup it got oily. I was able to fix it and make it workable quickly.
If you are having lots of oil come out of the modeling chocolate and you've tried all the trouble shooting items listed in the post and it still isn't working, then set it in a plastic bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes. I use plastic, because anything that can be cold, like glass, can cause the modeling chocolate to harden on the edges where it touches the bowl which can lead to dried bits of chocolate that wont ever knead into the modeling chocolate. Once it's rested try kneading it again. If oils still come out, give it another rest. Be sure to knead it on a cold surface like marble, granite, or a even a baking sheet. Use a bench scraper or even a spatula instead of your hands, especially if you have warm hands. I keep my house at 68 degrees most of the time, but I know most people keep their homes warmer. Heat in the room, from your hands, and from the surface you are working on will all have an effect on your modeling chocolate.
If the modeling chocolate feels dry and crumbly you do need to add more corn syrup. Once again you may try letting the oily modeling chocolate rest for 10 minutes then try kneading more corn syrup into it.
If all of this fails, then the only real option is to continue to knead it to work the oils back into the modeling chocolate. It can take time. I haven't had to do that in years. It's much nicer when you can just mix the corn syrup and chocolate together, knead it for about a minute until it is smooth, then get busy sculpting with it. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it much easier to fix the problems when they occur. I hope this helps.
Hi, Beth, thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us. I wonder, can I melt chocolate wafers in a crock pot? If so, do I heat it up only at the warm setting? Also, are plastic lollipop sticks just as good as the ones made of paper – for making chocolate lollipops? Thanks so much.
Hi. I know there are small crock pots made specifically for melting the candy wafers, but I honestly don't know if they have different temperature setting than a normal crock pot. You might want to put some water in your crock pot, set it on warm, leave it for an hour, then take the temperature of the water. You don't want the candy to get above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is lower than that, then go ahead and use it. I have heard some people heat water in their crock pot and keep jars or squeeze bottles in the water to keep their candy melted. Some even put piping bags filled with candy in zip top bags and set them into the water.
As far as plastic lollipop sticks go, I have always used the paper ones, but would think the plastic ones would work just fine.
If you have luck with the crock pot, let me know, so I can share the information.
Thanks for the advice! I tried warming the hard modeling chocolate in the microwave and adding corn syrup and it just made it greasy and oily but still hard. I was on a time constraint so I just used fondant and it actually turned out well (I made Sesame Street characters for the top of a birthday cake.) The only thing I can think of is that I scaled your recipe down so maybe I messed some measurements up in the conversion.
I have painted with just melted chocolate directly into molds before, but I'm trying to do more personalized chocolates for weddings, etc. and wanted to be able to put initials on truffles or other molded chocolates by hand. I thought this would look best done after the chocolates had set so that's why I was thinking of painting with the colored cocoa butter. Knowing that it needs to be cooled to about 90 degrees helps though. I'll have to play around with it and see what works best and also try the vodka and luster dust. I look forward to a blog about working with cocoa butter if you ever do one.
Sorry to hear the microwave didn't work. If it gets too hot the oils will seep out. I try to not ever heat it more than 5 seconds on defrost, but I know not all microwaves are the same and some might get hotter than mine on the defrost setting. I'm glad in the end the fondant worked out. When you aren't pressed for time, try the modeling chocolate again. Once you master it, I know you'll love working with it, plus it tastes so good.
I think you are on the right track for adding initials to molded chocolate pieces. The luster dust/vodka mix will work great, but so will the cocoa butter/coloring mix. Good luck with it and be sure to let me know how it all works for you.
Thanks so much! This is a really helpful blog. Someone on Etsy actually recommended it to me and I'm so happy she did! I used your recipe to (attempt to) make modeling chocolate with Merckens white chocolate but I wish I would've read the comments because I put it in the fridge afterwards to set and it was hard as a rock so I couldn't work with it, even after sitting out. I guess I won't put it in the fridge next time.
