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RECIPES

Here are the basic recipes that you will need to make the projects in this book. There are recipes for icing, pastes, and two different kinds of fruitcake. See Substitutions here for items not readily available in stores.

GUM PASTE

This type of paste is used to make fine sugar flowers. I usually buy ready-made gum paste (see Suppliers here), as it tends to be more consistent, but the following is the recipe I use if I make my own.

Ingredients

• 5 tsp. cold water

• 2 tsp. powdered gelatin

• 4 ½ cups (500g/1 lb. 2 oz.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

• 3 tsp. gum tragacanth

• 2 tsp. light corn syrup

• 4 tsp. all-vegetable shortening

• 1 large egg white

1. Mix the cold water and gelatin in a small bowl and allow to stand for 30 minutes. Sift the confectioners’ sugar and gum tragacanth together into the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.

2. Place the bowl over a saucepan of hot water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Warm a teaspoon measure in hot water and measure out the corn syrup—the heat of the spoon helps ease the corn syrup on its way. Add the corn syrup and 3 teaspoons of all-vegetable shortening to the corn syrup mixture and continue to heat until all the ingredients have dissolved.

3. Add the dissolved mixture to the confectioners’ sugar with the egg white. Fit the beater to the mixer and turn it on at its lowest speed. Gradually increase the speed to maximum until the paste is white and stringy.

4. Remove the paste from the bowl and knead. Cover the surface with the remaining teaspoon of shortening—this helps to prevent the formation of a dry crust that can leave hard pieces in the paste when it is rolled out. Place in a plastic bag and store in an airtight container. Allow the paste to rest for 12 hours before using.

ROYAL ICING

This recipe is ideal for the small amounts of royal icing required to create embroidery, lace, brush embroidery, and other piped techniques.

Ingredients

• 1 medium egg white (at room temperature)

• 2 ¼ cups (225g/8 oz.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. Wash the mixer bowl and the beater with a concentrated detergent, then scald to remove traces of grease and leftover detergent.

2. Place the egg white into the mixer bowl with most of the confectioners’ sugar and mix the two together with a spoon.

3. Attach the bowl and beater to the machine and beat on the slowest speed for about eight minutes until the icing has reached full peak. You might need to add a little more confectioners’ sugar if the mixture is too soft.

COLD PORCELAIN

This is an inedible air-drying craft paste that can be used in almost exactly the same way as gum paste. The advantage of this paste is that the flowers made from it are much stronger and less prone to breakages. The disadvantage is that because it is inedible, the flowers need to be placed in a container to avoid direct contact with the cake’s surface.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ Tbsp. baby oil

• 4 fl. oz. (125ml/½ cup) nontoxic hi-tack craft glue (Impex)

• 4 fl. oz. (125ml/½ cup) white PVA wood glue, such as Elmer’s

• 1 cup (125g/4 ½ oz.) cornstarch

• Permanent white artists’ gouache paint

1. Work in a well-ventilated area when making this paste. Wear a filter mask if you suffer from asthma. Place the baby oil and the two types of glue in a nonstick saucepan and mix to form an emulsion. Stir the cornstarch into the mixture—it will become lumpy but don’t worry!

2. Place the pan over medium heat and stir the paste with a heavy-duty plastic or wooden spoon. The paste will gradually come away from the base and the sides of the pan to form a ball around the spoon. Scrape any uncooked paste from the spoon and add to the mix. The cooking time will vary among gas, electric, and ceramic stove tops—the lower the heat and the slower you mix, the smoother the resulting paste will be. I’m impatient so I tend to turn the heat up a little to cook faster, about ten minutes if that. Keep on stirring the paste to cook evenly. Split the paste and press the inner parts of the ball against the heat of the pan to cook it but be careful not to overcook it since it will be impossible to work with. It is better if it is slightly undercooked since you can always add heat later.

3. Turn the paste onto a nonstick board and knead until smooth. The paste will be quite hot at this stage. The kneading should help distribute some heat through the paste to cook any undercooked areas. If the paste is very sticky you will need to put it back in the pan and cook it a little longer.

4. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to cool—moisture will build up on the surface of the paste so it is important to re-knead it when cool and then rewrap it to avoid the growth of mold. Place in a plastic bag in an airtight container and store at room temperature. If stored correctly, this paste can keep for two years.

5. Prior to making flowers, you will need to add a tiny amount of permanent white gouache paint. The paste looks white but by its nature dries clear, giving translucence to the finished flower. Adding the paint makes the finish more opaque. Handling the paste is quite similar to working with gum paste, except I use cold cream cleanser instead of all-vegetable shortening, and glue or anti-bacterial wipes/water to moisten the petals to stick them. Cornstarch is used as for gum paste. The paste shrinks a little as it dries—this is because of the glue. It can be disconcerting to begin with, but you get used to it and it can be an advantage when making miniature flowers.

