Candy clay is a versatile edible medium used to decorate cakes and pastries. Made from chocolate, it has a soft, pliable texture similar to play dough and can be shaped into a wide variety of figures. Once it rests and dries slightly, the clay firms up, so you can prepare it a day or two in advance and store it until the day of decorating. You can use bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate; white chocolate is especially easy to color. Stored in a zip-lock bag in the refrigerator, the clay will keep until you are ready to thaw and shape it into figures.
I prepared these candy-clay diyas for my Pongal Pot Cake. The process is simple but the mixture benefits from an overnight rest to mature, so prepare it the day before decorating.
I used 500 g Marco cooking chocolate.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces with a knife for even melting.
Melt the chocolate gently in a double boiler until it becomes smooth and creamy.
Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup liquid glucose. Mix thoroughly until combined.
After adding the glucose the chocolate may look grainy and firm up slightly; this is normal.
Line a plate with baking or butter paper and spread the mixture onto it. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon and let it cool for 2–3 hours until it forms a firm block. Transfer the block to a zip-lock bag and leave it at room temperature overnight to mature.
The next day, chop the hardened block into small pieces.
Process the pieces in a mixer grinder until they turn into fine crumbs.
Begin by adding 1 tablespoon of milk to the crumbs and knead. If the mixture is still crumbly, add another tablespoon. Divide the dough into small portions and knead each into a soft, pliable candy clay. Keep unused portions sealed in a zip-lock bag until needed. Use small amounts at a time and be creative—shape the clay into any figures or decorations you like.
I placed the finished diyas in the center of a cupcake decorated with buttercream for a festive touch.