So I am making a cake that requires 52 fondant daisies due on Saturday afternoon and I figured I would get a head start on the daisies tonight. They look awful - I only did 8 of them because I need help getting it right.
The wilton book says to use the medium daisy cutout (which I did) and then to use the small ball tool (I only have the one that came in the course 3 box - is that the small one?) and roll it from the petal tip to the center of the daisy.
First, the tool got stuck and ripped the fondant. I tried to fix this by putting crisco on the ball tool. Then, the daisy got stuck on the thin foam (I tried to remedy this by dusting the thin foam with cornstarch). The when I tried to put it on the flower formwe, all the petals went in all directions and didn't sit correctly in the former. 
What am I doing wrong? 
I have a theory that my ball tool isn't the right one, but what about all the sticking and is there a better way?
Any and all help would be appreciated!
Whenever I make daisys, all I do is cut them out and then put them directly on the cake. To get them to stick out, I use the end of a paint brush to push in the middle. You could also do this on the foam and then putting them on the flower former. I hope this helps you.
The size of the ball tool really doesn't matter. I've used them all and for flattening they work about the same. For flattening and lenthening the petals on that flower, though, make sure you cut out your shape a little bit thick and then use the small rounded stick that comes with the kit to flatten each petal--it works better. Crisco the stick first and if you're still having problems with sticking, powder your mat and both sides of your cut-out, then roll. If you don't have the tools that come with the kit, look around your kitchen and use something with a small rounded diameter to roll the petals out ( a shortened straw would probably work or maybe a skewer). Also, if you're having really bad sticking problems, whip out your rolling mat and crisco it and just flatten your petals on that. They should come off just fine. You don't really need the foam, in my opinion, because you aren't ruffling anything.
........
What am I doing wrong?
I have a theory that my ball tool isn't the right one, but what about all the sticking and is there a better way?
Any and all help would be appreciated!
Have you tried adding gumtex or something similar to your fondant?? It will make it easier to handle, in that it wont be as sticky and it will dry quicker and will keep it's shape.
good luck
Nati
So, I should add the gumtex? I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do but I will give it a try! Thank you for all the suggestions, I think my biggest hurdle has been the sticking, that drives me nuts and makes me hate working with the fondant!
This tip was given to me last year by someone highly placed in one of the largest fondant companies in the US:
knead cornstarch into the fondant. Just sprinkle some onto your work surface and knead it in until you feel the fondant getting stiff. Should it get TOO stiff, just knead in a little shortening.
In the past, I would have used gumpaste exclusively for flowers, or kneaded in a bit of Tylose; or used a 50/50 combo of gumpaste and fondant. All work very well, but nothing is cheaper than cornstarch.
If you check out my website, www.crawfordscreations.com, you will see a cake that looks like a magician's hat. All of the design elements are fondant with cornstarch...even the cat. I made that cake two days before last year's ICES convention. The cat was completely dry within a day!
This method really works....and is inexpensive to use.
I use one of those plunger daisy tools purchased from www.cakesbysam.com. You can get it from www.berylscakes.com too. It too late for you to get them mailed to you now for when you need them. Maybe next time.
I don't use the ball tool on my daisies. I use the tool that kind of looks like a ballet slipper toe. I have no idea what it's called. Sorry. I just run it down the middle of the daisy once. It curves it and gives it a little texture.
PS Fearless - Like my new avi?
So, I should add the gumtex? I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do but I will give it a try! Thank you for all the suggestions, I think my biggest hurdle has been the sticking, that drives me nuts and makes me hate working with the fondant!
I am making gerber daisies for Sat. Yes, you have to add gumtex to the fondant to give it the ability to harden. You do have to roll them a bit thick. But I didn't have any problem sticking.
Crimsicle - what cutter do you use? It doesn't look like the Wilton Daisy cutter - your daisies are super cute - I just finished mine - here is a pictures of them and I will post a picture of the cake when it is done also -
Thanks for all your help and if anyone has anything else on this, it would be appreciated for next time!
I love the purple daisies! Very cute.
Angie
I use gumpaste rather than fondant, but I think the basic principles would be the same. I do them on wires though.
When I roll out gumpaste, I have a little crisco on the plastic board. When I have i as thinas I wnt it, I pick up the sheet and move it to the other side of the board which I have lightly dusted with cornstarch. Then I cut out the form (2 of them(. I cover one and move the other to the cell pad I just lightly thin the petals, starting at the ones at 12 o clock. I just scoot the ball tool from the middle of each petal to the end once or twice (I start fairly thin to begin with). I rotate the cell pad so I only work on the petal when it is in the 12 o clock position. When I've thinned all of them, I use a needle tool to make indentations and point the tip by just drawing it from the tip to the center. Then I do the same to the other cut out. After both are done, I put them together slightly offset with a dab of eggwhite in the middle. and then I put the hardened center (which I make the day before on the wire) through the petals and into a flower former for a bit. Some of them (the smaller diamter cutouts) I will hang upside down so they look like they are just opening.
does any of this make sense? I've posted the flower pot photo here with the black-eyed susans that I made like I would a daisy.
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