White Chocolate Modeling Clay

Decorating By nanatrucker Updated 5 Jan 2010 , 5:21am by cksweets

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JenniferMI Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 4:36pm
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Hi sugar friends!

If anyone has any questions about my pearl clay, just ask away! This product is so cool..... it's almost all chocolate and is leathery and strong. Perfect for making the most realistic pearls you've ever seen. I also use it for pressed lace, side ribbons (yes, just pick 'um right up, no stretching) and lots of other things.

Jen

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JenniferMI Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 4:37pm
post #32 of 58

Satin Ice with my choc. fondant or pearl clay is hit and miss. The consistency of Satin Ice is not always the same. I always use Pettinice with my recipes.

Jen icon_smile.gif

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mbt4955 Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 7:24pm
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Jen, I can't get fondant locally and don't have time to order Pettinice. Have you ever tried your pearl clay with homemade fondant? I really want to use it for pearls, but I've let time get away from me. I do have Satin Ice sitting here, so I could try and keep my fingers crossed. Thanks!

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TooMuchCake Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 7:45pm
post #34 of 58

What's the recipe for pearl clay?

Deanna

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bobwonderbuns Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 7:52pm
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The Pearl Clay recipe is on Jen's Fondant Frills DVD.

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TooMuchCake Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 8:04pm
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Thanks, but I don't really want to get any more cake DVDs right now. I spent enough on DVDs and books last year that I need to cut back, LOL. If the recipe was posted somewhere or available without having to get another DVD, I'd like to do a comparison with Michele's recipe. I use a lot of modeling chocolate and am happy with hers so I guess I'll stick with that for now. I hope that doesn't come off as offensive because I don't mean any offense by it.

Thanks anyway,
Deanna

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bobwonderbuns Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 8:08pm
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You can write Jen directly and explain the situation. I don't know what she'll do but it's a thought. Good luck!! icon_biggrin.gif

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dandelion56602 Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 8:32pm
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What is pearl clay? Is it a modeling chocolate? Is it named pearl clay b/c you use it to make pearls? Does it get hard like gumpaste or stay semi-soft like fondant? I too am wondering if it's possible to knead it into homemade fonant. I love Michele's recipe.

As for the chocolate leather....I used 8 oz of good ole cheap chocolate almond bark & a small container of cream. I doubled the recipe, since I am planning on using it to cover my ship. So, I get back home from a morning of errans. Still too soft, but I kneaded a little over 1/2 c of PS into it & I'm going to let it sit since I'm sure it was pliable from me kneading it. So, I think if I need to, I'll just add some fondant to it. (It was more "puffy" than I expected. More like a dense marshmallow). I did try kneading it after 5 & 10 min but it was just sticking to my hands like gumpaste w/ no Crisco. That's why I decided to go to bed & see what it would do

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TooMuchCake Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 8:53pm
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Dandelion, let me know how it does after letting it set up a bit. Are your hands hot? Mine are generally on the cool side, but Michele's hands are like little space heaters, so I can work with mine a lot longer at a time than she can, haha. I think you'll have better luck using the recipe in her book because it's a bit less m/m creme than the one she posted on here.

I just thought of something, that if I work with the mod choc too long at a time, I sort of get a little film of it on my fingers that makes it stick to me. I wash my hands every few minutes to keep that from happening. Your gumpaste with no Crisco comment made me think of that. Not sure if it's relevant to you, but maybe.

Deanna

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TooMuchCake Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 9:09pm
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Here's the horse I took to the Austin cake show earlier this month as a Special Technique. It's a mixture of Michele's recipe and ChocoPan coffee flavor, because that got me the color I wanted. icon_lol.gif He got first place.

