Welcome To How To Cook That
I am Ann Reardon
Today we are making modeling chocolate and
this is a very useful thing for cake decorating.
You can use it instead of fondant to cover
cakes or to make different shapes out of the
only difference is it doesn't set firm like
fondant does even if you leave it for a couple
of days so it wont be suitable for some 3D
shapes.
Traditionally it is made from corn syrup and
candy melts, here in Australia they are very
expensive ingredients I will show you how
to make it using those but I will also run
through some different alternatives that you
can use instead.
So lets start with the basic recipe and method.
Put 100g of candy melts into a bowl and then
melt them, I like melt them in the microwave
and I do that by putting them on for 30 seconds
on full power and stirring really well.
Then put them in for another 20 seconds and
stir well.
It is really important that you do this stirring
because microwaves heat unevenly so if you
don't stir it will burn.
Then repeat 10 second bursts until it is melted.
Next warm 2 tsp of corn syrup to the same
temperature as your melts.
Then take a small amount of the melts and
mix it into the corn syrup really well.
You don't have to do this step you can just
mix the corn syrup into the melts.
But I find it is easier to get a smooth even
mixture if you do it this way.
Now add this to the remainder of the melts
and mix using a spatula until it is just combined.
So I can't stress enough that you just mix
until it is only just combined don't keep
mixing.
As soon as you see a little bit of roughness
stop, resist the urge to stir any more or
you will ruin it.
Then leave that at room temperature overnight.
The next day you have this hard lump, in the
bowl you can warm it slightly in the microwave
for about 5 seconds to make it softer and
then knead it until you get a smooth pliable
ball.
Next for those of us who are in Australia
and elsewhere in the world who can't get candy
melts at a reasonable price.
I experimented with glucose syrup and nestle
white chocolate melts.
Glucose syrup is a lot thicker than corn syrup
and in most recipes they can just be swapped
for equal amounts.
But for this recipe when you do that you end
up with
a hard lump which turns into a crumbly mess
when you try and knead it, you can warm it
slightly in the microwave and bring it back
into a ball but it is still not smooth and
pliable like it should be.
So back to the drawing board and several experiments
later ... I will run you through some of those
results.
Starting with the traditional recipe you've
got your candy melts and your corn syrup you
have this smooth and pliable result which
is what we want.
Next swapping for equal parts of glucose syrup
and nestle melts and a drop of gel food colour
it is useable but barely it crumbles really
easily.
Now for nestle melts and a greater amount
of glucose syrup and the results is much better,
it is more elastic and smooth but still not
quite as good as the candy melts with glucose
syrup.
For all of the amounts used in these experiments
all written in a table so it is easy to see
what is going on just go to the website howtocookthat.net
there is a link in the description below the
video.
And then what if you want to use real milk
chocolate with cocoa butter in it like your
cadbury milk chocolate and not your melts.
The best results I found were using corn syrup
which gave a nice rollable mixture which tasted
great.
You can also use the extra glucose syrup also
worked well but was not as smooth it was kind
of a little bit sticky in places.
A few forums also suggested adding water to
thin down the glucose syrup and just in case
you are thinking of trying that one I'll show
you here it gave the worst results.
So don't waste your ingredients doing that.
For all of the quantities used in these experiments
and more combinations go to the blog howtocookthat.net
there is a link in the description below this
video.
Thanks for watching and join me next week
for a cake decorating tutorial and subscribe
for more cakes, chocolate and dessert recipes.
You can add your requests in the comments
below.
Have a great week, I'll see you Friday.
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