Chocolate "Clay" Recipe

This cake was designed by Stephanie, member NYC Cake Decorators Meetup.

It's still time to make chocolate roses and leaves for your decadent Valentine's Day cakes and cupcakes. Chocolate "clay" is pliable like soft clay. This sweet recipe is courtesy of the N.Y. State Chapter of the International Cake Exploration Societe (I.C.E.S.):

Dark Modeling Chocolate

1 lb. of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
5oz* (213g) light corn syrup

Cut the chocolate finely and place it in a bowl over simmering water. Stir to melt the chocolate evenly. Remove the chocolate from the water when 3/4 melted and stir until all the pieces have melted. Stir in corn syrup with a rubber spatula. Continue to stir until the chocolate starts to leave the sides of the bowl, then stir up to 60 seconds. Place the chocolate mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap flat. Refrigerate or rest in a cool dry place for 24 hours to age. Once aged, cut the chocolate plastic into smaller pieced and knead with hands to soften.

*When measuring corn syrup, measure by volume in a liquid measuring cup. If measuring by weight, then multiply the number of ounces by 1.5 to get the actual weight of heavy liquids, such as corn syrup, molasses, and glucose.