Modelling chocolate help!

[Jossa]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help!

I've made some chocolate paste for a birthday cake and it's my first time. I'm not sure if the chocolate has set too hard, as in it is rock solid after removing it from the fridge.

I used the following recipe;

800g semi sweet dark chocolate

8 (british) tablespoons of liquid glucose

I had to convert the recipe as I can't get corn syrup here

I have tried the microwave for a short burst but, it just melts the centre to a semi liquified state leaving the outside rock solid. Have I added too much glucose or too little?

[lapin d'or]

I have not made this myself but a recipe I have from Chocolate by Sara Jayne Stanes gives a ratio of 4tbs of liquid glucose to 225g dark chocolate.

To warm it in the microwave you could try chopping it up with a knife into smaller pieces, microwave briefly and then knead it all back into a ball.

cheers

Lapin

[Jossa]

Thankyou, I'll give it a try, otherwise my horsey birthday cake won't have a nose!

[chefpeon]

Put the modeling chocolate in the refrigerator only to set it up. Then remove it from the fridge and store it at room temperature. Still, you may need to microwave it to get it kneadable, but only micro it at short 5-10 second bursts.

[Jossa]

Put the modeling chocolate in the refrigerator only to set it up. Then remove it from the fridge and store it at room temperature. Still, you may need to microwave it to get it kneadable, but only micro it at short 5-10 second bursts.

←

I'm wondering if I need to add more chocolate. I've had it out on the kitchen side and it's still very very hard, the short bursts in the microwave seem to just turn the centre very soft and leave the outside too hard the kneed, should I melt it back down and add say 200g more chocolate?

[chefpeon]

No, if it's too hard, then you need less chocolate and more corn syrup.

Or glucose, if that's what you're using. Using more chocolate will just make it harder.

My recipe is 5 lbs of dark chocolate to 2 2/3 cup corn syrup.

For white modeling chocolate I use 6 lbs white chocolate to 2 2/3 cup corn syrup.

[Sebastian]

i've always used a 1:1 weight ratio. for every 1g chocolate, 1g light corn syrup has worked well for me...