Gold Shimmer Dust Keeps Flaking Off

Decorating By CakeEater06 Updated 29 Apr 2017 , 8:58pm by maybenot

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CakeEater06 Posted 28 Apr 2017 , 4:41pm
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Hi. I need some help. I have a very large cake that I have painted a LOT of gold shimmer dust and when I move anything it seems to just fall off. Can I steam the pieces like I would steam flowers to set the dust?  Thanks for any help anyone can give!

Brandy.  

8 replies
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maybenot Posted 28 Apr 2017 , 7:04pm
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Is the "shimmer dust" the stuff made by Wilton?  If so, that's gum arabic based, which melts and gets hard when in contact with water, so steaming is not a good idea. 

Personally, I don't think the product is good for much of anything.  I know that's not helpful now, and I'm sorry for that, but I don't have any good suggestion for how to hold it in place.

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CakeEater06 Posted 28 Apr 2017 , 11:54pm
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Thank you for your reply. It's not made by Wilton. It's from sugar delights called ROLKEM super gold,  and it says it's made from gold and mica!  Whatever that is. Haha. Thanks again. 


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ypierce82 Posted 29 Apr 2017 , 2:00am
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Rolkem is not meant for edible items, and it usually works best when painted on with alcohol. 

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CakeEater06 Posted 29 Apr 2017 , 2:04am
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Thanks. It's for a display cake. 

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kyliecake Posted 29 Apr 2017 , 5:56am
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definitely just steam it to set. And in Australia, Rolken Super Gold is listed as non toxic, edible for use on sugar products.


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maybenot Posted 29 Apr 2017 , 6:13am
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So glad to hear that it isn't Wilton Shimmer Dust. It was their foray into an edible luster dust, but it's never really worked.

As for Rolkem, ypierce is correct.  It's not FDA approved for use on food in the US--not because of the mica, but because it contains real metal.  Obviously that doesn't matter here because you're using it perfectly by putting on something that's not edible.

Did you dry dust it on, or mix it with alcohol and paint it on?  Is it applied to fondant?  Either way, you can steam it.  The steam will warm the surface and the dust will stick better.  Don't get the steam too close to the surface.  Sometimes it takes 2 tries to get it all even.

With any luster dust, including the edible ones available, painting things on with lemon EXTRACT usually helps the dust adhere better.  The oil in the extract holds the dust on the surface.  The smell evaporates and it doesn't impart flavor.

Another painting option is to mix the luster dust with confectioner's glaze greatly thinned with Everclear or vodka.  I've never measured, but I'd say a quarter of a teaspoon of glaze to 1-2 tablespoons of the alcohol.  Work fairly quickly to get streak-free coverage.

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CakeEater06 Posted 29 Apr 2017 , 1:26pm
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Thanks for your help. I will try to steam it. I appreciate everyone for their comments and suggestions. 

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maybenot Posted 29 Apr 2017 , 8:58pm
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Quote by @kyliecake on 14 hours ago

definitely just steam it to set. And in Australia, Rolken Super Gold is listed as non toxic, edible for use on sugar products.


Yes, it is.  Needless to say, that description is one of the reasons the product has crept into the US market, but it makes no sense at all, because NOTHING described as "non-toxic" is also considered edible--EVER.  Anywhere.  And a company making products used on food should certainly know that.

Other issues here in the US would be the fact that many other Rolkem products actually use additives that are outright banned, by name/E number, when it comes to food. 

Early on in the rush for some suppliers in the US to get these products over here, Rolkem actually told people that the products were on their way to FDA approval and paperwork would be forthcoming.  This was patently untrue [I verified it with the FDA], and the products that contain real metals and/or banned additives would never even be considered for FDA approval.  In the US, only products containing approved additives are ever considered edible.

It's very expensive and time consuming to get FDA approval for food color additives.  It's not just a matter of filing paperwork.

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