Sagging Issues- Ball Of Gumpaste Keeps Flattening-Help!!
Decorating By elvis Updated 7 Mar 2007 , 3:59am by ozcake
Okay, I've done a lot of gumpaste figures and this issue comes up now and then for me. I'm making a chicken. Round head, round body...
Rolled gumpaste into a ball and left overnight to harden. Now its settled and looks more like a scoop of ice cream than a round ball. How do you prevent this?
I have a couple of suggestions. It sounds like on the occassions where there is sagging, the gumpaste may be too soft. You can toughen it some with some cornstarch or sugar.
OR, start the ball with a smaller amount, and gradually build a larger piece, letting it dry in between.
OR, use a non-gumpaste support (providing it is a decoration not to be eaten. styrofoam, or beads might work
OR, try something edible but solid, like a gumball for the center of the object.
What are you resting it on while it dries? If it is something flat that could be part of the problem. For something small and round perhaps try that dimpled foam (you can see it in Redred's orchid tutorial below it is the dark coloured foam she rests the orchid centres on)
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=favpics&cat=0&pos=-94444
or if it is larger piece place some thinner normal foam into a small bowl or something rounded and see if that helps.
I am having a similar problem with a figure I am working on. It seems the only part that isn't drying very well is the sweater. I have the arms and head supported by foam, but it doesn't seem to be drying as quickly as the bottom of the figure.
About how long does it take for a figure to dry. Can it be hurried along with a fan?
I am making a hiker with a backpack and need it for a cake that I will be baking on Sunday and I am getting a little nervous about it being dry enough to support itself on the cake.
MelZ,
You could try placing it in the oven with just the light on (Do Not turn the oven on only the light) this is supposed to help it dry faster seems to help a bit. The other thing I saw someone else do at a deomstration (but I haven't tried it myself) was they made a bob the builder figure and poked holes with a toothpick in the parts of his body that wouldn't be seen to help it dry faster not sure if that would work with your design or not.
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