I read somewhere that you can color cocoa butter to paint onto the chocolate. You mentioned using vodka though. Have you ever used cocoa butter to paint with? If so, any tips? I assume it wouldn't dry like the vodka does so I wonder if it would be too runny or not dry at all. And do you know if this could work to paint plain molded chocolate or just on modeling chocolate? Thanks in advance!
Hi Missy, glad you found my blog. If you have rock hard modeling chocolate, put it in the microwave on defrost for 4-5 seconds. Then try to knead it. If you have a large amount, try breaking it into smaller pieces before putting it in the microwave. It should soften up enough to work with. If not, you can try to knead in some extra corn syrup. Ultimately you want your modeling chocolate to get hard once you've made your decorations, so you just need to make it soft and pliable enough to work with.
You can color cocoa butter and use it to paint on chocolate. I have done this a lot, but have yet to blog about it. You want to heat your cocoa butter enough to melt it then add your coloring. You then need to cool it to about 90 degrees F before painting onto the chocolate or you will cause bloom on the chocolate. Some people put their colored cocoa butter in jars in yogurt maker to keep them at a constant temperature while working with them. You can paint right onto chocolate or you can paint into your candy molds, allow it to dry, then pour in your chocolate, allow it to set, and when you pop it out it will be decorated. I usually color my modeling chocolate, so I've not tried painting onto it with colored cocoa butter, but think it might work. I use vodka when I paint with luster dust, but depending on what you are doing, you can also just brush the luster dust onto the chocolate. They both have different looks.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
hi, i just read your instructions about everything in using chocolate and thank you very much coz i find it very helpful. i made already before a modeling chocolate using hersheys chipits but i ended up throwing it away because it was so greasy and the oil got separated from the chocolate. well it's too late for me to find this site for trouble shooting lol! but my question is: Do i still need to add light corn syrup to make a modeling chocolate for my figures if i buy the Merckens Modeling Chocolate? or i just melt it and right away and knead it, coz it's already modeling chocolate right? Hope to hear your answer soon, thank you very much! and more power 🙂
I know many people have had the exact same experience with modeling chocolate and have ended up throwing it away. I know there are modeling chocolates available, but I'm not sure that Merckens makes any. Modeling chocolate will feel like clay or fondant. So if you buy store bought modeling chocolate, all you have to do is knead it then create your figures. If you are talking about confectionery coating/candy melts that come in wafers, then yes, you need to melt it and add corn syrup following my instructions regarding temperature. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
oh okey, i bought mercken moulding chocolate wafer though, so this is not modeling chocolate?
Moulding chocolate wafers are just chocolate you can melt and use to mold candies, so yes, you will need to melt them and add corn syrup.
ok, thank you very much Beth, you enlightened me about on this, you helped a lot about chocolate. Now i'm confident enough to use chocolate for my cake figures.
I wanted to say thank you, thank you so much.. I was having a hard time with white modeling chocolate and someone somewhere ( I think cakes we bake ) posted your link and there it was. The way to my crumbling white modeling chocolate .
I love modeling chocolate, it is awesome to work with and I made it my very first time and had no problems but then months later I went to do it and have had noticing but problems till today.. Thank you for your time, your passion and for sharing with us I myself appreciate it so much
Michelle
Hi Michelle, I am so happy that you found my instructions and troubleshooting information helpful. I really have encountered every problem there is to have with modeling chocolate and worked to figure out how to solve the problems. I am happy to share my experience with you. I love working with modeling chocolate and have lots of projects here that use it. I'm glad you had success in making it and hope you have lots of fun creating edible crafts with it.
When using a skillet to melt chocolates, can it be a stove stop skillet on low or just the plug in kind?
You know I've never tried doing it on the stove top, just because I like to sit at a table when I work, but I'm pretty sure it would work fine if you use a heavy bottomed skillet. Just keep the heat as low as possible. You might need to turn the heat off and on, just so the bottom of your jars of chocolate don't over-heat and burn. If you could somehow create a double boiler type effect, by raising your jars up 1/2" off the bottom of the skillet, that would be perfect. Good luck and let me know how it works.
