Help- Gumpaste Figure Disaster!

Decorating By MJTKNT Updated 19 Oct 2010 , 4:25pm by MJTKNT

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MJTKNT Posted 19 Oct 2010 , 2:43am
post #1 of 5

I made my gumpaste pieces four days ago and have had them sitting out drying. My brother dropped by my house today and knocked them over and broke them. They will NOT look okay pieced back together. I'm going to have to remake them, but the cake is due tomorrow night. Is there anyway I can get these to dry quickly enough?

Also- as a side note- I'm have a hard time with my figures not getting sqautty looking. If I set the aside to set piece by piece before putting them all together I end up with flat spots (I set them on egg crate foam), and they crack when I put them together. If I put them together fresh, they just squash and get fat...

4 replies
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peg818 Posted 19 Oct 2010 , 2:39pm
post #2 of 5

When i need balls that i want to stay round i dry in a bowl of cornstarch. Just make it deep enough that the ball won't touch bottom and that has helped me.

Now for the figures i have found that i need a flat side to keep them from toppling over. To keep them from getting so stout i add more tylose to my fondant or gum paste this will aid in the drying and help to slow gravities pull on the pieces.

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cakesbybeccam Posted 19 Oct 2010 , 2:59pm
post #3 of 5

I have heard if you need figures to dry out fast, place them in the oven with just the oven light on and it will help them dry faster.

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sheena Posted 19 Oct 2010 , 3:24pm
post #4 of 5

To stop them from going squat, your gumpate needs to have a firmer texture and you can achieve this by adding more tylose.
To help your figures dry faster, place them under the bulb of a table lamp.
HTH

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MJTKNT Posted 19 Oct 2010 , 4:25pm
post #5 of 5

Thanks for the advice. I have another figure cake this weekend. Looks like I need to find some tylose. I've looked for it before, but no one carries it around me. I'll have to order it, unless gumtex is the same?

For this one, I just made the pieces, let them set, put them all together minus the head, and sat them in front of a fan for a few hours, then in the oven with the light on while I went to bed (didn't want to risk the husband coming home and having any sort of accident with them, for whatever reason!).

I think the figure will be okay, but I don't know for sure. I haven't attached the head yet, so I'm nervous! I made a poke hole in the bottom before it sat to dry to help prevent cracking from inserting it. I hope it works!

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