21 replies to this topic

[ChocoGrok]

I'm making white chocolate modeling clay using following recipe:

1. melt 10oz white chocolate in a bowl placed over hot, not boiling, water.
2. remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup corn syrup with rubber spatula. Blend until syrup is incorporated and mixture forms a ragged ball
3. transfer ball onto plasticwrap and form a disc. allow to rest uncovered for 2 hours before shaping.

2 ingredients: chocolate plus corn syrup...a no brainer... child's play, right? (chocolate clay is in fact a popular kid's project).

Well, I tried this twice. First, with Hershey's white chocolate chips. After stirring in the corn syrup, I got a mess that was oozing oil. I kneaded and kneaded the mess, hoping that the oil would be incorporated. Instead, more and more oil came out and the chocolate become grainier and granier....my hands felt like they were going through a DIY spa treatment, with all the oil and the microparticles. I discarded the glop thinking that it was the vegetable oil in the Hershey's formulation that did me in.

I repeated the procedure with a large block of Ghiradelli White. I chopped it before melting and was very conscious about keeping the temperature below 100 degrees. I stirred in the corn syrup, transferred the ball to a plate, and shaped it into a disc. Then I noticed that a layer of oil was starting to form. I ignored it, hoping that the oil would be somehow miraculously resorbed. Instead, more and more oil started to form and now I'm back to the same nightmare.

Asking if anyone on this forum has made chocolate clay successfully is a rhetorical question (and perhaps even insulting ). With only 2 ingredients, there can be a small finite number of reasons that explains this oily mess. Did I stir the corn syrup/melted chocolate mixture too much? Did I not stir it enough? Should I add the corn syrup to the chocolate before I melt it? Am I using the wrong kind of chocolate? Do I have bad karma with chocolate clay? Argghh. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers!

Edited by ChocoGrok, 11 January 2007 - 03:30 PM.

[K8memphis]

I often use almond bark or candy melts not real chocolate for candy clay, modeling clay whatever it's many names are. Which, I think of candy melts as fake chocolate and almond bark as fake candy melts. However you don't have to deal with chocolate's evil tempered nature. And white seem so much more testy than her siblings of milk, unsweetened, semisweet, bittersweet & the percentage boys to me anyway.

So all that to say when I make it, I leave it in my glass bowl that I melted it in. I level it out on top like you do for sour cream so it doesn't weep y'know? I don't know why they say to put it on plastic wrap or whatever. I mean it can still separate some in the bowl but not much. It is harder to remove from the bowl but a little at a time & it's no biggee. And yes the oil stuff does knead back in.

I add vanilla butter powder to mine also. It is ridiculously good.

Are you sure no water got into it from the sweaty bottom of the bowl you melted it in? And if you overheat it it gets grainy too.

Also I stir slowly and it comes together quickly and I leave it alone. I like to add my corn syrup in the bowl to get the same temperature as the chocolate, but I get the chocolate melty-ish first because the corn syrup can boil on yah if you're not careful--but I use the microwave.

Edited by K8memphis, 11 January 2007 - 04:00 PM.

[K8memphis]

Wait, under 100 degrees like up to 95? I will defer the final answer to the chocolate wizards here but I think you nuked it. That's too hot for white hence the graininess.

Am I close, gurus de chocolate?

[Kerry Beal]

Does the original recipe call for white chocolate? The recipe that I have calls for 7 ounces white chocolate and 1 1/2 tbsp corn syrup, but if you use 7 ounces dark chocolate you use 1/4 cup corn syrup.

[nichi]

I would sure love to know how to accomplish this as well.

When we did it in class we were told that there was a very small chance that it would actually work. Anyone that did accomplish white chocolate clay magic were hailed as gods.

[K8memphis]

Does the original recipe call for white chocolate?  The recipe that I have calls for 7 ounces white chocolate and 1 1/2 tbsp corn syrup, but if you use 7 ounces dark chocolate you use 1/4 cup corn syrup.

I've never heard of a different ratio for different chocolates. Not that that's not accurate, but I've never heard of it nor has my usual ratio of 14-16 oz to a third cup of corn syrup ever not worked.

I would sure love to know how to accomplish this as well.

When we did it in class we were told that there was a very small chance that it would actually work. Anyone that did accomplish white chocolate clay magic were hailed as gods.

I have 4 oz of real white choco in my warmer melting (I'm not nuking it) and I'm gonna see how hard it is to make with real deal chocolate. It's easy peasy with cocoa butter summer coating or candy melts or almond bark or whatever. I'm not into tempering anything so if being in temper or whatever is important for this I guess I'm screwed already but hopefully it will work, we'll see.

