Hi,
I am attempting to make little baby figures for my friends baby shower cake next weekend, but some cakes say they used fondant, and others say gumpaste. Is there a difference in the finish or drying time? Is one easier than the other for a first timer? Also, they are going to have to be shipped across the country in my carry on, so the sturdier the better. Any help would be appreciated!
My personal experience is that all gumpaste (at least my recipe) is too pliable and hard to work with; while the fondant doesn't dry fast enough. So the few times I've made figures I've used fondant with a little gum-tex added to it which seems to help it dry faster. Some people add a little tylose to their fondant instead. I am by no means an expert though or even that experienced but that's what I've done the few times I've sculpted.
If you're looking for sturdy.........I would go with gumpaste. Just get some of the wilton gumpaste mix in the can I think it's like 6 or 7 bucks and you just mix it with water per the directions on the can........it will dry pretty darn hard within a couple hrs. and will be like a rock after sitting overnight. You can also add details on it with food markers or gel colors and a paint brush. I think that when gumpaste is mixed correctly it's just as easy and pliable as fondant for modelling things. It's not as stretchy as MMF but you don't need stretchy for a baby.
Nicholas lodge gumpaste is great and you can store leftovers in the freezer. Here is the recipe. I have to put shortening on my hands to keep it from drying out it is great. I have sitting on my counter waiting from me to get home to use.
http://www.nicholaslodge.com/gumpaste.htm
Tylose Gumpaste
Tylose is an alternative product to use in making gumpaste instead of gum tragacanth. The advantage of the tylose is that the paste is less expensive,, easier to make, holds up better in humidity and is whiter in color. The 55g container makes approximately 3 pounds of finished gumpaste.
The following recipe will make approximately 2 pounds of gumpaste.
4 - Large Egg Whites
1 - 2 lb. bag 10x powdered sugar
12 - Level teaspoons Tylose (Available in our online store)
4 - Teaspoons shortening (Crisco)
1. Place the egg whites in a Kitchen Aid mixer bowl fitted with the flat paddle.
2. Turn the mixer on high speed for 10 seconds to break up the egg whites.
3. Reserve 1 cup of the powdered sugar and set aside.
4. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and slowly add the remaining sugar. This will make a soft consistency royal icing.
5. Turn up the speed to setting 3 or 4 for about 2 minutes. During this time measure off the tylose into a small container.
6. Make sure the mixture is at the soft peak stage. It should look shiny, like meringue and the peaks fall over. (If coloring the entire batch, add the paste color at this stage, making it a shade darker than the desired color.)
7. Turn the mixer to the slow setting and sprinkle the tylose in over a five second time period. Next, turn the speed up to the high setting for a few seconds. (This will thicken the mixture.
8. Scrape the mixture out of the bowl onto a work surface that has been sprinkled with some of the reserved 1 cup of
powdered sugar. Place the shortening on your hands and knead the paste, adding enough of the reserved powdered sugar to form a soft but not sticky dough. You can check by pinching with your fingers and they should come away clean. Place the finished paste in a zip-top bag, then place the bagged paste in a second bag and seal well.
9. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours if possible before using to mature the paste.
10. Before use, remove from refrigerator and allow the paste to come to room temperature. Take a small amount of shortening on the end of your finger and knead this into the paste. If you are coloring the paste, add the paste color at this stage.
11. Always store the paste in the zip-top bags and return to the refrigerator when you are not using the paste. Will keep under refrigeration for approximately 6 months. You can keep the paste longer by freezing. Be sure to use zip-top freezer bags. If you will be freezing a batch of paste, allow it to mature for 24 hours in the refrigerator first before placing into the freezer.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%