Hi Rebecca,
You can re-temper your chocolate if you use the slab method (melt chocolate, take 2/3 of it and work it on a marble slab, then add it back into the other 1/3rd.) If you are using the seeding method, you will need perfectly tempered chocolate to use as the seed. Just re-melt your out of temper chocolate to 110-115 degrees, then add your tempered chocolate and stir until you reach the desired temperature for your brand of chocolate (between 88 and 91 degrees.) Good luck,
Beth
Hi Beth,
Thank you so much for your help. The cake was a success; my friend loved it!
A quick question about melted chocolate. I want to use some left over pieces of melted and hardened chocolate to make chocolate lollipops for Christmas. However, this chocolate was not successfuly tempered; some of the pieces have white streaks. Is it possible to re-temper this chocolate and restore it to its original shiny appearance for the lollipops, or is this no longer possible, now that streaking has occured?
Many thanks,
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca,
When you add coloring to any modeling chocolate it will become more soft and pliable, especially if you add water based colorings. Eventually if left to dry the colored modeling chocolate will become more solid.
As far as leaving a cake ball out, I have left them out at room temperature for over a week, and they were still good. The chocolate coating keeps the cake ball moist and delicious. So I wouldn't worry about making them a day or even a few days in advance.
Let me know how your project turns out or if you have any more questions.
Hi Beth,
Thank you so much for the advice – it is such a relief to get an experienced view.
It sounds like the fridge is where I went wrong. I neglected to mention that I used store bought, Squires cocoform (I did not know it was easy to make your own until I found your blog!); when it went moist after I worked some colour into it, I thought the fridge would help. Obviously not!
It sounds like I will have to make my character a day in advance max, because I plan to shape the character from a cakeball mix and I suspect that I should not leave this out for too long. The shape will be covered with candy coating to hopefully create a more solid structure. The charact
er's clothes will be made using milk chocolate cocoform and sugarpaste. I have no idea if this is a feasible plan, so if you have any tips or any warnings, do let me know, otherwise, thank you very much again for your help.
Rebecca
p.s will try out the vodka tip – I like that!
Hi Rebecca,
I'm glad you found and enjoyed my page on chocolate making tips. I love using modeling chocolate and sometimes forget that not everyone keeps their house at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, as I do. The one downfall of modeling chocolate is that is can become soft in warm temperatures. The best way to combat this issue is to make your modeling chocolate stiffer by using less corn syrup. This can help, but if the room is too warm, it can still begin to melt. I don't refrigerate my modeling chocolate, ever! When I get it out of my zip top bag after it sat for a day it is hard. So hard in fact that I have to break off small amounts and knead it until it is workable. If your modeling chocolate doesn't harden like that at room temperature then it probably has too much corn syrup in it. When I can, I like to make my modeling chocolate and use it within an hour so that it is soft and pliable enough to model, then I let my decorations sit at room temperature to dry out. I do find that if it is worked too much it gets soft and I have to walk away and let it rest. I also have to oftentimes run my hands under cold water to cool them off. If you refrigerate your modeling chocolate decorations, they will become moist and sticky. Even if you wrap them tightly, when you put them in a refrigerator they will be exposed to moisture. Try leaving them out to dry for at least a day. If you are making a sculpture to put on a cake and you make it several days ahead of time it should have plenty of time to dry out. It is still edible, just a little hard, but that sure beats having it lose it's shape during a party. Store your modeling chocolate in a cool dry place away from a heat register or window. Always wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or zip top bag.
As far as coloring it, try brusing the dusting colors on after you sculpt your decoration. You can brush it on dry, or mix it with a small amount of vodka and paint it on. The vodka will evaporate and you will have a nice painted look. If you brush it on dry it will give your pieces a nice mellow shimmer and a soft color. I've tried mixing the dust into the modeling chocolate and it takes too much (and it's too expensive to waste) to really have much effect.
I've never used gum tragacanth, so I don't know it's effect on modeling chocolate.
