Tutorial: How to Make a Gumpaste Pansy

Delicate and exquisitely detailed, these darling gumpaste pansies are sure to add that finishing touch of floral delight to any batch of cupcakes. This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to create each element of the flower, from adding textural details on each petal to assembling the final creation.

Materials
Ball tool
CelBoard
Confectioners’ glaze
Cutter, calyx
Cutter, oak leaf
Cutter, rose petal
Cutting board
Dresden tool
Egg white
Floral pad
Floral tape, Nile green
Foam pad
Gel color: green and yellow
Gumpaste
Needle-nose pliers
Paint brushes, #2 fine and medium flat
Pansy leaf veiner
Pasta machine
Petal dust: daffodil, foliage green, lime green, plum and violet
Petal former
Poppy veiner
Rolling pin
Steamer
Veining tool
Vodka
Vinyl mat
Wire cutters
Wire, nile green 26-gauge
Wire, white 28-gauge

The Pansy Petals:
1. Knead the gumpaste well and roll into a log.

2. Place the log over the grooves on your CelBoard. With a small rolling pin, roll up and down the groove. Be sure the paste is transparently thin.

3. Transfer the paste to a cutting board, and cut 5 petals with the rose petal cutter. Place 4 of the petals under a vinyl mat.

4. Cut the 28-gauge wire into quarters and dip 1 of the cut wires into egg white. Thread through the grooved part of the petal. Gently pinch as you twirl the wire to attach the petal to the wire.

5. Place the petal on a foam pad. We will create the heart-shaped petal first: using the metal ball tool, rest half of the tool on the edge of the petal and half of the tool on the pad to gently thin out the petal and create an element of movement.

6. Transfer the petal to the poppy veiner and vein. Carefully lift the veined petal and place it back on the corner edge of the foam pad.

7. Use the veining tool to frill and bend the petal gingerly.

8. Next, move the petal to the center of the pad. While keeping the point of the veining tool in motion at the base of the petal, roll the tool to the opposite side. To add a heart shape to the petal, use the end of your dresden tool and gently push the center to the petal and manipulate the petal inwards to achieve a heart shape. Place the petal on a petal former to dry.

9. For the remaining 4 petals, follow the same procedure, only do not shape them into hearts.

Each pansy has a variety of uniquely shaped petals, so you can look at pictures to find a style you like and duplicate it to create a flower of your choice.

The Stamen:
1. Color a small amount of gumpaste bright yellow. After thoroughly kneading it, roll it into a smooth ball.

2. Take the cut 28-gauge wire, bend an “L” shape to the top of the wire, dip the “L” part in egg white and place in the ball. Roll the bottom of the ball as you twirl the wire to attach.

3. Place the wired ball on the foam pad and cut the tip of the ball 1/16-inches down with fine scissors.

4. Use the fine side of the veining tool and hollow each side, then pinch to point.

5. Dust with daffodil yellow color and allow to dry in floral foam.

Assembling the Pansy:

1. Take the 2 back petals and tape them together with Nile green floral tape.

2. Add the stamen by wrapping the tape once around the back of the petals.

3. Add 2 more petals to the other side and pull the tape around once.

4. Add the the last heart-shaped petal, and tape down to the bottom.

5. Cut the excess with wire cutters.
The Calyx:
1. Color gumpaste with the leaf green and electric yellow gel colors.

2. Place rolled gumpaste in a pasta machine and gradually roll to a #6 thinness. Cut out one calyx for each pansy.

3. Place the calyx on a foam pad and use a small metal ball tool on each side of the 6 calyx petals to create a ridge.

4. Turn the calyx over and pull your veining tool outwards. Pinch each petal tip to a point.

5. Place the calyx over the hole on the floral pad and brush with egg white. Push the stem of the assembled pansy through the calyx.

6. Now turn the pansy upside down and position the calyx in place. Lay out the petals so they have a little movement. Dry the pansy on a foam former.

7. Once the calyx has dried, color the calyx with lime green and foliage petal dust.

8. Lightly run the flower through steam to set the color.

The Leaves
1. Color gumpaste with the leaf green and electric yellow gel colors.

2. Roll the green paste into a log and place on your CelBoard. With a small rolling pin, roll up the groove and then back down. Be sure the paste is transparently thin.

3. Transfer the paste to a cutting board and cut 3 leaves with an oak leaf cutter. Place 2 of the leaves under a vinyl sheet.

4. Cut the 28-gauge wire into quarters and dip one of the cut wires into egg white. Thread through the grooved part of the leaf and gently pinch as you twirl the wire to attach the leaf to the wire.

5. Use your metal ball tool to add movement to the leaf and to widen slightly.

6. Place the leaf on the pansy veiner and vein, then transfer the veined leaf to your foam pad. Using your dresden tool on the side, draw the tool outwards to give a serrated effect on the leaf. Pull the veining tool inwards to frill.

7. Gently pinch the top and base to exaggerate the spine of the leaf. Place on a foam former to dry.

8. Dust the leaves with lime green petal dust from the base upwards and inwards from the edges. Repeat with foliage green dust on veins. Add a touch of plum dust to the spine and outer edges.

9. Steam each leaf, allow to dry and paint with confectioners’ glaze.

Dusting the Yellow Pansy:

1. Dust the base, tip and sides of the pansy with the daffodil yellow color. Keep layering until you achieve the deepness of yellow you want.

2. Add violet and plum dust to the center of the pansy. Dusting the sides inward works best.

3.  Dip your fine brush in vodka and then dip the wet brush in plum dust and draw the lines upward.

Dusting the Purple Pansy:
1. Dust the base of the pansy with daffodil yellow. Dust the top and edges inward with violet petal dust and layer the violet until you achieve the violet color you like.

2. From the center of the bottom, brush plum petal dust in an upwards motion.

3. Dip your fine brush in vodka and then dip the wet brush in plum dust and draw the lines upward.

Assembling the Leaves:
1. Tape 3 leaves together.

2. When arranging, the pansy leaves should be lower on the side.

3. Use your needle-nose pliers to bend the wire into position.