[Kathyf]

I never bother with the corn syrup recipe anymore - never had any luck with it. I use a recipe from a Michigan decorator and it's never failed me. One thing to remember is to not overmix it in the beginning. Stir until the chocolate and glucose are barely blended, then add the water and barely mix again. Yup - I said water. I know it breaks the water in chocolate rule but it really works. When you get to the kneading stage you don't have to knead it very long at all. Remember to knead it on a firm surface and don't pick it up and squeeze it instead or you'll end up with oil coming out of it. I've had that happen once when it was really warm and I just kept working gently and it quit. I do add a little gumpaste or tylose to it when I'm making roses or figurines. I use Baker's white chocolate for mine.
Here's the recipe from the chocolate goddess;

Marysol’s Chocolate Paste

1 lb. white, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate.
½ cup Glucose
2 tsps. Ice Cold Water

Gently melt chocolate. Stir in glucose and mix together lightly. Add water. Stir together [again, don't overmix]. Spread mixture out thinly, onto plastic wrap.

Cover the clay with plastic wrap and allow to ripen overnight. The following day, knead well, cover and allow to set overnight again. I'll admit, sometimes I skip this last kneading step, and the consistency always turns out great. This mixture can also be tinted with paste or powdered food coloring.

P.S. If you live in a hot/humid region, you might want to work in a little gum paste into the clay for a little extra insurance. BUT, I ONLY do this with White Chocolate, Bittersweet and Semisweet Chocolate always set up very firm, so gum paste is not necessary. Btw, I prefer to use Lindt's chocolate, but Baker's brand is also reliable.

[StephMac]

It may not be you at all... my candy clay recipe calls for 14oz chocolate (I use candy coating, it works best for me) and 1/3 cup light corn syrup... and yes, it "breaks" on me every time as I stir in the corn syrup. However, I end up with a thick chocolate mass - not grainy - and some oily, semi-opaque liquid.

Here's what works for me: I pour off most of the liquid and then turn out the candy clay onto a piece of wax paper set in a bowl and let it sit there over night. The candy clay and the remaining liquid will harden up; once it's hard, you can either break off the hardened liquid and toss it, or knead it back into the clay. Microwaving for a few seconds helps soften the candy clay to start kneading it, but don't overdo it or it gets chunky and oily.

Next time, if you get the oil, let it sit for quite a while and see if it sets up or not?

[JeanneCake]

I've been using Chefpeon's modeling chocolate formula for a while and it's great. I usually use less corn syrup than she calls for because I'm using a different brand of chocolate. If I use the full amount of corn syrup, it is too much and it oozes. I've successfully divided this in half and even in quarters (1.5# choc to 1/2 cup corn syrup) and it works every time. I copied this from the wrinkly figurine thread alligande started years ago:

My modeling chocolate recipe is as follows, and it's based on using Guittard White Satin Ribbon. Other brands of white chocolate behave differently, so adjustments may be needed (such as using a little more or less corn syrup).

In micro, melt 6 lbs white chocolate. Stir often! Remember WC burns easily!

When melted and perfectly smooth, heat 2 2/3 cup corn syrup for about a minute in micro.

In a large plastic bowl, add your corn syrup to your melted chocolate and stir rather quickly, making sure you scrape the sides of the bowl often. I use a big rubber spatula. The mixture will seize and clean the sides of the bowl. When completely mixed, press mixture into a flat pan that has been lined with plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap up over the top. Put in fridge to set up, then bring out to room temp, break off pieces and knead it smooth. If it's cold out, I put it in the micro for about ten seconds so it doesn't kill my arm off to knead it.

[K8memphis]

Does the original recipe call for white chocolate?  The recipe that I have calls for 7 ounces white chocolate and 1 1/2 tbsp corn syrup, but if you use 7 ounces dark chocolate you use 1/4 cup corn syrup.

I've never heard of a different ratio for different chocolates. Not that that's not accurate, but I've never heard of it nor has my usual ratio of 14-16 oz to a third cup of corn syrup ever not worked.

I would sure love to know how to accomplish this as well.

When we did it in class we were told that there was a very small chance that it would actually work. Anyone that did accomplish white chocolate clay magic were hailed as gods.

I have 4 oz of real white choco in my warmer melting (I'm not nuking it) and I'm gonna see how hard it is to make with real deal chocolate. It's easy peasy with cocoa butter summer coating or candy melts or almond bark or whatever. I'm not into tempering anything so if being in temper or whatever is important for this I guess I'm screwed already but hopefully it will work, we'll see.

Mine is looking fine. I melted 4 ounces Baker's white choco very gently in a warmer drawer on low for 30 minutes where it was half melted. Added my corn syrup for another 30 minutes. This way the corn syrup was the same temperature. Stirred it briefly. It all came together. There is one little blob of choco that did not completely melt so I just pulled it out.

It's in the freezer cooling off. It'll be ready soon. It is a bit oily on top-no worries I'll just knead it back in. Yes, it's fine. My only problem was that I did not have any light corn syrup so I used dark corn syrup--same same.

Slowly carefully melt, gently briefly stir and I can model with it right now, well, after 15 minutes in the freezer that is.

