Gonna Try Chocolate Transfers Or Colorflow Help!!!
Decorating By berryblondeboys Updated 8 Apr 2007 , 2:18pm by Maureen1971
I've decided that I'm going to make a Blues Clues cake for my son's 2nd birthday in 3 weeks. This gives me time to practice chocolate transfers or colorflow. I think I've kind of gotten FBCT down, but I want to do some stand up figures. This cake inspired me: http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_18494.html
I'm not planning on making it three tier, but I want DH to make Blue out of MMF (is that possible to model with MMF?). He can sculpt, I can't! Maybe might have him do the chair too... still undecided on that.
And then I'll do the rest with chocolate transfers around the perimeter of the cake. I KNOW Henry will LOVE it as he is OBSESSED with Blues Clues since he discovered it last week.
But, a couple questions. I'm going to use parchment triangles with a tiny piece cut off to outline with and then put it on a heating pad to keep it warm...
If I just buy white chocolate/vanilla, what color is best use? Is it best to use regular past food coloring? Or powder?
Second, how do I fill? Just a bigger bit snipped off?
Third, HOW fragile are these? I had a dickens of a time with chocolate leaves and taking them off the leaves. I broke 75% of them!!!!
And, this is probably a no brainer, but if I want them to stand up, I would need to make a back side too, right (in reverse) and "glue" them together?
And in this cake, and any cake, the cake is round, so how do you get them to stick to the side of the cake and MOLD to the shape of the cake? Or is that where colorflow would work better?
How hard is colorflow to do????
LOTS of new things I'm trying - DH sculpting, me using triangular parchment, using chocolate transfers and/or colorflow... Eeeks!!!
Melissa
Well, I'm not great, but I've done colorflow a few times. To get it to curve around the cake, you can put your picture on the side of the cake pan, and just tape your wax paper, or parchment paper, or whatever you're going to use over the top of it. That way, it will dry with the proper curve.
As for the standing up ones, I just let the icing dry thoroughly, peel it off, and then trace the back directly on the back of the one I've already done. I made a "50" cake topper for a cake last weekend, and it worked just fine.
I've never done chocolate transfers, though, so somebody else will have to help you with that one.
Good luck!
Karen
Well I have done LOTS of choc transfers but not many color flow, so maybe I can give you some input there.
I love doing choc. transfers. I don't think they are as fragile as royal or color flow. If you are used to doing FBCT it is basically the same thing just a different medium. I use parchment triangles for them and I think you understand the whole thing perfectly. If you have any questions about this method--give me a yell!
Chocolate transfer is my favorite way to decorate. I have several cakes using this method in my gallery if you want to look at them. I have used stand up figures and transfers stuck to the side of the cake. I have learned a few things using trial and error. This is a tricky method, but quick once you gt it down.
The transfers are a bit fragile, so be sure to make multiples of each design so you can just grab a new one if something breaks.
1. You must us a parchment bag with a very small hole. Then "write" the outline using a touch similar to writing with a fine felt tip pen. The tip of the bag will just graze the surface of the parchment paper (which is what you should pipe onto). Use a dark chocolate candy melts for the outline.
2. Do not put these on a heating pad as the design will spread and you will lose all of your detail. You actually want them to set up as fast as possible to avoid smearing.
3. I buy white candy melts and then add color using candy colors (availabel at Hobby Lobby but not at Michaels or Wal Mart). Do not use icing colors as these will cause the chocolate to sieze.
4. Once the outline is fully set (you shouldn't need to put it in the fridge, just let it sit out for a few minutes), use a candy brush (or natural paitn brush) to brush in colors. Try to do a combination of dabbing and brushing or you will smear the outline. The brush strikes will be visible in the final product - I like the way this looks.
5. Once the colors have set a bit, pipe in a backing of white candy melts all over the back of the design (some will show from the front - this is ok) and pop it in the fridge for about 2 minutes to set. The designs will just slide right off the parchment.
