Hiya

I have yet to come upon gumpaste here in NZ. I'm sure it's available, but I just haven't seen it yet. Can anyone tell me if I can successfully work with fondant instead of gumpaste, when working with modelling? I've been trying to make some little turtle cupcake toppers, and they keep going all soft and squishy. So I'm not sure I need to wait for the individual parts to set before putting them all together, or whether it's just never going to work without gumpaste.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks!

Rachel.

You can add tylose, gum tex (Wilton product), or cmc to your fondant and basically get gum paste. 1 tsp (US) to 1 pound of fondant makes a nice product for modeling.

HTH
Rae

thanks Rae, I do intend to keep looking for these products, but at this stage I was just wanting to know if it is possible to work with plain fondant. If I find the answer is 'no', then I'll look into ordering some on the internet. I guess I was just wondering if my turtles are failing because it's not possible to do them with fondant, or if I just need more practice.

The gums I suggested stabilize the paste AND make it dry faster & harder.

Without the gums, gravity, heat, and humidity take a toll on fondant rapidly, so figures slump under their own weight and absorb humidity faster. The sugar in the fondant gathers liquid over time.

Straight fondant is fine for very small figures, but something that has to hold it's own wieght for a period of time will tend to crease & wrinkle as it's weight squishes it.

Rae

Thanks Rae I did a big hunt, and came up with a website here which sells it:
http://www.cakestuff.co.nz/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=30_60&sort=20a&page=2
They have several products which I've heard do a similar job, like gum arabic, Gum Tragacanth, and tylose powder. would you happen to know if there is much difference between them?

Gum arabic is NOT what you want. It doesn't do the job the same way, or very well.

Gum trag is more expensive and loses strength over time. Once added to fondant, it has to rest for 24hrs. before using it.

Tylose is the best for this application. You can add it and work it into the paste, using it immediately if necessary (but allowing it to rest for 30 mins. is even better). It seems to hold it's strength forever--I have some I bought 3 yrs. ago and it works fine.

Rae

Thanks very much for the advice Rae, I appreciate you taking the time

Pettinice fondant and gumpaste are made in New Zealand. Pettinice is a very fine product, I might add. I vacationed in NZ 10 years ago, and what an incredibly beautiful place it is!

It's the only brand I've ever seen for sale here sabre, so I'm glad to know it's a fine product as I've never used anything else. I didn't know they made a gumpaste though, methinks I need to visit more stores!!!

Yes, NZ is beautiful, though growing up here you don't appreciate it until you've left the country and come back. I lived in America for a year, and when I came back I understood what everyone meant by "it's so GREEN"