What is modelling chocolate?
Modelling chocolate is a versatile compound made by combining melted chocolate and heated corn syrup. It is also known as candy clay, chocolate leather or plastic chocolate.
Sculpting chocolate is used to create a soft dough you can mould with your hands. Use Venchi chocolate to create edible flowers and shapes that will make your homemade creations extra elegant.
Fancy patisseries and professionally trained chefs often use chocolate modelling to decorate their desserts. But this does not mean that these edible decorations are out of reach or too challenging for at-home chefs to try. You'll likely get gorgeous results, especially the more you practice.
Just remember to follow the recipe and use a food thermometer. If you know how to temper chocolate, you're halfway there.
Which chocolate to use?
The type of chocolate you use matters to make modelling chocolate with the best chance of success. The recipe calls for only two ingredients, but their quality will have a significant effect on the final product.
The best chocolate to use to make modelling chocolate is premium quality dark or couverture chocolate. The key is to choose chocolate that melts quickly and evenly.
If you're using chocolate bars try to chop them into even, small chunks.
Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content and minimal processing, often characterized by a reduced presence of preservatives, exhibits a tendency to melt rapidly due to its delicate structure and the absence of stabilizing additives.
You can create modelling chocolate from both dark and white chocolate, depending on your needs. If you need to colour the chocolate, then white chocolate is the best one to use.
How to make modelling chocolate
To make modelling chocolate, all you'll need is two ingredients: chocolate and corn syrup.
Discover our full chocolate modelling recipe below, but here is a quick summary. First, you'll need to melt the chocolate, add heated corn syrup, and leave the mixture to rest for at least 2 hours. You can keep it in the fridge to make it set quicker. To guarantee perfect results, learn how to temper chocolate or use a double boiler.
When your modelling chocolate is set, it's ready to be made into gorgeous creations. To soften the chocolate and make it easier to shape, knead it a little with your hands. Modelling chocolate is extremely sensitive to the heat in our hands, so try to work quickly.
If your chocolate becomes too soft, do not worry. To harden it up again, dust your work surface with cocoa powder for dark chocolate and icing sugar for white chocolate.
Ingredients
For dark modelling chocolate:
400 g dark chocolate
225 ml corn syrup
For white modelling chocolate:
400 g white chocolate
110 ml corn syrup
Instructions
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring continuously. Do not let the temperature rise above 43°C. Once melted, remove the chocolate from the heat.
In a saucepan, heat the corn syrup to 43°C.
Stir the corn syrup into the melted chocolate. Stir until both ingredients are well combined.
Slowly pour the mixture onto plastic wrap and wrap it up.
Leave it to harden for a few hours at room temperature.
Roll out the modelling chocolate with a rolling pin so it is even and roughly 3cm thick.
You can use cookie cutters or a small knife to create beautiful shapes.