Modelling chocolate

This easy to follow chocolate modelling recipe will come in handy when you want to create detailed decorations from chocolate, have an alternative for fondant icing to cover cakes or decorate your cupcakes.

This recipe and me

When I started my chocolate making journey I was always very impressed with all the intricately decorated chocolate cakes and I’ve always wondered how they achieved such detailed finish, like for example, chocolate rose.

It wasn’t until later I discovered that these kind of decorations are usually made with modelling chocolate and not an actual chocolate coverture.

I normally make my own modelling chocolate, but on occasions when I had to buy some in, I realised how expensive the ready-made modelling chocolate is. It’s great to have some as a back up, if you needed, but it’s actually very easy to make your own.

Modelling chocolate is very easy to make, it’s basically just two ingredients – chocolate and glucose (or a form of glucose). Depending on the ration between the chocolate and glucose, you can create more pliable modelling chocolate for covering cakes or slightly firmer modelling chocolate for detailed decorations.

Why make this recipe?

• Easy to make
• It’s cheaper to make your own modelling chocolate than to buy one
• Great alternative to fondant icing as it’s less sweet and easier to work with

What is modelling chocolate?

Modelling chocolate is a great alternative to sugar paste or fondant icing. It’s much easier to work with than tempered chocolate and it’s particularly good for small decorative work.

Modelling chocolate is flexible paste and it behaves very closely to mexican paste or firm sugar paste. The final finish on the modelling chocolate is like polished leather – it’s shiny and very smooth.

It can be easily used instead of traditional fondant icing to cover whole cakes, create cake collars and make decorations that are often difficult to make with regular chocolate.

The taste is quite nice too – it basically taste like chocolate, but slightly softer – kind of like a chocolate chewing gum.

The different types of modelling chocolate

You can make modelling chocolate from any chocolate coverture, whether it’s white or dark chocolate and even new ruby chocolate or flavoured chocolates like the pink strawberry buttons.

The recipe remains the same, the only difference is the proportions of glucose versus chocolate. This depends on the cocoa solids content in each chocolate. The lower the amount of cocoa solids the less glucose you need.

This makes complete sense, when you think about the same happens with chocolate ganache (the same amount of cream can make white chocolate ganache too runny and dark chocolate too thick).

Chocolate to glucose ratio

To help you to understand how to make the perfect modelling chocolate, you need to know that the chocolate to glucose ratio will depend on the type of chocolate you use. Rather than relying on exact recipes, you need to understand the glucose to chocolate ratio.

The lower the cocoa solids percentage the less glucose you need (otherwise the texture will be too soft). The ratio is anything between 2. 5 – 4 as in 2.5 times more chocolate than glucose for dark chocolate, about 3 – 3.5 times more for milk chocolate and about 4 times more chocolate for glucose when using white chocolate.

This way you can create your own recipes based on the amount of chocolate or glucose you have.

My top tips on making this recipe successfully the first time round

Don’t overheat the chocolate when melting – take this stage very slowly (this can burn the chocolate very easily)

If you are using other liquids than glucose you will need slightly less than what’s in the recipe as glucose is quite thick

Don’t start to stir the glucose in too quickly or when the chocolate is still hot (this can cause the chocolate to split)

Since each chocolate might have a different consistency, it’s best to add less glucose than you think you need, knead the modelling chocolate and add more if it feels too firm

Leave the modelling paste to set overnight or at least for few hours before using

Keep wrapped in a cling film even when you store the modelling paste in an airtight container. This prevents drying out.

Quick recipe overview

White modelling chocolate (27% cocoa solids)

• 200 grams white chocolate
• 50 grams glucose

Milk modelling chocolate (33% cocoa solids)

• 200 grams milk chocolate
• 60 – 70 grams glucose

Dark modelling chocolate (55% cocoa solids)

• 200 grams dark chocolate
• 80 grams glucose

Dark modelling chocolate (75-85% cocoa solids)

• 200 grams dark chocolate
• 80-90 grams glucose

Other types of chocolate

Check the cocoa content on the package and then choose a recipe that’s closest to the cocoa content. If you are not sure, just add less glucose, knead it in and add more if the modelling paste is too dense. It’s easier to do it this way, then keep adding chocolate.

What can you use modelling chocolate for

• Covering cakes (instead of fondant icing)
• Make decorations for cupcakes, popsicles, cakes, chocolate truffles or other chocolate treats – either hand modelling or using sugar paste moulds

Ingredients & Possible Substitutions

Chocolate

What type of chocolate can you use:

• Any chocolate bar – white, milk or dark ( plain flavours or simple flavours with no inclusions like nuts or sweets)
• Chocolate coverture (the ‘proper chocolate’)
• Candy Melts
• Flavoured chocolate callets (Strawberry, Lime, Orange)
• Cooking chocolate (compound chocolate)
• Chocolate chips (for baking)
• Ruby chocolate

Glucose

Glucose is a type of sugar – it’s white (see through, clear) thick and sticky stuff and it has a mild sugary taste. It’s definitely less sweet than honey and other types of sugar syrups.

