I made two batches of pearl clay using Jennifer Dontz's recipe, but I didn't use Mercken's chocolate (I know ... ) because I only had one pound left and I didn't want to "waste" it on a free wedding cake. One batch was with Wilton white and the second was with Wilton Vanilla Mint. I thought I was doing it just like I had in the past, but it isn't as hard as my "original recipe" batch was. When I roll it out for my pearl mold, it gets really soft - too soft to use in the mold - and doesn't ever harden back up. Is there anything I can do to save it? I have tried kneading in powdered sugar, but it just isn't working. I now have almost three pounds of useless pink candy clay.

I gave up at midnight last night and used my last bag of Mecken's. It turned out perfect, so I am going to color it pink and have a third batch of pink pearl clay, but will hopefully also have pearls on the wedding cake tomorrow.

BTW ... the Vanilla Mint tastes great. Too bad I can't use it.

Thanks!

Are you certain your proportions were correct? I can't figure out why it wouldn't work. Don't tell me Jennifer's exact formula --but it's candy clay + fondant? I mean even if it was plain chocolate, summer coating, almond bark what ever kind of choco you can get plus fondnat--it should work by measurement regardless of brand.

Maybe you already double checked your steps. But Wilton used to make bags full of choco that were 14 oz not 16 oz. could it be something like that??

I'd email Jennifer and ask her what she thinks. I'm sure she's tried different kinds of chocolate and fondant before she found the recipie she uses now.

Agreed, I use this stuff all the time and have never had a problem with it. However, I do it exactly as Jen instructs -- I don't use the Wilton melts. Jen should have a voice in this though.

Jen's recipe for the candy clay is different from the others I have seen and the Mercken's bags are a full pound, so I used the quantities for the regular candy clay recipe - one bag candy melts & 1/3 c corn syrup. I've made it before with no problem, so I don't think that was it.

The only thing I can think of is that I didn't let the candy clay sit long enough before I did the next step in Jen's recipe. I'll email her. I didn't do that first because I know that she recommends to use Mercken's ... and I didn't.

Maybe I'll just throw it away or keep it by the couch and eat it while I'm watching tv.

Thanks!

Yeah she'll know.

But how much was in the Wilton bag? 14oz instead of 16 oz??

The Wilton bag was 14 ounces, but I used less corn syrup than Jen's recipe calls for so that part should have been okay.

Is it hot in your house? It should get brick hard when you chill it.

Those are good chocolate thoughts K8, but ... this wedding is outside and it is supposed to be in the 90's. I thought about chilling the mold to get the pearls out, but I'm really afraid that they will get all soft and fall off my cake tomorrow night.

Here's another question that I meant to ask. How do you attach your pearls to your cake? The last wedding I piped a little line of buttercream, but some of it showed. This will be the chocolate pearls on buttercream. Piping gel???

Thanks,

Piping gel--great idea.

Oooh, I do not like outdoor receptions!

Great good luck to you, CakeBuddy.
And a little cold front moving in wouldn't hurt either.

I use piping gel thinned with a little water to apply the pearls. Works like a charm!

am i not correct, that jens recipe for chocolate clay.. calls for so many cups of merkens chocolate to such amt. of karo syrup.. not bags or half bags nor 14oz. or 16 oz.. then when that sats up for so long.. then you add it in to so much pettinice.. she loves for you to use pettinice.. i have pettinice.. her recipe. made it 2 weeks ago and it did very good.. correct me if i am wrong..

You are right, icer101. Jen's recipe is by cups, but I know how much the correct quantity weighs. I used a smaller quantity of Wilton, so I also reduced the corn syrup.

I used Pettinice, so it wasn't the fondant. I'm just trying to save the huge amount of pink pearl clay that I have sitting around.

I've made Jen's before and it was great. Made it again last night (finally) and it is great again. I'll just take her advice and stick with what I know works (Mercken's).

gotcha.... mbt4955.. i understand now...

Hi!

Different types of candy melts have different oil contents to them. When I was teaching in Hawaii, we tried to make a batch of pearl clay using Wilton melts...it failed miserably. REALLY soft and oily, sticky....ewwww.... That was the only thing my hostess had, so that was a true test of how different a recipe can turn out.

As far as saving what you made, I really don't know. We also tried to add p. sugar to it, didn't work. You might try firming in frig to see if that will firm it enough to work with. I'm really not sure.

I know I told you this already...and you have used the Mercken's and Pettinice, but for those new users of my recipes.... I HIGHLY recommend using the EXACT ingredients FIRST time around. If you don't, you won't know how it should perform and taste. Then it's ok to experiment. I developed these recipes using those ingredients, so I know they work and work well. I really have not branched out to other brands, sorry. MBT, it's a good thing you did make it first using those, otherwise, you would think the recipes were a failure.

If I can help more, please let me know. Jennifer

Got any cocoa butter? That might save it--but I'd try it on just a bit--then see if it works.

Is it possible to get this recipe here? Thanks so much. It sounds wonderful.

beemarie.. the recipe is not on this site. it is in jennifers. dvd on clay pearls .. it is delicious.. i made it just like she said.. and she has a dvd on how she makes her fondant also.. hth... they are not expensive .. and she gives so much wonderful details.. its like sitting in a class room with her

Thank you so much, icer. Boy does she do absolutely beautiful work. I will be looking into her dvd's for sure. Thanks!

You're very welcome Martha!

Jen

I have never heard of pearl clay; what is it, it sounds wonderful! Is there a recipe on CC?

I had the same problem. For my son's birthday cake, I made a batch each of red, yellow and dark chocolate candy clay. I used the same recipe for each and used the Wilton melts because that was the only one I could get locally. The yellow and chocolate came out great, but the red was very soft! Weird!

Also Jen is willing to pack a flat rate box to the gills for those heavy items, like fondant and Mercken's choc. for the actual shipping price of the box. It's a good deal!

Definitely buy her dvd's...they are worth every freakin penny!!!!

You know one thing I forgot to mention is that I've made the Pearl Clay with red candy melts and red fondant. It worked but it was considerably more oily than the regular pearl clay. I just use more cornstarch and blot it a lot to help with the oil factor.

BWB - cornstarch could be the key to MBTs problem. Let us know if you try that. But, one hesitation I have with cornstarch.... several people mentioned at ICES this past year, they never roll fondant or anything out on cornstarch because it keeps "working" and will spoil your product faster. Anyone know anything about this? I suppose if you are not going to keep extras for along period. But I thought this was strange, I had never heard that before. People said the left over fondant molded??? But, if you were to get any bad bacteria from a surface, ect, that might cause mold. Thoughts on this??? anyone?

Jen

When I use a "cornstarch puff" I use a 50/50 combo of cornstarch and powdered sugar. It doesn't dry out as fast, tastes better and I've never had a problem with it. Now I know there are those who will argue that point, but my experience is that it's never been a problem in use with fondant, pearl clay or gumpaste.