Good luck. If you have any more questions, let me know. Good luck with your Star Wars characters.
Hi Beth,
First, what a find. Your blog is fantastic and your designs are amazing. Thank you so much for the tips.
Second, I am wondering if you can possibly help me. I am using modelling chocolate for the first time to make a Star wars character to place on a friend's birthday. I have tested out the modelling chocolate with a tad of Suagrflair blossom tint, to see what effect it has.
I am not sure if the tint (powder form)is havin an effect, but I do notice that the modelling chocolate becomes moist and soft rather quickly in room temperature. It hardens when I put it in the fridge, but the cake may be exposed to room temperature for a while. As such, I am concerned that the modelling chocolate won't last on the cake and the figure that I am making it from will not hold. Am I doing something wrong or can I do something to make the modelling chocolate stay hard in room temperature or a room that may be a little warm? Will gum tragacanth work on modeling chocolate?
Would be really grateful for your advice!
Many thanks
Rebecca
Hi Anonymous, you should heat your confectionery coatings/candy melts (Merkens, Wilton's, or Peter's) no higher than 105 degrees Fahrenheit in order to melt them. While you are working, if the coatings get too cold they wont pour nicely into your molds and it will be hard to get a nice smooth surface on the candies. If you pour the candy into the mold and tap the mold a few times on the counter, the candy should smooth out. If it doesn't, then the candy is too cold. It may also be that the candy is just too thick to pour smoothly even when heated properly. Candy melts that have been exposed to extreme temperature changes (going from a cold warehouse to a hot delivery truck to a cold store) will often times have issues melting. If that is the case, I recommend you add some Paramount Crystals or a very small amount of vegetable oil to your candy to thin it out. It is also possible to over heat your candy melts which also makes them very thick. If the candy is not burnt, then you should be able to thin it out with paramount crystals or oil.
I hope this helps.
Beth @ Hungry Happenings
Hi, recently I have been having trouble with making molded chocolates from Merckens chocolate appells. The back side of the chocolate when I take it out of the freezer, is all wrinkly looking and not smooth. Is this caused by having the chocolate the wrong temperature? I haven't had this problem in past years, and am really baffled. What is the correct temperature to keep the melted chocolate in the squeeze bottles?
Thanks.
Hi Jeff,
Being that candy melts and chocolate chips have two different types of fat, they need to be handled differently. The chips which contain cocoa butter need to be tempered in order for the finished product to set up correctly. I have never tried mixing them, but if you do, I would think you will need to temper the mixuture. I know that candy melts don't taste nearly as good as pure chocolate containing cocoa butter, but it is so much easier to work with for the home cook. I have always worked with one or the other and would suggest that, but if you do try mixing them, let me know how it turns out.
Dear Beth,
Is it possible to melt candy melts and chocolate chips together? Or should I just work with either or?
Thank you!
The best site I have come across for troubleshooting modeling chocolate! Thank you!
Thanks Catherine and addietx for your nice comments. Catherine I just posted a recipe for making modeling chocolate using Dulce de Leche(caramelized sweetened condensed milk) that you might like to try. This version of modeling chocolate has a wonderful caramel flavor and has the same texture as modeling chocolate made from corn syrup. https://hungryhappenings.com/2011/05/inside-out-chocolate-caramel-apples.html?utm_source=BP_recent
These are very thorough instructions and well appreciated. Thank you very much. I love your site. I have gotten many wondering ideas from your tutorials.
Dear Beth,
Wonderful blog! Thank you. I'm quite new to chocolatiering (if there is such a word) and am looking for a method of sculpting chocolate without using too much glucose (corn starch). I don't like the flavour or texture it imparts. I've tried thickening the chocolate (Barry Callebaut couverture) by adding very small amounts of water, but the result is either too crumbly or too sticky. I think it can be done as there's a UK company (that's where I live), claiming to be able to do it, but they won't disclose their method. Do you have any bright ideas on the subject?
Good wishes from Catherine (Gloucestershire, UK)