I have NEVER used gum paste. I bought some mix tonight and decided I would have it in my cabinet should I need it.... it looks interesting enough with the flowers and all.... but I do have a question... can I use it to make molded shapes too, or just flowers? I am trying to come up with a snug as a bug theme for a baby shower cake (pic below) and the woman wants these bugs on it (her nursery theme)..... I was thinking MMF, but then I got to thinking could I do it with gum paste... I wanted to take the wilton class... but my son is due any day now and didn't want to risk it.... any advice ideas would be great and what about how long the items are good once made? And how I would store it?
Gumpaste can be used for many more things than flowers. Figure modeling is usually second in line. Use a Fimo clay book for design ideas.
Best to you and your baby.
Michele
mthiberge
so it is as pliable as the others? Do you have any suggestions for working with or coloring it? I bought the kind in the jar like the ones the meringue come in, not the kind in the packet by the fondant... will either work?
Michele, thanks for the information and the well wishes, lord knows I am ready to drop this little man!
I have modeled with straight gumpaste as well, but I think I like mixing gumpaste and fondant half and half, also called 50/50 paste. It takes a bit longer to dry than straight gumpaste but it gives you more working time and it doesn't crack or graze when it dries. You know that kind of elephant skin look you get sometimes in fondant covered cakes?
For flowers, straight gumpaste. You can roll it thinner which makes the petals look more natural and it dries quickly.
I prefer to use gumpaste, or even pastillage (just add some extra tylose into the premade stuff) as it dries much harder.....as for colouring, I like to paint on my colours, so I find the 50/50 that Shirley speaks of, gets tacky-er when painting.....I would tint my gumpaste the pale blue first, and colour in the darker shades and detail when dry. I use the Wilton paste colours mixed with a little alcohol in a saucer (tiny amts at a time) and a good quality bristle artists brush. For little dots etc. I use a watercolour felt tip marker (non toxic of course) which I found to be so easy - and no-one tends to eat dried gumpaste anyway!!!! It tastes yuck!! Just make sure all the colour is dry before 'dotting'. I put my gumpaste in a try in my oven with the light on to speed up the drying process....
I've never used the mix before...The premade stuff is like fondant. It molds just like playdough once it's warmed up from kneading. You use vanilla and tooth picks to attach limbs...at least that's how I did it. Theoretically it's all edible, but I wouldn't wantto actually eat the figures...that's why I use some toothpicks to hold them together...
To color it just use a little of your icing colors...A VERY LITTLE AT A TIME...LOL A little goes a long way...hope that helps
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