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TECHNIQUES

These are some of the more important techniques that you’ll use time and time again when making sugar flowers and cold porcelain flowers.

WIRING PETALS AND LEAVES

1. Knead a piece of gum paste and form roughly into the shape of the petal or leaf you are making. Press it down against a nonstick board to flatten it slightly. Use a CelStick or fondant rolling pin to roll the paste, leaving a ridge for the wire. Try to create a tapered ridge, angling the pin slightly so that the ridge is thicker at the base of the petal or leaf. The thickness and length of the ridge will depend on the size of the petal/leaf you are making. There are also boards available commercially that have grooves in them that create a similar ridged effect when the paste is rolled over them.

2. Cut out the petal/leaf shape using a scalpel or plain-edge cutting wheel, leaving the ridge to run down the center. If you are using a cutter, lift up the shape and place it onto a light dusting of cornstarch and then press firmly with the cutter. Scrub it against the paste and the board so that the shape remains slightly stuck in the cutter. This will enable you to rub the edge of the cutter to create a cleaner cut edge, removing any fuzzy bits!

3. Moisten the wire very slightly—too much moistness will result in the paper coming off the wire and also slow down the drying process. Hold the ridge firmly between your finger and thumb, and hold the wire in the other hand very close to the end of the wire that is being inserted into the shape. Push the wire in gradually so that it supports a third to half the length. Continue forming the shape following the instructions for each individual flower or leaf.

WORKING WITH GUM PASTE

The paste should be well kneaded before you start to roll out or model it into a flower shape; otherwise, it has a tendency to dry out and crack around the edges. This is an air-drying paste so when you are not using it, make sure it is well wrapped in a plastic bag. If you have cut out lots of petals, cover them with a plastic bag.

EGG WHITE

You will need egg white to stick petals together and to alter the consistency of the gum paste if it is too dry. There are commercially available edible glues which can be used instead, but I find that these tend to dissolve the sugar slightly before allowing it to dry, resulting in weak petals.

ALL-VEGETABLE SHORTENING

I use this to grease the nonstick board and then wipe it off with a dry paper towel. This not only conditions the board, but also removes any excess food coloring from the previous flower-making session. You can also add a tiny amount of shortening to the paste if it is very sticky; however, you must not add too much as it will make the paste short, and slow down the drying process too much. Don’t leave too much shortening on the board or greasy patches will show up on the petals when you start to apply the dry dusting colors.

CORNSTARCH BAG

Cornstarch is a lifesaver when the gum paste is sticky. It is best to make a cornstarch bag using disposable diaper liners! Fold a couple layers of liners together and add a good tablespoon of cornstarch on top. Tie into a bag, then use it to lightly dust the paste prior to rolling it out and also sprinkle on petals and leaves before they are placed into a veiner.

COLORING

Listed below are the forms of food coloring available to the cake decorator. If you are attaching an edible decoration onto a cake, check that the food coloring is edible and not just nontoxic.

Paste food coloring

I prefer to work with white or a very pale base food coloring and then create a stronger finished color using powdered colors. I add paste food coloring into gum paste to cover the cakes, but even then I am not a huge fan of strongly colored cake coverings. It is best to mix up a small amount of sugar or gum paste with paste food coloring, then add this smaller amount to a larger amount of paste—this prevents you from adding too much color to the entire amount of paste.

Petal dusts

These food-coloring dusts are wonderful for creating very soft and also very intense coloring to finished flowers. The dusts can be mixed together to form different colors or brushed on in layers, which creates more interest and depth to the finished flower or leaf. White petal dust can be added to soften the colors—some cake decorators add cornstarch; however, that weakens the gum content of the dust, often causing a streaky effect to the petal. If you are trying to create strong, bold colors, dust the surface of the gum paste while it is still fairly pliable or at the leather-hard stage. A paint can also be made by adding clear alcohol (isopropyl) to the dust. This is good for adding spots and finer details. You can also add these dusts to melted cocoa butter to make a paint that is wonderful for painting designs onto the surface of a cake.

Liquid colors

These are used to color royal icing since they alter the consistency of fondant, gum paste, and marzipan, but they can also be great to paint with. I use a small selection of liquid colors to paint fine spots and fine lines to petals.

GLAZING

Glazing can give a leaf or petal a more realistic appearance. Don’t glaze flowers too heavily as this can make them look unnatural. The methods described below are ways of glazing.

Steaming

Using powdered colors on sugar flowers often leaves a dry-looking finished flower. This can be changed to create a waxier appearance and also help to set the color to stop it from leaving marks on the surface of the coated cake. Hold each flower in the steam from a boiling teakettle for a few seconds, or until the surface turns slightly shiny. Take care not to get the sugar too wet since it will dissolve fairly fast. Allow the flower to dry before wiring into a spray. If you are creating a velvety finish to a rose, for instance, then the steaming process can be used. You will then need to re-dust the flower. This technique will help an additional layer of dust to stick to the surface, giving the desired velvety effect.

Edible glaze spray

There are several ways to glaze leaves. Recently I have been using an edible glaze spray. This glaze can be used lightly for most leaves or sprayed in layers for shiny leaves and berries. You need to spray in a well-ventilated area and wear a filter mask.

Confectioners’ varnish

Confectioners’ varnish creates a wonderful glossy finish for berries and some leaves. However, I mostly dilute confectioners’ varnish with isopropyl alcohol. Mix the two liquids together in a clean jar with a lid. Stir or swirl rather than shake the liquids to avoid producing air bubbles. Dip leaves into the glaze, shaking off the excess before hanging to dry or placing onto paper towel to blot off any excess. The glaze can also be painted onto the leaf, but I find the bristles of the brush pull off some of the dust color, producing a streaky effect. A buildup of glaze can give a very streaky, shiny finish. I use various strengths of glaze: threequarter glaze (one part isopropyl alcohol to three parts confectioners’ varnish) gives a high glaze but takes away the plastic finish often left by undiluted confectioners’ varnish; half-glaze (equal proportions of the two) gives a natural shine for many types of foliage; and quarterglaze (three parts isopropyl alcohol to one part confectioners’ varnish) is used for leaves and petals that don’t require a shine but just need something stronger than just steaming to set the color and remove the dusty finish.