Deanna
LL

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JenniferMI Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 9:22pm
post #41 of 58

I have not made pearl clay using homemade fondant. That's not to say it won't work, BUT I always recommend if you have never tried something, it's always best to use the exact products recommended in the DVD or other instructions. Otherwise, you really won't know how it's supposed to come out icon_smile.gif Then you can branch off and compare your results. Just my opinion icon_smile.gif

Dandelion, check my previous post in this thread. I described pearl clay a bit there. This product has SO much work time to it, which is a wonderful thing...at my last class we decided to do an experiement. I made a side ribbon out of pearl clay, let it sit out on the table. We checked it about every hour just to see how long it would take before it showed any signed of cracking. It was FIVE hours later and I could still pick it up and move it without any drying issues. Pearl clay will dry but it takes a good long time. Like if you let a pearl strand dry overnite, it would get stiff. When I make long side ribbons out of this, I just can pick it up without distortion. You do have to be careful with it though, cuz it's almost all chocolate, hot hands can be an issue. I tell my students to put their hands in ice water if this is a problem for them, before handling it.

If anyone has questions, please feel free to contact me.

Jennifer icon_smile.gif

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dandelion56602 Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 9:22pm
post #42 of 58

AWESOME looking horse! I would never have guessed by looking that you covered it w/ modeling chocolate.

My entire body & especially hands are always cold----until I start working w/ cakes/cookies. I guess the "stress" heats up my body. After working w/ chocolate I usually do have to wash my hands after you mentioned b/c they do get a "film". Do you ever wear gloves, latex or something similar? I may need to experiment if I plan on covering a cake w/ it.

Have you ever used Michele's fondant recipe? I love it, but not sure how to go about making a chocolate version.

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JenniferMI Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 9:36pm
post #43 of 58

Deanna -

Your horse is GORGEOUS!!!

Jen icon_smile.gif

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TooMuchCake Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 10:08pm
post #44 of 58

Thanks, Jennifer and Dandelion. icon_smile.gif

I've never made Michele's fondant recipe, and she's always wondering why I don't, haha. (She lives two towns over from me, so I see her for lunch from time to time. She's a doll.) It's just too easy for me to buy a bucket of fondant so that's what I do. However, she never buys fondant and her work is so lovely and all from her own recipes of fondant and/or gumpaste. I buy everything premade except my modeling chocolate. Whatever floats yer boat. LOL

Jennifer, that's awesome that you have such a long working time with your recipe. Your work is truly lovely.

Dandelion, I find it hard to work with gloves on. Even when I worked at the chocolatier, none of us wore gloves unless we were serving. We just washed our hands every few minutes and were really meticulous about being clean. My son prefers to use gloves when he works with chocolate, but he doesn't do it much, and mostly just dipping and arranging things. I'm very tactile and the feeling of the gloves between me and my work sort of creeps me out.

Deanna

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mbt4955 Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 10:38pm
post #45 of 58

Deanna,

I saw your horse at the Austin show. He is beautiful and you certainly deserved 1st place. There were obviously many artists turned cake decorators or the other way around who entered the show. That does not describe me, but I had a wonderful time looking and the classes were great!

Martha

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TooMuchCake Posted 14 Mar 2009 , 10:44pm
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Oh, the Austin show was a tough one! So many really, REALLY lovely pieces there. I thought to myself that the only slim chance I had to get a ribbon was for my cookies. Austin definitely raised the bar for every other show with the quality of workmanship there. Plus I got to do the whole "celebrity stalker" routine until I got my picture taken with everyone I wanted, haha. Yes, I embarrassed my teenager and no, I don't feel bad about it. icon_smile.gif

What did you enter in the show? How did you do?

Deanna

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mbt4955 Posted 15 Mar 2009 , 2:36am
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I didn't enter anything. I don't even do one cake a month and that is just for friends and family. The Austin show was the first one I have ever been to, so I really wanted to see what kind of entries were there. Since I didn't have anything to compare them to, I didn't know, but I was definitely impressed. I did get to take Nick Lodge's gumpaste class, which was amazing. Cutters, veiners and detailed instructions ... that is more my creativity level. icon_smile.gif

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TooMuchCake Posted 15 Mar 2009 , 2:46am
post #48 of 58

Nick is a dream. I was fortunate enough to take one of his two-day classes when he was in my area a few years ago. He's so nice and so good at getting the point across.

Next time there's a show that you can go to, enter something! It's a lot of fun to push yourself and see how good you can do. I wouldn't stretch my own limits without the competitions, I don't think. Especially during my first few years as a decorator, I stretched a lot at the shows. The Austin show this year was a lot of extreme talent in one place, but I've been to some shows that are, well, not so difficult to place in. I thought I was going to have my hiney handed to me in Austin, LOL.

