How to Make Modeling Chocolate {Candy Clay}

Learn how to make easy homemade modeling chocolate (candy clay) with 2 ingredients: Candy melts and corn syrup. Great for cake decorating and a good alternative to fondant.

The first time I heard of this was while watching Cake Boss. Buddy was using it to make a tree and it looked super cool! I finally tried it out and love it because it tastes so much better than store-bought fondant. It's almost better than even my Homemade Marshmallow Fondant. I even used this clay to make the following Flower Basket Cake (Basketweave).

What is modeling chocolate? Does it taste good?

It's edible chocolate clay and is used in cake decorating. It's more durable than fondant and doesn't tear as easily. Yes! It tastes delicious, just like Tootsie Rolls.

How to make modeling chocolate from scratch?

1. Heat chocolate- Until smooth.
2. Add corn syrup- And mix until combined.
3. Let it set- Overnight at room temperature.
4. Use it for decorating- Your cakes and cupcakes.

Easy Candy Clay Ingredients

1. Chocolate- I prefer using candy melts because you can use pre-colored ones, which means there is no need to mix in color and that's very convenient and saves you time.
2. Corn syrup- Definitely use light corn syrup to prevent discoloration.

Is candy clay same as fondant? (Modeling chocolate vs. Fondant)

No. They are made with different ingredients. Candy clay is made primarily with chocolate and fondant is made primarily with marshmallows. Candy clay doesn't dry quickly like fondant when you leave it unattended. You also don't have to worry about covering it up immediately while doing your work. Furthermore, you can use the warmth of your hands and fingers to blend any seams or tears, which is difficult to do with fondant. It also tastes better than fondant and is just as pliable.

Since it dries slower than fondant, this chocolate clay is also a better choice for doing intricate, detailed, realistic sculpture work, faces and figurine work. It's great for blending, molding, shaping.

However, there are some drawbacks to using candy clay. It's much heavier than fondant and that means your decorated cakes will be heavier too!

Can you mix it with fondant?

Yes! It adds a lot of elasticity and becomes a better product for making figures and decorating desserts, overall.

Tips and techniques

Use real chocolate instead of Candy Melts- Use the following ingredients: 1 pound chocolate (the best baking chocolate you can find like Ghiradelli) and ½ cup light corn syrup. The instructions are still the same. Different brands of chocolate behave differently because they all have different fat content. It will take some trial and error to get the correct ratios.

Do not knead and mix too much- Over-kneading makes mixture very oily and crumbly and almost impossible to work with.

If your mixture is very crumbly and starts falling apart- This means you should add a little more corn syrup and heat and knead to bring all the crumbs together into a play-doh form.

If your mixture is too soft- You should add less corn syrup next time and chill in fridge to make it firm.

Add color to white clay- Use oil-based colors. Liquid food coloring will seize the chocolate.

Make a bigger batch- Just double all the ingredients.

Can you cover cake with candy clay? Yes! Ice the cake (such as this Chocolate Coffee Cake) smoothly in American Buttercream Frosting and then roll out this clay and spread it over the cake. Cut off excess with a knife. Smooth it out with the warmth of your hands or the smoothing tool. Some people prefer covering the cake in panels of this clay rather than spreading it over the cake. That is what I would recommend for larger cakes. Smaller cakes can easily be covered in one go.

You must let mixture set overnight- Because it allows for the best texture that's not too soft and not too firm.

Storage

Room temperature- Keep it covered tightly in saran wrap and Ziploc bag away from humidity and sunlight for up to 2 weeks.

Refrigerate- Keep it covered tightly in saran wrap and Ziploc bag for up to 1 month. Knead with your hands to make it soft and pliable again.

Freeze- Keep it covered tightly in saran wrap and Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature and knead with your hands to make it soft and pliable again.

Mode Baking Tips

• How to Make Homemade Sprinkles
• How to Make Filled Cupcakes (Stuffed Cupcakes)
• How to Make Brown Sugar
• How to Soften Brown Sugar
• Homemade Sugar Cubes (2 Ingredients)

Recipe