Fondant Flowes: Attempt #3

Once again trying to make fondant flowers. This is a totally different technique than I have used before and it came out...well, OK at best. I think the main problem was the consistency of the gumpaste/fondant mixture. I kept re-rolling and it dried out quicker than I expected despite my efforts of keeping everything under saran wrap. Due to the drying out the edges cracked some, and it was also my first time using the ball tool to frill the edges.

Started out with a center this time, and wrapped up alternating petals. This is with one layer done


The finished product has 3 layers done and I added in some texture to the center - it doesn't looks too bad from this angle, even though the edges are tearing/cracking

I'm wondering if I should try going with tylose powder or pre-made gumpaste...

~emy

Fondant Flowers: Attempt #2

The saga continues. This time I bought the Wilton Gum Paste Mix so my flowers (well it ended up being flower) dried hard. The mix comes in a 1lb can and says you add 1/4 cup of water to 1lb to make the paste. I didn't want to use it all, so I decided to use 1/8th of a cup of the mix which is 1/16th of a pound, and then added in water by the half teaspoon and ended up adding in 1 teaspoon of water. It was slightly sticky so I kneaded in powdered sugar until the stickiness went away.

I then rolled the gum paste into a ball, made a ball of marshmallow fondant the same size, and then mixed the two together. I then did the same flower technique as last time and after drying time got this:





I think it turned out okay. It definitely held its shape a lot better. I probably could have tried harder making the center, but I actually messed up my first small batch of gum paste (too much water) and it was getting late. I also tried using a different flower cutter but it didn't work out so well, because the petals were kind of separated, causing it to tear - and I didn't have graduated sizes. Those cutters might be my next investment. I refuse to get the forming cups yet though - I read you can put foil over cupcake tins at the depth you want and it works out well, so I'll be trying that next time.

~emy

Fondant Flowers: Attempt #1

So I tried to make some sugar flowers, well one sugar flower and considering I don't have any proper flower making tools it came out looking ok.

First I cut out 3 different sizes of flower petal layers - these are actually from cookie and biscuit cutters and I wish the sizes varied a bit more but it worked:


Then I used a toothpick and rolled the pointed end around the edges of each circle to "frill" the edges up as seen below. This actually hurt my fingers a bit - this is probably why people will use a stick the size of a pencil, so it'll hurt less


Then I inset them inside themselves using a little bit of water in the center to hold the layers together and arranged the petals. For the center one I actually loosely folded in in half twice to make a more compact center


In this picture the flower is sitting in the smallest ring cutter to help hold the shape. Since I only have 1 small cutter I think I might used something like an plastic lined egg carton to hold more flowers at a time. Another thing was that this shape didn't hold together that well immediately after, I think fondant might be too soft to work with - gumpaste is supposed to be stiffer, but I've never used or made it before. Maybe if I placed the fondant flowers in the freezer they would harden up and hold keep their shape. Not bad for a first attempt though right?

~emy