I looked online at Wilton, JoAnn's and Michaels and I thought I only saw hydrangea cutters as part of a set. So I went to Michaels tonight and looked at all they had, including the sets, and did not see any hydrangea's (4 petals). Are they really available?

I hope to get to Vanilla Bean Cake Supply in Madison WI tomorrow - if anyone would happen to know what they might have there? I looked at the other cutters that you had recommended here and it seems like I am going to have to pay $40-50+ for the flower and leaf cutters and impression mats. (this is for a gift!)

Why does something so relatively simple have to be so outrageously expensive?!

Well you need to do some searching online. Like ebay. Want to know what Wilton has? wilton.com shows their current merchandise.

Out of many vendors listed on ebay, I buy from bluelakefox in southern Ontario because he imports very good quality flowers cutters and veiners (not impression mats) from Argentina. Your postage for these will not be too much (you can get the estimate before you buy).

This is the Wilton set that I have:

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=B777AD08-1E0B-C910-EA758EEADD5476DC&fid=B777AD28-1E0B-C910-EA135139B3700796

The hydrangea cutter is the small blue plunger all the way to the left on the second row.

Actually I did to a ton online searching - that's how I was getting the $40-50 costs! And I did search Wilton's site too - but I just couldn't find a separate hydrangea. And I didn't see that set locally either.

Annie - I saw this set at the cake supply store yesterday and I see that it does have both the flower and the leaf cutters - as well as ta veiner for the flowers (sorry I called it an impression mat - I'm still learning terms) - but I was wondering about the veiner for the leaves? It didn't look like it came with one... if I bought one separately then it wouldn't match up with the Wilton cutter - so what did you do?

I didn't actually use gumpaste leaves for that one cake. I just piped them on. I usually do a combo of buttercream and fondant when I decorate.

In the past, I have used leaf veiners on all different kinds of leaves that don't exactly match. They work fine.

Here is one from GSA:

http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=18713&name=CelCakes%20Hydrangea%20Leaf%20Veiner

Here is the set that I have, that I use for all kinds of leaves and all sizes:

http://www.thebakerskitchen.net/fmmleafveiningset1.aspx

I love that second set you linked to - so realistic! I just don't get how you get the leaf cut to that same shape - do you have to just take a knife and cut around the veiner?

Since BakingIrene mentioned ebay, I checked there (again) and this time saw a set of JEM cutters - they cut the leaf and put the veins on at the same time. I just wonder how easy they are to get the fondant out of the cutter. I may try those though.... I'd rather the flowers be in one piece though. I know I need to get started on these soon!

The JEM cutters are hard to get stuff out of.

You will probably be happier and work faster with the separate metal cutter and a veiner.

You can also try Flour Confections. They are in Ontario but they do ship and I believe have some pretty reasonable rates.


http://www.flourconfections.com/hydrangea-blossom-silicone-mold-p-866.html

http://www.flourconfections.com/hydrangea-petal-cutter-p-1179.html

http://www.flourconfections.com/hydrangea-leaf-cutter-p-1261.html

http://www.flourconfections.com/hydrangea-leaf-petal-centres-and-back-silicone-mold-kit-p-1677.html

http://www.flourconfections.com/hydrangea-silicone-mold-p-3850.html

You don't have to fit them to the leaf exactly. I have used leaf cutters that are much larger and much smaller than those veiners. You just press the veiner on top of what you cut out. Don't use a lot of pressure because then the edge of the veiner WILL appear in the shape. Just use a gentle pressing motion and you should be fine. With the larger shapes it doesn't always go out exactly to the edge but it is such a subtle impression that it doesn't matter.