i need to make a fondant tiara and paint it silver but the blasted series of snow storms in this area are severely hampering my ability to get home (where i need to access all my ingredients and equipment). i'm afraid this is going to leave me with all of one or two days to let the thing dry.

is there any way to speed up the drying process? or does anyone have a bright idea on alternatives to using fondant? i was planning on mixing in tylose powder.

this is probably going to become a huge disaster because i've never painted with luster dust before either... and here i am leaving only a day to do it all.

Fondant with tylose added dries fairly quick.

To speed it up you can either put it under a desk lamp type lamp or place it in the oven with just the oven light on (place a note on the oven so you don't forget and turn it on) or put a small fan blowing on the object.

Roll it out on the thin side so it will dry quicker.

Good luck!

thank you for the hints!

either that or just make it out of candy melts lol (I'm impatient and can't wait for fondant to dry in time)

Also if it breaks it's only 10-20 min. and you have another one good as new!

wow... so you can just use candy melts and you can paint the luster dust on top of that too?
EXCELLENT

yep, I just brush it on dry as soon as i take it out of the freezer after I pipe the last layer!

how many layers do you put on, about 3?

and you can brush it on dry!

khalstead, i think i love you.

now i just need to find a good template. got any links? i like how you put the A in there too. i'm going to have to do something similar...

I use these 2 the most and have tweaked each of them to suit my needs....sometimes I add a few more curly q's here and there as suits my mood lol


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/15541/my_tiara_template.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/modules.php%3Fname%3Dgallery%26file%3Ddisplayimage%26pid%3D1180259&usg=__D2WWq5RHP949H468GLImFbHLmUM=&h=779&w=249&sz=32&hl=en&start=2&itbs=1&tbnid=_cdD7_UGujvwFM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=45&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/15541/thumb_my_tiara_template.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/modules.php%3Fname%3Dgallery%26meta%3Dtopemail&usg=__iH8aWVSbrMijupH4dYVxWtLGFik=&h=100&w=100&sz=7&hl=en&start=23&itbs=1&tbnid=owJVCYLyYlUXrM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/476133/normal_tiara_template.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1250086.html&usg=__df55UQR7gllPUKLJj2aiS_glvwc=&h=800&w=363&sz=19&hl=en&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=UtxakAG1AGcInM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=65&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/34236/tiara_pattern2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/modules.php%3Fname%3Dgallery%26file%3Ddisplayimage%26pid%3D40747&usg=__C6_LKYSg_hjrLi7uSK1YMhaz4uY=&h=444&w=300&sz=18&hl=en&start=22&itbs=1&tbnid=RhmGhUOvqeYr1M:&tbnh=127&tbnw=86&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/476133/thumb_tiara_template.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/modules.php%3Fname%3Dgallery%26meta%3Dtopemail%26pageID%3D2&usg=__TWyzLEHAguc7mGnk8jwyDkoAACE=&h=100&w=100&sz=5&hl=en&start=24&itbs=1&tbnid=X3Doc2ZoW8KLqM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/34236/tiara_pattern.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/modules.php%3Fname%3Dgallery%26file%3Ddisplayimage%26pid%3D40748&usg=__o9dI_VE8JHDFT3YyMtLl-4dgl4U=&h=175&w=400&sz=11&hl=en&start=26&itbs=1&tbnid=MnSG-oW1xiP2GM:&tbnh=54&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/67585/Tiara_B.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cakecentral.com/modules.php%3Fname%3Dgallery%26file%3Ddisplayimage%26pid%3D1196371&usg=__41ig8S7TqFCFpedARhIDXAGIAuo=&h=419&w=800&sz=44&hl=en&start=20&itbs=1&tbnid=E2mVnb9IV55vIM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiara%2Btemplate%2Bcake%2Bcentral%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18


That's all I could find!

HTH
Tina

Those are GORGEOUS! I only hope mine can look half as good as that!

oh and yes, 3 layers normally. If it seems to be a delicate design I might do 4 or 5. I've done as many as 6 layers (when it's warm out) to make it super sturdy.

When I put on my last layer sometimes I'll run a bead down the sides and blend it together with my finger (gloved) to seal all the layers together. It's not necessary but it does give the whole piece a more "finished" appearance. Although, nobody has EVER noticed or at least never said anything when I haven't done that. They're all just too impressed that they can eat the tiara and that it tastes good (yes I know most people here on CC don't like candy melts, but the muggles i sell these crowns too LOVE them! lol)

Wow! Soooo glad I stumbled on to this thread! The fondant tiara I had planned on making next week will now be candy melts! THANK YOU for sharing! They are beautiful. Are you just piping them on a curved surface? Never used candy melts but it looks so good I'm going to try!

yep, here's the directions for what I do;

I use melted white candy melts (almond bark) to make the tiaras. I melt them in the microwave and then put them into a squeeze bottle that has a plastic piping tip on the top (about a #3 I would say)...you could also use a piping bag, I just find the bottle easier since it's all plastic and I can pop it in the microwave as the chocolate begins to set up (which you can't do if you have a metal piping tip on a bag). You can also use parchment paper bags with the tip snipped.

I tape my tiara template (or drawing of what I want to make) onto a styrofoam cake dummy in the size I want, or anything that's circular (most of mine are done on a shortening can or coffee can depending on desired size).

Then I tape a piece of waxed paper over top of the template. Then I pipe the design with the chocolate onto the waxed paper. You can let it sit at room temp. for 10-15 min. until it's hardened or pop it in the freezer for a couple minutes until it's hard. Then i repipe directly over my first layer and allow it to harden again.
Repeat this process at least 3 times, up to 6 times depending on the size of the tiara. The bigger the tiara, the more layers I do so that it's nice and sturdy when you pick it up. The tiny tiaras I make for cupcakes only have 1 layer, though they're thin, they're small so the weight of them under my hand when I lift them doesn't break the chocolate.

Better to have too many layers than not enough!

When I'm all finished piping my last layer and it's completely hard I dust the whole thing liberally with luster dust (pearl usually) using a clean blush brush (only used for cakes). When you're putting on your last layer of chocolate you can also add dragees, edible pearls, candy gems, etc. before the chocolate sets up.

Have fun, and prepare to impress (I have people that order JUST the tiara for different events because they're so impressed and love them so much)






p.s. i tried to make one out of gumpaste one time and after drying for 3 days it shattered when I tried to pick it up........then I made one out of royal and it too broke (the night before the cake was due)........so I had to hurry up and the only thing I could think of that would dry hard and quick was chocolate so I used the next best thing....candy melts! And I haven't made them out of ANYTHING else since.......it's so quick and easy. I can make one from start to finish in about 20 min. (3-4 layers)

Yeah KHalstead you are awesome!!! I am storing this away in a corner of my cake file in my brain for future use!!!

Thank you for such detailed instructions!! You do a wonderful job and what a creative idea! Can't wait to try!

totally impressed!!! Love the tiaras. thanks for the instructions, I will have to try this sometime.

Thank You so much for the info, i just made one out of gumpaste but it broke twice, what a pain! Thanks alot!

Thank you so much for the info, I haven't made a tiara yet and I really fancy having a try.

Does anyone know what candy melts are in the UK?

Thanks for this. Your tiaras are gorgeous!