June 9, 2010
Episode 4-1
Gum Paste Flower Basics
Here’s the first part of the 4 part episode for the Vanilla Cake Recipe. Remember that this recipe/episode is going to cover:
Making Basic Gum Paste Flowers
Vanilla Chiffon Genoise Cake
Vanilla Italian Buttercream
Almond Japonaise/Dacquoise
Buttercream Roses and other piping techniques
Decorating a cake
So expect a lot of videos this week! This part was especially long and I had to break it down into six separate (about) 9 minute videos. I tried to do my best to explain the process – it really is easier to teach gum paste flowers in person – but hopefully it’ll be helpful to people who are very interested in learning how to make them. I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert on gum paste – or even fondant for that matter – but what basic information I do know I am glad to share – for free even!
I’ll dig up those gum paste recipes I mentioned in the video and upload them on here as a PDF. Like I said in the video I’ve never made them but I got them from two very reliable and respected cake decorators / pastry chefs here in Northern Virginia. However, if I was in a pinch I wouldn’t be adverse to making my own gum paste.
I got almost all of my gum paste equipment and ingredients from Fran’s Cake and Candy in Fairfax and I recommend doing the same. The owner, Sally, is such a great resource – she’s knowledgeable about many areas of baking and pastry and she has just about everything you would ever need to professionally bake at home!
Anyway, enjoy the videos and if you make gum paste flowers at home and have any tips you’d like to share e-mail me using the from in the right-hand column along with a display name (if you don’t want to use your real name) and I’ll post it on here!
June 10 Update: So as I was making my extra daisies I realized that perhaps I should have used more powdered sugar instead of shortening. Use shortening to make your gum paste moist and pliable and use powdered sugar to dry it out slightly (prevent it from sticking) and easier to handle/transport. For the daisy cutters, I rolled out the gum paste on a powdered sugar surface (both on the surface and on the gum paste) and then pressed the cutter down firmly swiveling it until I could clearly see that it was not attached to the rest of the gum paste anymore. Then I pressed down on the plunger and lifted the plunger back up. Then I lifted the cutter which most of the time meant the gum paste flower cut-out came up as well. I just pressed up and down on the plunger until it released. Much easier than I may have demonstrated in the video. Summary: Shortening=Moisture and Powdered Sugar=Not sticky
i made gum paste but it is to sticky it seems do i just keep adding powdered sugar till it is not so sticky and more formed. thanks for any help
You can try that, adding powdered sugar I mean, but if you can add some tylose powder that might be more effective. Tylose powder helps dry out whatever product you put it in and can turn fondant into gum paste – or so I’ve heard. The next time you make your recipe try to hold back on whatever moisture you added – many times you have to adjust recipes to your own liking. Let me know if this works, if it doesn’t I can ask some of my friends.