i just did a cake with really intricate chinese type symbols. no cookie cutter for these, sigh. i used a very sharp, thin blade exacto knife.
i make a template on heavy paper and then cut around it.

i was not super satisfied with the results...

- the tiny curves and corners were not as clean as i would like
- if i could not cut in one fell swoop, the edges of the fondant were not smooth
- while i was working on one part of the symbol, the already cut edges on the other side were drying out and cracking.

how could i have done this better and and clean, smooth, crack-free edges?

thank you!
diane

Keep your fondant covered like with press n seal type platic wrap--or any plastic wrap--so then you can csmooth your edges with your finger.

I mean you can use gum paste tools too to smooth them out too but it's gotta still be moist and fresh by keeping it covered with the plastic wrap.

For example:

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30C96E-475A-BAC0-5A07E76ADD836146&killnav=1
but currently out of stock.

Used to be available in this kit--I think it still is:

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30D6EB-475A-BAC0-5E5EF66C57041711&killnav=1

hi!

i have the keeping them when not working on them down, lol. i went thru that trauma about 10 days ago my problem is that it was drying out on one side of the same cutout while i was cutting the other. i could not cover it because i am working on it.

here's a close-up of the main cutout (red asian symbol) and you can see the problems i was having (most evident on the upper left side). pardon the sloppy royal icing glue on the letters (close-ups can be kinda mortifying....). on the bottom of the cutout, things look pretty smooth, but on top, not so much. and you can see how it is not smooth in the tiny nooks and crannies.

thank you for taking the time to help me!
diane

Like you have to do it section by section--you can't keep it exposed for too long or it will always dry out. Just roll out a bit of fondant at a time then maybe.

It's not like cutting out paper. You have to think and operate differently.

Btw-great work!

That is a very intricate piece to work with.. You did a great job from what I see.. My tips would be to use a lot of crisco in that fondant to help keep it from drying out, break the pattern into 2 or 3 sections them join them together, or (this is what I probably would have done)... do it with run sugar instead of fondant.. hth[i]

i did seperate the top and bottom of the red symbol to mimimize exposure time. but the top portion is only about 1.5" tall so partially covering such a small piece would not leave too much to work on...and it was so intricate that it took forever. when i do this next on a larger scale, i will put that advice to work and cover what i am not cutting on.

on a tiny piece like this would rubbing crisco on the already cut edges buy me some time to finish the rest of the cutout?

should i also be "criscoing" up my excato knife for cutting?

diane

hello cakesbylj - i had just posted and then read yours! thank you!
do you work the crisco INTO the fondant? how do you know how much to add to the fondant?

i originall was going to do run sugar and then i had a royal icing disaster that scared me into doing a fondant cutout (which i mistakenly thought would be easier, lol).

diane

diane, I find that if I just a little extra crisco when I knead the fondant, and then after I roll it out, rub some on the fondant just before I cut it it helps to get a cleaner cut as well.
That is a tiny design.. you are smart to make it bigger next time..

The choc. fondant doesn't dry out nearly as quick, that might work better for you. Also, I would try a little crisco riubbed on the surface, this might help as well.

Jen
PS - Also keep the blade of your knife clean, sugar sticks to sugar and will pull the paste.

thank you!

i had one more thought about getting cleaner cuts/egdes that might be completely out in left field...

i have been making a template, holding it against the fondant, and cutting.
but if find when i am following a template, i cannot seem to get nice clean continuous cuts. so instead of a nice clean cut, i get sort of stop-and-start motion cuts which ends up looking a little ragged where the cut starts and stops. does anyone just press their template lightly into the fondant, remove, and then cut following the indentation? i was wondering if i would have better control if i wasn't cutting around paper and my fingers? is that just dumb?


diane

That's not dumb at all. I just wonder if you "crisco it up" if the image would stay for very long or if it would just sorta "melt"away? What if you put the plastic wrap on the fondant as you cut the image and then take it all off when you finish cutting? I don't know if your exacto would cut through the wrap or just pull it (never tried this way) but maybe?