Where can I buy Modeling Chocolate? and what is the best brand?

You can buy them at any store where cake decorating supplies are sold. Our local Michaels and AC Moore both sell "Make and Mold" brand. And they come in all different colors. The bigger cake decorating stores sell different brands, but I've never stopped to look at them. Maybe someone else can chime in and help. I'm curious if different brands "behave" differently. Although I've used the "Make and Mold" for piping, sculpting, and mold making with no problems. Um, once I learned how to cook it without burning it, that is! LOL!

Modeling chocolate never gets really hard - how firm it stays depends on the product itself, air temperature and humidity. For example, when I was teaching pastry there would always be a student who would make a palm tree by cutting modeling chocolate leaves and attaching them to a chocolate trunk; invariably disaster would strike when the leaves began to droop.

If the item is nice and bulky, without any small parts that need to stay aloft, modeling chocolate may work for you. Most professionals use an armature under larger pieces. Rice crispie bar mix and tempered couverture are two popular edible armature or structural components. Modeling chocolate figures or details can also be brushed, coated or sprayed with tempered chocolate to help keep their shape.

You can buy modeling pastes from a variety of sources including Albert Uster (auiswiss.com). Real modeling chocolate is available from ChocolateCraftKits.com (Charm City Cakes buys some of their modeling chocolate from this site)

I thought you make modeling chocolate. I didn't realize you could buy it. Thanks.

Maybe we're talking about two different things here. I'm new, so I don't know a lot yet. However, if you look at my pics, you will see a beach cake in which the palm trees are definitely made of the "make and mold" chocolate. And they are hard as rocks. We tried several other options before we thought of the chocolate, and it was so easy, we now use that as option number 1. It's not only easy to work with, it sets up really fast!

So, I'm sorry if I mislead you. My instructor told us this was "modeling chocolate". Definitely will research first before trying to help!

Pegalter, if you know the difference, will you tell me please so I will know?

Thanks,

Jen

Hi Jen

Modeling chocolate is made by combining melted chocolate or chocolate coating (imitation chocolate) with corn syrup or glucose, generally 2 parts chocolate to 1 part syrup by weight. Think tootsie roll.

Molding chocolate is a name people often use for chocolate coating, a chocolate flavored candy that does not need to be tempered the way couverture chocolate (100 % real chocolate) does.

Modeling chocolate is one of the three main manipulative materials used in pastry decorating, along with marzipan and fondant ( or gum paste). These three can be used individually or combined to create a variety of "in-between" materials.

Hope this helps!

Wow! I completely did not realize the difference between the two! Thank you so much!

Jen

I made modeling chocolate with the Wilton candy melts and corn syrup. I only used 1/2 of it. How long can I store the rest to use it later? Thanks in advance!

As long as you keep it fairly airtight it will last years - you can also wrap and refrigerate.
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