My son's 3rd birthday is coming up in October, and he's requested a Toy Story cake. I'd like to try my hand at making the figures, but I need something that won't dry out too quickly since I'm sure this will take me quite some time to pull off.
Anyways, I've never worked with modeling chocolate. I've seen it used on the cake shows, and I wonder what it's like to work with? Does it dry out? Or should I just stick with fondant/gum paste?

Thanks for helping a newbie out!

Hi, haven't used modeling choccolate. So I will stick with 50/50 mix of fondant and gumpaste. Very easy to work with.

Modeling chocolate is AWESOME. I recently fell completely in love with it. I had to make a strawberry shortcake figure and the modeling chocolate was the easiest thing I have ever used to model with. It is great because you can put it down, cook supper, wash dishes, etc then pick it back up and start like you never laid it down.

If it gets too soft on you while you are working just lay it down for a few min to harden up, if it gets too hard you just warm it up a little with your hands. AMAZING. you can use regular gel colors in it once it is dough. Any questions just holler at me!

I use the candy melts. Just put 14 oz of candy melts in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 sec bursts, checking (and stirring) every 30 seconds. When the choc. is almost melted take it out and stir till the last bits melt. Then stir in 1/3 cup of light corn syrup. It is going to look weird (kinda like it is siezing up) just stir till the corn syrup is all mixed in. Don't bother trying to get a smooth consistancy, it ain't gonna happen. Once the corn syrup is mixed in well I put it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I spread it out so that it is half an inch or less thick.

Leave it like that till it is cooled off and dry. If there is oil pooled on top I blot it with paper towels once it is cool. Then put it in a ziplock baggie overnight (or for 8 hours or so is what it usually gets at my house)

At this point it will be hardened up, and now you need to kneed it out. Break a piece off and kneed till you get a dough consistency. I usually do smallish pieces. It will soften with the warmth of your hands. I usually take it and watch tv while I kneed it out. LOL It does take a little while. Once you have the whole batch kneeded store it back in the ziplock bag. It will not get super hard again, it stays fairly soft, then you can just grab a piece off of it kneed a min. and it is ready to go.

I atually do another step that makes it so much better.

After adding the corn syrup and stirring I pick it up in a ball and start kneading and squeesing in my hands letting the oil drip out from between my fingers. wipe your fingers on a towel every once in awhile

Then I plop in in abaggie over night and knead before I use it. It makes it less greasy and holds up better to the warmth of my hands

I will have to try that msmeg, sounds messy, but if it makes it more stable to heat I will give it a try!

Thank you so much!

What do you use to glue the pieces together? (say like an arm or a head on).