I'm about to make my first attempt at making modeling chocolate for some figurines on top of a cake. I've read some tutorials on it, but I still had a couple questions. I'll be using the recipe that uses the Wilton candy melts and corn syrup.

- do you use the gel colors like for icing, or should I use the oil-based candy colors so it doesn't seize?

- I read you can paint your figurines, what would you use? the same edible paint I use in my airbrush? or the gel colors, or ?

-how long does this stuff keep? I assume in an airtight container in the fridge?

- How heat tolerant are these modeling chocolate figurines? This is Texas, and unfortunately it is summer. It won't be outside, but will be transported for an hour in my car with the a/c blasting.

thanks for any help or any other tips you could give me!

I've never colored or painted it, but I've kept modeling chocolate in the refrigerator for over a month and it was fine. Over this past weekend, I transported a cake with flowers made from modeling chocolate in my vehicle from Conroe to Downtown Houston, AC blasting of course, with no problem.

You can use your gel or paste colors to color it. As long as the AC is going, transportation shouldn't be an issue. I keep my in an airtight container just sitting out, but I'm in San Diego, so the fridge is probably a good idea where you are.

I've dusted my flowers with normal petal dust without an issue. I've never painted them, but have use the edible markers on them and they work.

thanks for your help guys!

I made a small test batch last night and took it out of the fridge and it seems a bit too soft- like softer than fondant, and I'd have to have freezing cold hands to work with it. tasted great though! lol. It was 4oz candy melts with 2 Tbsp corn syrup. What recipe do you use with the Wilton candy melts?

Do you think I can still use it if I add more melted candy melts to it? Or can I mix it with fondant/gumpaste?

I mix my modeling chocolate with fondant and I find it the it withstands more heat and its smoother to work with. I have very warm hands so the chocolate by itself "melts" a bit while I work on it that is why I mixed it. I have covered cakes with it and people really love it so much more than plain fondant.

Bea

good to know, thank you so much!

This site has great "troubleshooting" info as well as the basic recipe and some "tips and tricks."

http://www.hungryhappenings.com/p/melting-chocolate-and-modeling.html

I've used regular gel colors in MC with no trouble, so I don't think you really need to use candy colors. It does help a lot to keep your hands as cold as possible, though.

You probably did have too much corn syrup; I think it's trickier to get right in a small batch than a large one, and the stuff keeps for a long time, so I'd say go ahead and use the whole bag of candy.

And yes, you can blend modeling chocolate and fondant, by just kneading them together the same way you would mix two colors.

Holly