What would you recommend as the medium for making leaves (in a tan / light chocolate color) to decorate the top and around the base of a cake (on the cake board). The reception is outdoors in Oct. weather is iffy as far as temp. goes. I am most comfortable working with fondant, but fear it will soften and not hold it's shape. I've never used gum paste and bride wants chocolate ... but OAK shaped leafs... I have made chocolate leaves using Camellia leaves in the past with not problems, but Oak leaves are not recommended for that purpose (and are much thinner and won't work as well besides). Considering modeling chocolate... seems easy enough to use and cut/vein, but will it melt all over the cake if the weather is warm? (probably max temp will be low 80's... MAX). How well do dry modeling chocolate shapes hold up? TIA

I would do them in gum paste.

the modeling chocolate will not melt at 80 degrees, maybe if it into the 100's.

It also does not firm up though.

Can you add tylose to chocolate fondant to make a chocolate gumpaste?

Make sure that they are not in the sun at all. They will melt at lower temps if they are in direct light.

I like to mix 50/50 MMF/modeling chocolate. Makes the chocolate a bit firmer and easier to work with. Dries a bit stiffer but due to the chocolte will never get completly firm and is still suseptable to the heat. I have had good results in 80 degree temp with this.