But trust me, use the almond bark and add some flavor. No one can tell. It's such an odd product. It's not like something that's eaten several times a year or anything. More like several times a lifetime for the above average person. Save the good stuff for baking and eating.

Nichi, what was it they called the folks that can make white modeling chocolate???

edited to say ~ I used just under two tablespoons of corn syrup for that tiny amount of choco.

Edited by K8memphis, 11 January 2007 - 08:19 PM.

[ChocoGrok]

Shucks, I should've rationed my Ghiradelli for another go...then I could run the experiment with the microwave and less corn syrup.

I'll save the mess I just created just to see what ripening over night will do. Will report back tomorrow. Maybe all this mess needs is time. Heh...leave it to white modeling paste to teach me the virtues of patience . There isn't a chance that I can add the cold water now just as a last ditch effort to rescue it, is there?

Thanks for all the feedback. It's comforting to know that I have not fallen from the grace of the chocolate gods.

[ChocoGrok]

K8memphis, nichi is right
Thanks for running the experiment, you goddess you.

[ChocoGrok]

An update on my exercise in patience...i let the white ghiradelli clay sit overnight and no more oil! It kneaded just fine and here is the clay shaped around a cheesecake. I was so excited I made some dark chocolate clay roses to doll it up. Thanks everyone for your help!

[Kerry Beal]

Looks fabulous!

[K8memphis]

ChocoG., beautiful flowers and stunning cake. Multiple congrats

Now all we be sweet goddesses running amuck-colate.

Nichi, you can do it!

[lenabo]

Looks great, ChocoGrok :)

May be I am late, but the main thing of the white modelling clay is the the chocolate and glucouse (or corn cyrop) shoul be THE SAME TEMPERATURE (better warm). :)

[nichi]

ChocoG., beautiful flowers and stunning cake. Multiple congrats

Now all we be sweet goddesses running amuck-colate. 

Nichi, you can do it!

You know whats strange.... in school the recipe they gave us had coco butter, which would probably add to the ooze factor.

I will try it with your recipe for sure. I'm a long way from a goddess but accomplishing this would definitely add to my pastry cred.

[K8memphis]

Please post when you get it. No pressure.

Umm, makes me wonder about your school though. Not that anyone can know everything, but shoot this is easy. Like Lenabo said, corn syrup and chocolate the same temperature. Don't over heat the choco.

[Tirrikka]

Oh, yes, this is exactly what I need now. I have once done white chocolate modelling clay and it was so beautiful to work with when doing figures for cake decoration. I do not remember from what professional book I found it but it called for glucose, cocoa butter and White chocolate at least! Do not remember if anything else. But it was so good. Now, being at home I do not have access to cocoa butter so I tried twice Jeanne Cake's Chefpeon's modelling chocolate formula. Yes, in metric measures. I used 60 grams Corn syrup and 113 grams White Chocolate. Then 10 grams less CS but same amount of WC. And did exactly, or at least I tried to do exactly according to her recipe. Well just when having it all mixed together it looked grainy. It did not ooze oil from it though. Is my problem the same as above or I am doing something else wrong? (for the first batch 2.1 oz Corn syrup and 4 oz WC) (for second batch 1,8 oz CS and same amount of WC)It's settling now over night. But When I took it between my fingers it was grainy looking, no oil though coming out of it. Help!

[JeanneCake]

Working from an ounces perspective, the original recipe calls for 29.3 ounces of corn syrup; if you keep dividing that in half, then a half original recipe would call for 14.65 ounces to 3 pounds of white chocolate; then for 1 and a half pounds of choc it would be 7.3 ounces; for 3/4 pound of choc it would be 3.75 (rounded up a little) then half of that would call for 1.8 ounces of corn syrup; so you might have used a little too much corn syrup.

Welcome to eGullet!

[Tirrikka]

Milloins of thanks! I cannot believe I was knocked down with a thing simply as that! So if I recon right, it's 6 oz White Chocolate and 1.8 oz Corn Syrup. Wow it's awful a lot of less corn suryp vompared to mine! Well I saved the ingredients of one more batch, so I will test that again. Thanks! Will get back.

[Tirrikka]

I plan to try many White Chocolate Modelling Clay recipes, after the first try. Maybe I can even find cocoa butter somewhere. Hope to make ficures with small details to cake decorating from the WCMC....Does anyone have that kind of more complex (French) recipe for professional White chocolate Modelling Chocolate? It had at least cocoa butter, WC and glycose in it? One had to blend the ingredients in a blender that uses a sharp chopper (like for making nut flour out of whole nuts). The WCMC had to rest for minimum of 12 hours under plastic wrap. I remember it first oozed liquid/water/oil but then it took it back when just continuing blending with the blender. The result was beautiful smooht texture after taking it out of blender. It was found from one of the books that were written in both english and french. Do not remember the author nor the title of the book, though.

Edited by Tirrikka, 11 December 2011 - 08:19 PM.