I am just in awe of how perfect Mike McCarey gets his modeling chocolate!! Does anyone have any tips on how? I have a hard time getting it really smooth and it also gets a little melty/sticky b/c of my warm hands.

Courtney

I'm not sure what Mike's work looks like and I am no expert but when I tried playing with Chocolate Plastique which I believe is the same thing as chocolate clay, when I first made it - it looked awful (like a dried up cow pattie) if you knead it a bit at a time (and then add the kneaded bits together) it becomes a lot smoother.

If you are trying to cover a cake with it once it is on the cake smooth it over with your hands it gives it a smoother and shinier finish. I did have a little trouble with my decorations in that they were fine until I tried to pick them up and handle them as they easily smooshed, I found I had to be really careful and limit the amount I handled them as much as possible (please note I did this in the middle of summer here where it is super humid). You can see the mini chocolate cakes in my pics to see how they came out - far from perfect but not too bad for my first go.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=90788

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=90787

mamacc, are you taliking about Mike that did the Captian Hook cake on food network challenge?? If that is the case...I KNOW!~!!! He is amazing! I don't know how he does it either, but I have my first batch ever drying in the kitchen. I plan to make building panels out of it. Hopefully it wasnt the magic of tv that made it look so easy! BTW, mine also looks like a pile of white cow poop.

My guess is years of practice and cool hands.

I've had troubles with it too....I would LOVE to take a class by a professional and learn the tricks to it!!!!

He is the God of Cake.

When you cover the cakes with modeling chocolate, does it get hard? When you cut it or bite into it, does it crack, like magic shell? That is my only fear about puuting it on a cake.

I made modeling chocolate, and rolled it into rectangles for building fronts... Will they ever dry? Will they continue to be soft and sag? I want them to stand tall and firm. Will this work or should I make GP buildings?

If you watched him, he was taking walks with parts of the cake. He would refrigerate it after it was shaped and it does get hard after you do this. Not like magic shell hard, but like fondant does when it dries but without the cracking. I also find its easier to mold then fondant because it doesnt crack. I made my Boots the monkey cake mostly out of modeling chocolate. I use a premade version called Chocopan. But it does not like humidity. So in the summer you will have problems with it. I believe Norm...in Va, another FN challenger, had a problem using it on one of his cakes. Also, the challenge where Collette was teamed with a woman and couldnt move her cake. Had problems with the fondant, that was Chocopan. It tastes great but has its disadvantages also.

I love your Duff figure, weirkd. Even before I read the description I thought, hey there's Duff!

Maybe you can get on his show with it. Let us know what Mary Alice says!

Is there a recipe to make modeling chocolate or do I must order it premade?

When adding gumpaste to modeling chocolate, do you use the same 50/50 ratio like you do with fondant?
Thanks!
-erin

I do not add gumpaste to my modeling chocolate. You can use it as separate accents but I dont think you can mix the two like you would fondant.
The basic recipe is in the recipe section under fondant/gumpaste recipes on here. Its just chocolate and corn syrup. I buy my chocopan at Sugarcraft. I dont usually have time to mess with making it myself.

It was really easy to make. I used almond bark and corn syrup. It took under 5 minutes with a long sit time.

The freezer thing worked. I am excited to finish the cake. I will post it tonight.

Great! Cant wait to see it!

Here's a link to Mike's Cakes. He's out of Washington State. I haven't been up to see his shop or anything, but would love to. If you'll notice, he mentions on his website he's working on DVDs and possibly workshops to show "how to". Way cool!

www.mikesamazingcakes.com

I was lucky when I lived in Washington state that I got to meet him at a cake show there. He was cool to talk to. He had done a three D tiger cake. It was awsome to see. I am a fan of his.

Yah, I talked to Laura at his shop last week and she mentioned it to me. A fellow CCer was wondering how he made the Frito Lay bag have the shine and I was talking to them about the spray edible laquer. It turned out that he used a piece of acitate over the modeling chocolate. He hasnt updated his site though. I wish he would add some of the pieces he does for the Challenges. Especially the Scooby-doo. That one was awesome. But I guess when your that good, you dont need to!

I just went to his website, and I left feeling inadequate. I am glad that he is in another state!!

I just posted this comment on another subject but Mikes amazing cakes just came out with a whole new web site and they have a section on whats new.On it they posted some great pictures of their captain hook entry. It also says they are working on some kind of dvd on modeling chocolate.I can't wait! The comment about the Frito bag makes sense.Now that I look at it , you can see they created a kind of low spoy where they put the frito chips and then used the clear plastic just over that to replicate the celephane window.

I know what your saying. I look at his website, Browens, and Colettes and I feel like Im wasting my time.
Do you know what the new address is?
Laura said that the dvd's were coming out soon when I talked to them. I cant wait! He's another one I wouldnt mind working for because their so talented. Unfortunatly they are across the country! I have more chance working with Duff who is only 2 hrs away!...yah, fat chance there too!

The address is www.mikesamazingcakes.com

I remember seeing cakes Mike made for parties about 10 - 12 years ago. I was manging a restaurant DT Seattle at the time and I think seeing his cakes is what intrigued me, I was obsessed with COOL cakes after that. Didn't start decorating cakes until I was married and had kids though...just like alot of people, that's what got me started.

I remember another company in Seattle 'Great Cakes' also that did awesome work as well.