Modeling Chocolate

This recipe was linked to over at Charm City Cakes (Ace of Cakes on the Food Network), I found it after attempting to find a photo of their red dragon wedding cake. BTW, if you have an image of that thing please email me! Anyway, I'm posting this in case any of you want to try making a big chocolate dragon. ;)

7 ounces (200 grams)bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup (60 ml) light corn syrup

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Modeling Paste:

7 ounces (200 grams)semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

3 1/2 - 4tablespoonslight corn syrup

White Chocolate Modeling Paste:

7 ounces (200 grams)white chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Milk Chocolate Modeling Paste:

7 ounces (200 grams)Milk Chocolate

2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Note:  To prevent the corn syrup from sticking to the measuring cup or spoons, spray with Pam or grease with vegetable oil before measuring.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir the chocolate until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat and stir until smooth and cooled a bit.

Stir in the corn syrup.  The chocolate will stiffen almost immediately.  Stir until completely combined.  Transfer the chocolate to a sturdy plastic freezer bag and refrigerate until firm (about two hours).

When the dough is firm, remove from the refrigerator, andkneadit until it is soft enough to work with.  If it is too hard, cut off small pieces, andkneaduntil pliable.  Grease the counter where you are working with oil or spray with Pam so the chocolate won't stick.

At this point you can make the chocolate into whatevershape you want.  Some ideas:  It can be formed into a long rope or braid and wrapped around the base of the cake.   It can also be placed around the outside top edge of the cake.  

This dough can also be used to make ribbons to cover a cake.  To do this pat your dough into a disk shape and roll dough out to desired thickness using a rolling pin or else use a manualpastamachine.  This dough can also be used to make flowers, leaves, or any other decorations.

Well wrapped it will keep for months.  If it gets hard to work withkneadin a little more corn syrup until it is pliable again.