FRUITCAKE

This is my favorite fruitcake—it is a variation of a recipe given to me by my friend Tombi Peck. Double the quantities for a three-tier wedding cake plus line another small pan just in case there is some left over. This recipe fills a 12 in. (30cm) square cake pan exactly (not that I ever make square cakes!) or a 12 in. (30cm) round cake pan, with a little left over for a smaller cake. The varieties and quantities of each dried fruit can be changed to suit your own taste.

Ingredients

• 6 ¾ cups (1kg/2 lb. 3 oz.) raisins

• 6 ¾ cups (1kg/2 lb. 3 oz.) golden raisins

• 3 ¼ cups (500g/1 lb. 2 oz.) dried figs, chopped

• 3 ¼ cups (500g/1 lb. 2 oz.) prunes, chopped

• 2 cups (250g/9 oz.) natural color glacé cherries, halved

• ¾ cup (125g/4 ½ oz.) dried apricots, chopped

• ¾ cup (125g/4 ½ oz.) dried or glacé pineapple, chopped

• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

• ¾ cup (200ml/7 fl. oz.) brandy (the odd dash of Cointreau or cherry brandy can be good, too)

• 2 cups (500g/1 lb. 2 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 ¼ cups (250g/9 oz.) light muscovado sugar

• 1 ¼ cups (250g/9 oz.) dark muscovado sugar

• 4 tsp. (20ml) apricot jam

• 8 tsp. (40ml) golden syrup

• 1 tsp. (5ml) each of ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon

• ½ tsp. (2.5ml) ground mace

• 4 cups (500g/1 lb. 2 oz.) all-purpose flour

• 2 cups (250g/9 oz.) ground almonds

• 10 large eggs, at room temperature

1. Halve and chop the various fruit that require it. Add or subtract the fruit accordingly to suit your taste but ensure the weight stays the same.

2. Mix the dried fruit, orange zest and juice, and alcohol together in a large plastic container with a lid. Seal and allow to soak for about a week if time allows. Otherwise overnight will do.

3. Cream the butter in a large bowl until soft. Gradually add the sugars and beat the two together. Stir in the apricot jam, golden syrup, and spices.

4. Sift the flour into a separate bowl and stir in the almonds. Beat the eggs together and add in batches to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating it with the flour/almond mix. Do not add the eggs too quickly as they might curdle.

5. Before you add the soaked fruit, set aside a small amount of batter—this is used on top of the fruited batter to stop the fruit from catching on the top in the oven. Mix the soaked fruit into the remaining larger amount of batter. Grease and line the pan(s) with nonstick parchment paper. Fill with batter to the required depth—aim for about twothirds of the depth of the pan. Apply a thin layer of the non-fruited batter on top and smooth over.

6. Bake at a very low heat—275°F/140°C/gas 1—for four to six hours, depending on the size of the cake. It is important to smell when the cake is ready as some ovens bake faster than others. The cake will shrink slightly from the side of the pan, be firm to the touch, and smell wonderful. If in doubt, test with a skewer—if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

7. Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan, add a couple of extra dashes of alcohol, and allow the cake to cool further in the pan. Store the cake wrapped in nonstick parchment paper and plastic wrap. Allow the cake to mature for as long as you have—a few days up to a few months.Sunshine fruitcake

SUNSHINE FRUITCAKE

This cake is a great option for those who find the more traditional fruitcake too heavy to appreciate. The original recipe was given to me by Pam Robinson from the Belfast branch of the British Sugarcraft Guild.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups (150g/5 ½ oz.) candied cherries (multicolored look great), washed, dried, and halved

• 1 cup (100g/3 ½ oz.) ground almonds

• ¾ cup (125g/4 ¼ oz.) each of dried, ready-to-eat pineapple, mango, peach, apricot, and pear, chopped

• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, diced

• 2 oz. (50g/2 squares) white chocolate, grated

• ¾ cup (75g/2 ½ oz.) dried cranberries

• 3 Tbsp. brandy (cherry brandy or Calvados work well, too), optional

• 1 cup (225g/8 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup (225g/8 oz.) caster sugar

• 1 tsp. salt

• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups (250g/9 oz.) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 level tsp. baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Grease and line an 8 in. (20cm) round cake pan with nonstick parchment paper.

2. Toss the cherries in the ground almonds and set aside. Chop the remaining dried fruits and then toss them with the diced apple, grated chocolate, cranberries, and brandy and allow to sit for an hour or so.

3. Beat the butter, sugar, and salt together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, alternating with a tablespoon of flour and beating well between each addition. Stir in the remaining flour, vanilla extract, and baking powder. Next, add the dried fruit mixture and the cherries with the ground almonds and stir well to incorporate the fruit.

4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the top. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 300°F/150°C/gas 2 and cook for another 1 ½–2 hours. Cover the cake with foil or turn the oven down a little if you feel the top is getting too brown.

5. Allow the cake to cool in the pan before removing it.