Just wondering if anyone has worked with it and if you like it. I want to take a class in Sept but i"ve never worked with it and wanted to get some imput. Do you like it better than gumpaste??? Just ckecking.


Thanks,
Stephanie

Okay, this is probably a stupid question, but cold porcelain is not edible, right? Just wondering. Sorry, don't have an answer for you, just another question.

It is non-edible. But the flowers are beautiful. I've read that cold porcelain is growing(rapidly) in popularity??? Just wondering how this stuff really works.

Working with cold porcelain is similar to working with gumpaste. It is somewhat easier than gumpaste because you have more working time before it dries out. The other thing is that it doesn't break as easily as gumpaste. Cold porcelain does shrink some when it dries, so you have to take this into consideration. The other is that some cold porcelain can't be placed right onto a cake. There are non toxic recipes of pastes that are similar to cold porcelain, and that is another option.

Thank you so much for the reply. I'm undecided if it would be a good idea to place on cakes that are for sale?What if someone eats it???


STephanie

I used to work for the collectibles companies (Franklin Mint) our cold porcelain was porcelain dust mixed with resins, much like epoxy glue. I'd be sure to put a barrier between it and the edible parts of the cake. We also did cold wood, cold bronze, etc. The dust part was only a small percentage of the mix.

Thanks for the help. I think I'll stick with the gumpaste.

Stephanie

A few months ago, I did some internet research on cold porcelain and though there may be recipes that are non-toxic, most of the recipes I saw said that you had to put some kind of barrier between the figurine and the cake. I guess because of the glues that are used in it could leach some chemicals into the cake.

I would also be afraid that someone would think it was edible and try to eat it. I'm all for the "everything's edible" route myself. I don't see the advantages of cold porcelain though someone else may know why it's better.

I use a cold porcelain recipe that is non-toxic Elmer's Glue and baby oil. I love working with it. It seems to have more 'body' than gumpaste, so it is easier for me to work with. And once cold porcelain is dry, it won't melt in the humidity like gumpaste might.

I make cold porcelain baby shoes - something the client will have as a keepsake. I've even made a dragon cake topper with it. I think that is why some people like to use it for the flowers,etc so the client can keep the decorations.

If you make your own cold porcelain, I've discovered that tinting it with artist's oil paints work the best.

cakedout..would you mind pm'ing me that link or that recipe? i would appreciate it very much

youbetcha!

Oh..Oh..Oh...I'd love the recipe too!!

thank you! i've been interested in this stuff for quite some time now, ever since i saw it mentioned in one of my cake books. "emmascakes" also mentioned it one time and it intrigued me.

Cakedout, would you pm me the recipe? I really wanna take this class. Do you place the flowers etc. directly onto the cake? The class is like $325.00. I was wondering if it's worth it. Although you do make it sound good.

Stephanie

I submitted the recipe here on CC, but it may be some time before it shows up, so I will do my best to pm you with the recipe.

If you can make gumpaste flowers, you can use the cold porcelain. It is a bit different to work with, and I am sure there are hints at working with it that I fail to recall.

The one I forgot to add to the CC recipe was that you need to use Elmer's Glue to attach pieces together, rather than water or 'gum glue' you may use for fondant and gumpaste.

Geraldine Randlesome has a wonderful book out featuring amazing cold porcelain flowers. Most times, I think decorators wire together flower arrangements, then use flower spikes or straws to insert them in a cake (like you would for fresh). To be safe, I would probably do a little something to keep the flowers/decorations from directly touching the cake.

I was told that cold percelain is the best route to go for most molds because it holds up so well and takes detail better than gumpaste or fondant.
I too fear the nonedible factor. But gumpaste while edible is very yucky.

Unfortunately, cold porcelain, for the most part, is an unacceptible decoration in US cake shows, because it is deemed inedible.

Theresa

That is good to know. Thank you