I am making a cake for my grandmother's 100th birthday and want to put edible pearls on the cake. I bought one of the pearl makers and tried it today. I don't like the fondant that sticks out on the back. Is there anything I can do about that? Also, I put luster dust in the mold before the fondant and it came out okay but it takes a lot of dust to keep them from sticking. Is there a better way to do this? Can I dust them after I take them out? If I use oil to keep them from sticking, can I still put dust on them? Also, how do you keep the dust from getting on everything else? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
Lightly brush your mold with cornstarch and when you have pearls put them in a ziplock baggie with your dusts and shake it. Then you have less mess and no wasted dusts. I also make my own pearls if I don't like the excess fondant on them. Just use a 3 tip to cut them out and roll in your hands to finish shaping. Hope this helps.
I made my pearls by hand and then saw the pearl maker and thought it would be great to have. Turned out I went back to making them by hand.
I did use Earlene's advice about putting them in an airtight container in the freezer if not used all at once. Great idea because you can make a whole bunch up at once and have them ready when you need them.
I made my pearls by hand and then saw the pearl maker and thought it would be great to have. Turned out I went back to making them by hand.
I did use Earlene's advice about putting them in an airtight container in the freezer if not used all at once. Great idea because you can make a whole bunch up at once and have them ready when you need them.
I was the same way. It may be a little time consuming by hand, but I tend to sit in front of the TV and make tons of them--pretty mindless work. 
And Earlene's instructions are fantastic! 
And I actually prefer the single pearls to the string ones--maybe because of the seam that is left...
I have the pearl makers in several sizes and don't use them much, either. What I do use a lot is the bead roller that you find in the polymer clay section of the craft stores. I dust the roller with pearl dust, but I usually find that I like the pearls best if I buff them with more pearl dust and a soft brush when I use them. That extra step of buffing them a bit with the brush seems to make them shinier.
But, back to your question....I leave the little strip on if I'm going to apply the pearls as a border. But, if I'm making indivdual pearls, I cut it off, then separate the pearls and smooth out the rough places where I cut on them. I find I spend way too much time "grooming" the pearls when I make them this way.
Are you using MMF? If so then that might be the sticking problem. I have had ZERO luck using MMF in a pearl mold. Once you press the mold onto the fondant flip the mold over and squeeze it to squeeze out any excess fondant. Don't squeeze too hard though because you risk separating the pearls if you are looking to keep them in a strand. Once you remove the strand let it sit for a few minutes and then take a small utility knife and if needed, trim away any excess fondant that is sticking in between the pearls on the front side. Forgot to mention once you squeeze the mold use the utility knife to trim away the excess fondant from the seam on the mold and from the sides (if you don't do that already)! 
Oh yeah, I use Wilton fondant in my pearl mold. I haven't used Satin Ice or anything else yet so I don't know how well they do in the mold. I just know that using MMF in a mold is frustrating!
Amy
I love my bead roller for making edible pearls!
I can put at least 6 pieces of fondant into the mold at one time, and knock them out in no time at all. They look a lot better than the pearls you get out of the bead maker, too.
When it gets sticky, I just use a pastry brush with some cornstarch on it, dust away the extra, and keep going.
Theresa 
What's a bead roller? Does anyone have a picture, I'm curious, never heard of it.
A bead roller is actually a polymer clay tool, for making bead jewelry. I got mine at AC Moore, and paid about $4 with the coupon. I found this pic of Hobby Lobby, but it is not a great one. Do you see the wells on the plastic tray? You measure a piece of fondant or gumpaste (they give you a measuring tool) and place it in the well. There is a matching second plastic tray that you place on top of the first, with a guide in between so it does not slip out of place.
You slide the top tray back and forth, and it forms the bead for you. It is really easy to use.
The bead roller pictured makes three different types - round, oval. and tricone (diamond shaped). The round bead is approximately 3/8 inch in diameter. They sell others at Hobby Lobby, but I cannot determine what the beads will look like from the pics. There is only one type available at my local AC Moore.
Feel free to PM me with any other questions about it.
Theresa
Thanks! I'll have to look around to see where I can find one.
okay, so I need to play Pictionary here. I still can not fathom what the method is. I think I'll go to my local craft store and see if I can find the same thing. Hopefully a hands-on look will help me!
Hey, my father always said I could never see the forest for the trees! 
Amy
Yeah, thanks for all the ideas. I really like the idea of the bead roller. I will have to look for one. I guess for right now I will just try and use cornstarch in the mold and then dust the pearls with pearl dust in a baggie. I think I will also try my hand at making them by hand and see which is better. Thanks!
I own that one, and I love it. I take candy clay and make candy necklaces for my grandnieces all the time. For me it works even better with fondant and gumpaste.
If anyone out there has information on another one, please let us know.
Theresa
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