I've only used tylose in my gumpaste but I'm wondering if gum trag is better. It's expensive so I thought I would ask before I buy.

I have a problem with creases when making my gumpaste figures. I use 50/50 gumpaste and fondant, I knead it well, wet it a bit and use lots of shortening but I still can't seem to get rid of creases if they appear. I've even tried some pottery techniques but the 2 mediums are just so different that they don't really work that well. I've seen some gumpaste figures which look so smooth and seamless and I have to wonder if everyone isn't just doctoring their photos to get rid of the defects.

Any ideas on this?

Both are similiar. Ive used recipes that call just for tylose and didnt care for the way they dried too fast. (Nick Lodges for one). I know Nick's recipe doesnt have gelatin and it doesnt stretch good. The recipe I use called for all gum trag but I tweeked it and added tylose. You can buy Platinum Paste or the paste from M. Sanchez and it wont give you the creases. But I really think its because your recipe has too much tylose and its drying out faster than your molding it. The other thing you can do is use modeling chocolate or mix some of it with your gumpaste. It reacts more like clay and you can use your pottery techniques on it more. It doesnt give you the resistance that gumpaste does.

Thanks. I'm going to try the modelling chocolate. I didn't know it would work ok mixed with the gumpaste. Like you, I use a recipe that has glucose and tylose but it does sometimes come out too dry. I manage to keep it from drying too fast but I just find it's so elastic that it wont stick to itself unless I get it really wet and then it's too sloppy to work with. Modelling chocolate might just be the key. I'll be experimenting tomorrow.

I've never heard of the other pastes. Where can I get those?

I need to figure this out because I'm going to be teaching figure modelling at my school starting end of Mar and even tho they hired me because of my sculpting skills I still need to be able to use the paste properly.

Global Sugar Art has the M. Sanchez one and she does do a lot of figurines. THe other, with they gum trag is a recipe I got from Chef Laurie from Wildflowers By Lori. She specializes in doing these really amazing cakes that look like baskets of flowers. She uses all gum trag but I added a teaspoon of tylose to it instead. It is very elastic so its great for making flowers with it. But I recently made a bride and groom topper out of white chocolate modeling chocolate (melt chocolate over simmering water and after its melted you add two teaspoons of corn syrup to it or glucose. Mix it and cover and set aside. I beleive the recipe is on here too).

Hey all,
My name is Frank and I'm new to CC. Regarding the gum paste problem that Sally is having, I'm a beginner using homemade gum paste and I've had some trouble with it too. I find that adding more crisco to it kind of helps...it just takes a little longer to dry. Modeling chocolate sounds a good to me right now...I just may whip up a batch tonight.

Hi Frank

I've experimented quite a bit over the past few months and if you get dip your fingers in water and work the paste a bit before you start modelling it helps a bit...and yes, lots of shortening on your hands is a must.

I just made modelling chocolate last night, for the 1st time, and the dark chocolate came out rather soft and really greasy. I haven't tested the white chocolate yet.

I used 16 oz of semi sweet chocolate to 8 oz of glucose. Does that sound right? I'm going to add a bit of gumpaste to it and see if I can get it to a consistency I can work with