You can usually buy glucose in the baking section of your supermarket, although it’s usually just 150 grams tubs. If you are thinking of making large quantities of modelling chocolate it might be worth buying slightly large quantities.

What can you replace glucose with

Corn syrup
Golden syrup
Honey
Agave
Coconut syrup
Maple syrup

Apart from corn syrup (which is just a thinner- watered down glucose) all other substitutions will add flavour and colour.

This might be fine with very dark chocolate (because the chocolate flavour will happily overpower the syrup), but it might cause unwanted flavour and discolouration to white chocolate modelling paste.

Saying that if you are planning something like a zesty lemon drizzle cake with white chocolate fondant covering a hint of honey (in flavour and colour) will work beautifully with the flavour and the colour.

Any specialist equipment needed?

• Microwave or bain marie to warm up the chocolate and the sugar syrup

Time saving tip

Warm up both the glucose and chocolate to about 32 C (just warm enough to melt) and combine very slowly together. This ensures the chocolate doesn’t get heated up too much and you don’t need to wait for it to cool down.

Quick Instructions

1. Slowly melt the chocolate and allow to cool a little, so that’s about body temperature (around 35 C)
2. Add the glucose
3. Stir slowly in and mix well
4. Leave to cool (covered with plastic bag to prevent drying out)
5. When completely cold, knead until it becomes smooth and pliable
6. Add more glucose if needed
7. Leave to sit (covered) for 20-45 min in cold before use

Pro tip

Make sure that the humidity in your kitchen is low (ideally around 55% or lower).

Since most people don’t have a way to check this, all you need to worry about is to reduce humidity in kitchen as much as you can.

• Don’t boil potatoes or anything else on the hob that can create steam
• Don’t do washing up at the same time as you are making your chocolate
• If you live in a cold old house (like our kitchen), put the heating on to raise temperature a little (and diffuse the humidity)

Allergies & dietary requirements

Depending on what type of sugar syrup and chocolate you use this recipe can be:

• Dairy Free
• Gluten Free
• Nut Free
• Vegan
• Vegetarian

Batch size

The basic recipe size is great for quite lot of decorations or to cover a small cake. You can pull the chocolate modelling paste quite thin, which makes it very economical – a little goes a long way.

Scaling up (or down)

This is not a problem, just adjust the recipe which ever way you like – double the ingredients or half them if you like.

Troubleshooting tips

Can I colour white modelling chocolate?

Yes, white chocolate is perfect for colouring. Use strong gel colours (the same ones you use for sugar decorations). Add a tiny bit to the glucose as you are starting to knead it/ mix it together. Add more colour if needed.

Can I use modelling chocolate with sugar craft moulds?

Yes, you can use modelling chocolate in exactly the same way as sugar paste, fondant icing or mexican paste. In fact, you will find that you don’t need to oil the sugar craft moulds to get the chocolate paste from them, as the paste doesn’t stick.

Help! My modelling chocolate is too dry!

This can happen when you add too little glucose or you try to incorporate the chocolate in when it’s starts to set. Warm up your modelling chocolate a little and add a small amount of glucose. Knead it fully in and check if you need to use more glucose.

Why is my modelling chocolate too soft?

This is because there is probably too much of the liquid element – e.g the glucose or honey. The only way to fix this is to add more chocolate.

If you don’t have too much chocolate left or don’t need a bigger amount of modelling chocolate, cut the soft modelling chocolate in half (or 1/3), melt more chocolate and incorporate it in. Work on the smaller amount of soft modelling chocolate.

Keep the rest of the soft modelling chocolate tightly wrapped in a cling film and either use it later when you need more modelling chocolate (add more chocolate in) or use it for puddings instead of firmer chocolate sauce.

You could also use the soft modelling paste to make chocolate truffles by adding cream, flavouring and either piping the truffles into shape or using chocolate moulds to create chocolate truffles.

Can I use candy melts to make chocolate modelling paste?

Yes, you can, but please check the cocoa solids content before you start the recipe. Candy melts have much lower cocoa solids content and higher amount of oil which makes them easy to work with, but it also means that they need even less glucose than white chocolate.

If you are not too sure how much glucose or sugar syrup to add start with about 1/2 of what my recipe for white chocolate has and then add more if needed.

How to store modelling chocolate

• Treat it as a ‘chocolate’ – store your chocolate paste it in cold, dark place, ideally around 18 C
• Wrap in a cling film or plastic bag and place inside an airtight container
• Use within 6 months
• Don’t store in fridge or freezer (this will spoil the chocolate)

How to use modelling chocolate

Before you use your modelling chocolate, warm it up a little by kneading again with warm hands, putting it in a microwave for 5-10 seconds and kneed it again.

This should make the modelling chocolate nice and easy to work with.

Why not stay in touch…

I hope you enjoy making this recipe and if you do, I’d love to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or find me on Instagram or Facebook and add the hashtag #cocoaandheart so that I can see your post.

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Magdalena