Will You Help Me Understand This Tool?
Decorating By ZlatkaT Updated 22 May 2009 , 12:05pm by ZlatkaT
I would like to ask you if you could help me understand this tool (maybe I still have problem with my English).. I am looking to purchase a tool for making diamond/quilting shape all over the cake. I read some of the old forums, and it gets confusing for me..now I don't know if I should purchase impression matt, or the 3diamond cutters or this tool I am asking for...will this tool mark/impress the diamond shape on top and sides of round cake?
Thank you so much for your time
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?T=1&productId=630394
Hi, this is the first time I saw that tool. But I think the Diamond Impression Mat is much easier to use. Here is the link from Sugarshack's website, where she has it for sale. She uses that in her Buttercream DVD.
http://www.sugaredproductions.com/Decorating_Supplies.php
I'm sure you can use it to mark the top of the cake too.
HTH. 
I am not comfortable to use the impression mat, as I think I won't be able to match all the lines when repositioning. I don't know, newer use this. I was thinking to purchase the diamond cutters, as it might give more options, but it would be hard to use on round cakes. Than I came across the above tool... will see if anyone else respond... thank you for your respond..
THat's ok. Just rememberd that JenniferMI aka Jennifer Dontz use a Diamnond quilting tool. Here is the link from her site,
http://www.jenniferdontz.com/viewproduct.php?itemid=tol007
I did a cake 2 years ago with this request. I bought the diamond impression mat but hated it! Once you press it into the fondant and then put the fondant on the cake you smooth out the impression and the diamonds are not straight. But since the mat isn't very pliable and the cake is round you can't very well put the impression on once you have covered the cake. Here is what I did:
Covered my cake with the fondant. Cut a strip of wax paper to fit perfectly around the cake and then laid it out on the counter. I then drew my diamond shapes on the wax paper and placed the wax paper back around the cake. I then took the back of a butter knife and gently ran over the lines with it to impress on the fondant. My client wanted soft lines for a more "pillow-y" effect. If you need more defined lines you could use the fondant cutter (wilton) it is little and has different edges to it. Hope this helps! Good luck.
ZlatkaT
that tool you posted a link to is for decorative garlands
the mat you place on top for marking...helps placement of the garlands and also for marking the top for equally spacing decorations on the top and for placing additional tiers...making sure they're centered. Definitely not something useful for all over diamond pattern.
The diamond shape impression/cutter works best because you don't have to press so much to get the look you want. I have both and I hate the impression mat cos the lines are not so visible till you really press and that might move your cake.I have a few cakes in my photos, the cutter is much easier.
Both for buttercream and fondant.
We just learned about using these on Wednesday from Nick Lodge. He says to use them so they don't end up stretching, or making the image faded from 'smoothing", you need to press the image out after you place the fondant on the cake, and then roll the fondant up onto your rolling pin and then onto the cake.
Make sure that your cake is on the counter, not a stand, and close to the rolling pin. Then just "roll" it back onto the cake. To smooth it onto the sides of the cake, use two fondant smoothers to put it into place and take out the wrinkles. Once you have it straight to the bottom, use short little "karate chops" at a 45 degree angle, to finish the edges.
Once you have the fondant smooth, then take your mat and press it into the sides of the cake. You shouldn't have to press very hard. This will prevent the loss of image shape and distortion. For the design you are trying for, Nick uses a dot mat and then he takes a ruler or other straight edged tool and presses the lines into the cake based on the dots. He did that in the class and it looked great. I also leaves a nicer indentation for the pearls or dragees to adhere to.
Thank you all for your comments. I have purchase this tool anyway, as I always have problem with a measurements....hope this tool will help me.
I also purchase a one strip of diamond mat pattern, it has only two and half diamond design, I think it could give me more option to work with this than with a big impression mat.
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