I wish to make some modeling chocolate. I wish to make it out of dark chocolate. Are candy melts essential? I have a bar of dark cooking chocolate (van leer), will that do?

Candy melts are not essential, I’ve only made it with dark chocolate and corn syrup.  I’m unfamiliar with your brand of chocolate, but something with about 50-55% cacao solids is about right for the Cake Bible’s recipe.

Great! thanks!