**Welcome to How To Cook That: Modeling Chocolate**

Today we are making modeling chocolate and this is a very useful thing for cake decorating. You can use it instead of fondant to cover cakes or to make different shapes out of. The only difference is it doesn't set firm like fondant does even if you leave it for a couple of days, so it won't be suitable for some 3D shapes. Traditionally it is made from corn syrup and candy melts.

**The Basic Recipe**

Put 100g of candy melts into a bowl and then melt them. I like to melt them in the microwave and I do that by putting them on for 30 seconds on full power and stirring really well. Then put them in for another 20 seconds and stir well. It is really important that you do this stirring because microwaves heat unevenly so if you don't stir it will burn. Repeat 10 second bursts until it is melted.

Next, warm 2 tsp of corn syrup to the same temperature as your melts. Then take a small amount of the melts and mix it into the corn syrup really well. You don't have to do this step; you can just mix the corn syrup into the melts, but I find it is easier to get a smooth even mixture if you do it this way. Now add this to the remainder of the melts and mix using a spatula until it is just combined. So, I want to stress enough that you just mix until it is only just combined; don't keep mixing.

**The Importance of Not Overmixing**

As soon as you see a little bit of roughness stop, resist the urge to stir any more or you will ruin it. The next day you have this hard lump in the bowl, which can be warmed slightly in the microwave for about 5 seconds to make it softer and then knead it until you get a smooth pliable ball.

**Alternatives to Traditional Candy Melts**

For those of us who are in Australia and elsewhere in the world who can't get candy melts at a reasonable price, I experimented with glucose syrup and Nestle white chocolate melts. Glucose syrup is a lot thicker than corn syrup, and in most recipes they can just be swapped for equal amounts. However, when you do that, you end up with a hard lump which turns into a crumbly mess when you try and knead it. You can warm it slightly in the microwave and bring it back into a ball but it is still not smooth and pliable like it should be.

**Experimenting with Different Combinations**

Starting with the traditional recipe, you've got your candy melts and your corn syrup; this gives you a smooth and pliable result which is what we want. Swapping for equal parts of glucose syrup and Nestle melts and a drop of gel food coloring results in a useable but barely edible product that crumbles really easily.

For all of the amounts used in these experiments, all written in a table so it is easy to see what is going on, just go to the website howtocookthat.net; there is a link in the description below this video. What if you want to use real milk chocolate with cocoa butter in it like your Cadbury Milk Chocolate and not your melts? The best results I found were using corn syrup which gave a nice rollable mixture which tasted great.

**Additional Tips and Variations**

You can also use extra glucose syrup, but was not as smooth; it was kind of a little bit sticky in places. A few forums also suggested adding water to thin down the glucose syrup and just in case you are thinking of trying that one I'll show you here; it gave the worst results. So, don't waste your ingredients doing that.

For all of the quantities used in these experiments and more combinations go to the blog howtocookthat.net; there is a link in the description below this video.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWelcome To How To Cook ThatI am Ann ReardonToday we are making modeling chocolate andthis is a very useful thing for cake decorating.You can use it instead of fondant to covercakes or to make different shapes out of theonly difference is it doesn't set firm likefondant does even if you leave it for a coupleof days so it wont be suitable for some 3Dshapes.Traditionally it is made from corn syrup andcandy melts, here in Australia they are veryexpensive ingredients I will show you howto make it using those but I will also runthrough some different alternatives that youcan use instead.So lets start with the basic recipe and method.Put 100g of candy melts into a bowl and thenmelt them, I like melt them in the microwaveand I do that by putting them on for 30 secondson full power and stirring really well.Then put them in for another 20 seconds andstir well.It is really important that you do this stirringbecause microwaves heat unevenly so if youdon't stir it will burn.Then repeat 10 second bursts until it is melted.Next warm 2 tsp of corn syrup to the sametemperature as your melts.Then take a small amount of the melts andmix it into the corn syrup really well.You don't have to do this step you can justmix the corn syrup into the melts.But I find it is easier to get a smooth evenmixture if you do it this way.Now add this to the remainder of the meltsand mix using a spatula until it is just combined.So I can't stress enough that you just mixuntil it is only just combined don't keepmixing.As soon as you see a little bit of roughnessstop, resist the urge to stir any more oryou will ruin it.Then leave that at room temperature overnight.The next day you have this hard lump, in thebowl you can warm it slightly in the microwavefor about 5 seconds to make it softer andthen knead it until you get a smooth pliableball.Next for those of us who are in Australiaand elsewhere in the world who can't get candymelts at a reasonable price.I experimented with glucose syrup and nestlewhite chocolate melts.Glucose syrup is a lot thicker than corn syrupand in most recipes they can just be swappedfor equal amounts.But for this recipe when you do that you endup witha hard lump which turns into a crumbly messwhen you try and knead it, you can warm itslightly in the microwave and bring it backinto a ball but it is still not smooth andpliable like it should be.So back to the drawing board and several experimentslater ... I will run you through some of thoseresults.Starting with the traditional recipe you'vegot your candy melts and your corn syrup youhave this smooth and pliable result whichis what we want.Next swapping for equal parts of glucose syrupand nestle melts and a drop of gel food colourit is useable but barely it crumbles reallyeasily.Now for nestle melts and a greater amountof glucose syrup and the results is much better,it is more elastic and smooth but still notquite as good as the candy melts with glucosesyrup.For all of the amounts used in these experimentsall written in a table so it is easy to seewhat is going on just go to the website howtocookthat.netthere is a link in the description below thevideo.And then what if you want to use real milkchocolate with cocoa butter in it like yourcadbury milk chocolate and not your melts.The best results I found were using corn syrupwhich gave a nice rollable mixture which tastedgreat.You can also use the extra glucose syrup alsoworked well but was not as smooth it was kindof a little bit sticky in places.A few forums also suggested adding water tothin down the glucose syrup and just in caseyou are thinking of trying that one I'll showyou here it gave the worst results.So don't waste your ingredients doing that.For all of the quantities used in these experimentsand more combinations go to the blog howtocookthat.netthere is a link in the description below thisvideo.Thanks for watching and join me next weekfor a cake decorating tutorial and subscribefor more cakes, chocolate and dessert recipes.You can add your requests in the commentsbelow.Have a great week, I'll see you Friday.\n"