Deanna

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Cookie45 Posted 15 Mar 2009 , 4:33am
post #49 of 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by TooMuchCake

When you knead out the oils, stand over the kitchen sink and squeeze out the oil. It will run through your fingers and make an awful mess, but don't skip that step. Keep kneading until the oil is no longer coming out much.




I knead over a paper towel lined cookie sheet. ( The oil does harden and will clog your sink.) Then you can just pitch the oil soaked paper towel.

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TooMuchCake Posted 15 Mar 2009 , 4:45am
post #50 of 58

That's a good idea. I usually just run some really hot water down the drain for a couple minutes, but I might switch to your method now.

Deanna

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dandelion56602 Posted 15 Mar 2009 , 4:48am
post #51 of 58

Well the chocolate was better to work with after sitting wrapped in plastic all day, but I did add some ps to small amounts before working w/ them. I've covered 4 pretzel rods 7 made the wheel & a few other things & letting them dry (although I may have to ditch 2 rods b/c I'm afraid they'll be too heavy to be held up). they'll be like a t & have the sails on them too. But I don't know what would be stiff enough but lighter.

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TooMuchCake Posted 15 Mar 2009 , 1:54pm
post #52 of 58

How big is the pirate ship? I'd do the part that holds up the sails in royal icing. Just a thought. You can pipe it out and let it dry. Make extras, though, because they may break. You can also pipe the royal icing over a piece of dry spaghetti, when that's dry flip it over, and pipe royal on the back. That has the advantage of not only being stronger, but being rounded on both sides rather than flat on the back.

I'm glad the choc was better this morning.

Deanna

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__Jamie__ Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 8:02pm
post #53 of 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by TooMuchCake

Here's the horse I took to the Austin cake show earlier this month as a Special Technique. It's a mixture of Michele's recipe and ChocoPan coffee flavor, because that got me the color I wanted. icon_lol.gif He got first place.

Deanna




Good gravy this is spectacular...nothing else, just wanted to say how fabulous this is! icon_smile.gif

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TooMuchCake Posted 15 Dec 2009 , 8:47pm
post #54 of 58

Thanks, Jamie. icon_smile.gif

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cksweets Posted 5 Jan 2010 , 2:08am
post #55 of 58

so glad i found this forum...can't wait to read all about this! i've been looking for an alternative to fondant.

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cksweets Posted 5 Jan 2010 , 2:35am
post #56 of 58

okay i've read and read so far....now for a test. icon_smile.gif

but i do have a few questions like...

how long does a cake last once covered w/the chocolate leather? ex: fondant - a couple of days. is this the same??

can i use chocolate chips (nestle house version)??

if i want to add color, i read that you i do that by adding fondant or the candy melts. but can i add wilton's gel color?? does this mess w/the consistency?

when covering a cake, do i use crisco or powdered sugar or anything to prepare counter top so that it doesn't stick???

what about hands?? i notice that you have to wash them often. so i am assuming i don't grease them?

okay last question...i think...how does this compare to white chocolate mmf??

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR (whoever this nice person maybe!!) I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO HELP A NEWBIE LIKE ME OUT!!

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TooMuchCake Posted 5 Jan 2010 , 3:34am
post #57 of 58

Hi cksweets,

A cake covered in modeling chocolate (chocolate leather or candy clay, same things) will last the same as a cake covered in fondant.

I've never used chocolate chips, but I suppose you could. I prefer chocolate bark.

You can use a little bit of gel color, but not much. In my experience, it won't take a lot of color well and I prefer to use colored chocolate or fondant.

I don't grease my hands. You can use a little powdered sugar on the countertop to roll out the mod choc on.

I absolutely hate MMF. So, in my opinion, haha, there's no comparison. White mod choc tastes like vanilla, and chocolate mod choc tastes like tootsie rolls.

HTH,
Deanna

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cksweets Posted 5 Jan 2010 , 5:21am
post #58 of 58

THANKS Deanna!!! UR the BESTEST! And WOW!! your cakes are so awesome. Maybe one day I can do great work like you!!

Take care! icon_smile.gif

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