6. If you want to stand them up on the cake, glue a toothpick or lollipop stick to the back using melted candt metls. You can also glue a mirror image of the same thing to the back if you want. I don't usually bother - I just make my cake "1-sided."
7. You don't really need to worry about the fact that you are sticking flat decorations to the side of a rounded cake. This has never given me trouble. Just pipe a blob of buttercream to the back of the design and smoosh it on.
Hope this helps! Check my gallery to see examples. Thanks! KM
i love doing choc transfers... they are not so fragile as fbct... and you can repair easily.. i use ziplock baggies and snip the corner off to do my tracings.. i've also taped my pattern on the side of the cake pan or crisco can so that it will curve to the side of the cake.. if its not too big of a pattern it will fit just fine doing on a flat surface. just fill in your outline like you would the fbct.. .its basically the same..i've only used a heating pad if my finish product curle after drying.. but that was only to get it flat again... you dont want to use any heat near it otherwise...as far as coloring goes.. i generally use candy melts and buy the main colors.. i use candy coloring to mix colors are add to the white... just dont make them too thin...good luck
Tye, Do you find that the ziploc baggies work better for outlining than a parchment bag? I always use parchment and get good results, but they are a bit tempermental and I would love to find something a bit more consistent. I have had no luck at all with the disposable plastic bags.
trombonekaren: i totally prefer them over the parchment.. you can mix your desired colors right in the baggie.. i save mine in the fridge and if i need some odd color then i have it ready to pop into the microwave.. one baggie can do several projects.. sometimes i end up snipping the corner more until eventually i replace it.. i dont waste as much chocolate with it.. i have more control with them...
I will try that - I like parchment, but the flow from the tip is inconsistent. Thanks! KM
You guys are great! I read (after posting) that you can also do a pattern on a cake dummy (which I have a few)....
Now, there are a couple different ideas here. First, is to fill like you would with a FBCT and then someone said paint it in? If you just fill, will it melt the set outline?
On the two cakes that I've seen that I really like, they both said they used colorflow. Is colorflow without reversing (if I'm remembering correctly)? So, you trace the outline and then let it dry for eons and then fill/pour and let it dry? Most people don't eat RI or colorflow though (from what I gather) so I would hate to spend the time on something people would discard - might as well buy plastic pieces then, IMHO.
Also... one person say they are fragile and others say they aren't... Do MOST of you make an extra of your chocolate transfer, just in case?
Melissa
I don't make extras, never had a problem with it. If it would break just turn it over and repair with a little melted candy.
I fill in the outlines with melted candy. I stick the outline in the fridge or freezer for a sec. to set the candy then fill in the rest.
You can pipe or brush in the fill colors - I just like to brush because you have a bit more control over the outcome. As long as the outline is set up, you will get minimal to no smearing. If your design is fairly wide throughout, you probably won't have any breakage, but if there are narrow spots, it can happen. For example, the babies on the cake in my gallery kept breaking. You can fix them, but I couldn't get the crack not to show and I didn't like that. So I try to make extras.
I am currently playing with colour flow for a Toopy and Binoo cake. Very fragile, head broke, tails, legs, blah blah blah. I did a "backside" and tried to glue them together - worked ok, but I should have used a thin consistancy as glue, rather than royal icing I think it was. Anyway, decided to try it another way and it seems to work better.
Live and learn... this is why we do trial runs! And personally, I will do a couple extras, just in case they break during transport. Do not want a broken hearted boy on his birthday!
I will post the pics of my trial runs into my gallery thing if you'd like to see them.
Good luck with the cake - I'd love to see pictures of the outcome!
Forgot to mention in my last post... buttercream and colourflow do not play well together. The oils make the candy piece go all soggy. I learned the hard way! So, if you're using BC, don't add the cosmetic pieces too far in advance. (Mine went soft overnight.)
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