How to prepare modelling chocolate for pastry decorating

Chocolate is versatile, so it is also suitable as a garnish on a variety of confectionery. Of course, it can be used to make the simple curls we have already mentioned, or as a topping, but it can also be used to make special modelling chocolate and shaped as desired. Moulding chocolate is similar to fondant, but the chocolate content makes it much tastier.

This article is about modelling chocolate and how to make it. As always, there are several ways to prepare it. We will focus on the two most common ways and hope that decorative chocolate figures will soon be adorning the tops of your cakes.

The first way

For the first way of making the modelling paste, we will need:

• 60 g sugar
• 0,4 dl water
• 150 g glucose (starch syrup, candy syrup)
• 500 g dark/milk/white chocolate
• cocoa butter*

*When using milk chocolate, add 30 g melted cocoa butter, when using white chocolate, add 60 g melted cocoa butter.

The rest of the process is very simple. First, heat the chocolate to 40 °C. As always, just before the chocolate is completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir the chocolate until it is completely melted. Then add the starch syrup and the water to which the sugar has been added. Mix everything together, but only enough to make a compact mixture.

If you stir it for too long, it will become a little grainy.

All that follows is to wrap the mixture in PVC foil and leave it to stand at room temperature for about 6 to 8 hours. Knead the mixture before use to soften it and make it smoother. The dough is then ready to be rolled, cut and shaped. If kept in a sealed, leak-proof container, it can be used for several months.

The second way

To make modelling chocolate using the second recipe, all you will need is:

• corn syrup
• white/dark/milk chocolate

In this case, the ratio of syrup to chocolate varies depending on the type of chocolate. If too little syrup is added to the chocolate, it will be lumpy and dry and not suitable for moulding. However, if too much syrup is added, the chocolate will be too runny and thus again unsuitable for moulding. The quantities of chocolate and syrup vary between recipes, as chocolates also vary greatly from one recipe to another. Therefore, almost every recipe for modelling chocolate needs a little addition.

For white chocolate, you will need about 80 ml of syrup and 340 g of chocolate. Milk chocolate will need more syrup, so 360 g of chocolate will need about 95 ml of syrup. Dark chocolate will need the most syrup, 120 ml for 340 g of chocolate, due to the high cocoa content and less cocoa butter. Of course, these quantities are only approximate.

It is best to try to find the right ratio by adding syrup a little at a time.

If there is too little, you can still add more, but if there is too much, it will be harder to fix.

The chocolate must first be melted. It can be melted in the microwave or over a water bath. Since we have already talked about melting chocolate, we will avoid repeating this process. So once our chocolate is melted, the corn syrup also needs to be heated over steam. This must not be heated too much, as this will make the modelling chocolate unusable. We only need to heat it up enough to make it warm. Then add the syrup to the chocolate and start stirring. The mixture will start to set slowly while you are stirring it. When it is well mixed, transfer it to the PVC foil, as in the first method, and leave it to cool to room temperature. The cooling time depends very much on the temperature of the room itself, since if the room is cooler, the mixture can be ready in as little as 3 hours. As with the previous modelling chocolate, it should not be placed in the fridge or freezer.

All you have to do at the end is to shape the figures. These can come in different shapes and sizes. If you don''t know what to mould and how to mould them, keep an eye on our website, where we will soon publish an article on how to make some of the figures.