Hi everyone. I am having so much trouble with gumpaste. Why is it rock hard? I am mixing it with fondant. Then I get small hard pieces in it. It's just awful. Are all brands of gumpaste like this? Thanks in advance.

Well, I'm not sure where the chunks are coming from. Wilton's GP is often dry on the edges even before its opened, so it might be from that. Mixing GP with fondant actually creates Modelling Paste so I'm not sure if that can be called Gum Paste as such. Try kneading really, really well. Heat from your hands and motion usually helps.

have you tried coating your fingers with a SMALL amount of crisco and kneading the gumpaste b4 you mix it with the fondant?'

Is it lumpy before you add it to the fondant? Is it lumpy when they mix or when you add the gumtex?? What are you using it for? I might mix less fondant in and forgo the gumtex.

. . . the gumpaste on it's own should be pliable enough that you "could" make things with just gumpaste (you shouldn't "have to" mix it with fondant to get a workable medium) . . . if you couldn't mold the gumpaste "by itself", perhaps you have a bad batch . . . especially if you have already added a little crisco to your hands and working surface . . .

The ready made and mixes are inferior to making your own. I make mine and it's as easy as making royal icing.. egg whites, powdered sugar, and tylose (and some crisco to grease it up). Knead it and let it rest overnight tightly wrapped and you are good to go with the most amazing gumpaste.

http://www.nicholaslodge.com/gumpaste.htm