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GUMPASTE RECIPES

My daughter's wedding cake using gum paste flowers (and several other techniques)

My daughter's graduation cake

Ready-made Gumpaste

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GUMPASTE HOW-TO ...LESSONS

Mrs. Barloca's Gum Paste
(The one I like best).... Great for Gum Paste dolls
See a photo of a cake I used Gum Paste flowers on

1 Tbs.. Gum Tex *

3 Tbs.. water

1 teas. lemon extract

1 teas. glucose

1 lb. Confectioners' sugar (or to the desired consistency)

* I prefer to mix the gum tex with the Confectioners' sugar - much faster and easier to dissolve.
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Sift the powdered sugar and Gumtex together into a large bowl.
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Make a "well" for adding the liquids later.
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Mix warm water and glucose until glucose is absorbed. Add the lemon extract and, after these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add small amounts of powdered sugar/Gumtex mixture until you can work the mixture with your hands.
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Continue adding small amounts of powdered sugar as you knead the mixture on a table top.
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As soon as the mixture is pliable and can be shaped without sticking to your fingers, you've added enough sugar (a pound or more) and the paste is of correct working consistency. If you're not going to use the gum paste mixture immediately, place it in a plastic bag and then in a covered container to prevent drying.
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When stored properly, your gum paste will keep for several months.
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Gum paste handles best when it is several days old.
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HINTS BELOWRECIPES ON THIS PAGE:

GUMPASTE RECIPE USING TYLOSE
Supposedly dries harder
Tylose is an alternative product to use in making gumpaste instead of gum
tragicanth. The advantage of the tylose is that the paste is less expensive,
easier to make, holds up better in humidity and is whiter in color.

The 55 g container makes approx. 3 pounds of finished gumpaste.
The following recipe will make approx. 2 pounds of gumpaste.

INGREDIENTS:
4 large egg whites
2 lb. bag of 10X powdered sugar
12 level teaspoons Tylose (#TP100)
4 teaspoons shortening (Crisco)

1. Place the egg whites in a Kitchen Aid mixer bowl, fitted with the flat paddle.
2. Turn the mixer on high speed for 10 seconds to break up the egg whites.
3. Reserve 2/3 cup of the powdered sugar and set aside.
4. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed, slowly add the remaining sugar. This will make a soft consistency royal icing.
5. Turn up the speed to setting 3 or 4 for about two minutes. During this time measure the tylose in to a small container.
6. Make sure the mixture is at the soft-peak stage. It should look shiny, like meringue and the peaks fall over. (If coloring the entire batch, add the paste
color at this stage, making it a shade darker than the desired color).
7. Turn the mixer to the slow setting and sprinkle the Tylose in over a 5 second time period. Next, turn the speed up to the high setting for a few
seconds. (This will thicken the mixture).
8. Scrape the mixture out of the bowl onto a work surface that has been sprinkles with the reserved 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Place the shortening on
your hands and knead the paste, adding enough of the powdered sugar to form a soft but not sticky dough. Usually I check by pinching with my fingers and they
should come away clean. Place the finished paste in a zip lock bag, then place the bagged pasted dough in a second bag and seal well.
9. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours if possible before use to mature the paste.
10. Before use, remove from the refrigerator and allow the paste to come to room temperature. Take a small amount of shortening on the end of your finger
and knead this into the paste before using.
11. Always store the paste in the zip-top bags and return to the refrigerator when you are not using the paste. Will keep under refrigerator for approx. 6
months. You can keep the paste longer by freezing. Be sure to zip lock closed.
If you will be freezing a batch of paste, allow it to mature for 24 hours in the refrigerator first before placing into the freezer. I have kept the paste in the freezer for up to 3 years with no problems.

How to color gum paste

Once you've made the gum paste recipe, you can tint it any color you desire, or divide the mixture and tint it several different colors. To color gum paste, apply small amounts of liquid or gel-paste food color with a toothpick. Then with your hands, knead and work the color into the gum paste piece until the tint is evenly applied. If you would like a deeper shade, you can add more color a little at a time, and re-work the gum paste until you achieve the desired shade. Remember, you can always darken a color easier than you can lighten one.

How to roll out gum paste

Roll out on a firm work surface. Special celboards are available for this. (Some celboards also have grooves for your flower wires!) Always dust your work surface with cornstarch first! This is standard procedure for rolling out gum paste to cut any floral shape. After your work surface is adequately dusted, take a small piece of gum paste, work it awhile with your hands and then place it on the cornstarch-covered area. *see 'greasing surface method. Now dust more cornstarch on the surface of your rolling pin and roll out gum paste until it's the thickness you desire - this is usually about 1/16-inch for most flowers. Remember, roll out one small piece of gum paste at a time to avoid drying; and cover every petal and flower cut you make with saran wrap. (Or place under your vinyl practice board cover if you have one).

How to hand-work gum paste

When you remove gum paste from a plastic bag or covered container, you will need to re-work it with your hands until it's soft and pliable once again. If the gum paste has been stored for some time and seems a little bit stiff, add a small piece of freshly made gum paste and then re-work it with your hands.

Important reminders:

ALWAYS dust work surface, rolling pin and your hands with cornstarch when handling gum paste and flower cuts. (my note: Instead, I often grease my hands AND the work surface lightly with Crisco - especially when I'm making very tiny and delicate flowers. They won't dry and crack nearly as soon.)
ALWAYS keep gum paste and flower cuts covered to prevent drying
ALWAYS add food coloring in small amounts until you achieve the gum paste tint you desire
ALWAYS re-work gum paste before roll it out to cut flowers and, if the gum paste has been stored for sometime, add a small piece of freshly made gum paste and re-work until pliable.

MY NOTES:

She stressed when making dolls or figures that need longer to dry that you always make fresh gum paste.
If you use older gum paste and their is a little fermenting in the gum paste you figures can as she said "explode". Believe me they aren't very pretty if this happens.
I DO NOT like the pre-made gum paste you can buy when making dolls. Mine did not fry as hard as they did when using the above recipe.

NOTES from Earlene Moore's GUM PASTE USES: Flowers, leaves, fairies, animals, insects, anything your imagination can think up and devise to do. One of my favorite mediums to work with. For instance on the Armadillo - I used it for the Ears, and toenails. Build castles with it. Anything you can do with clay you can do with gum paste and probably more. Brush with egg white for shine.

From an out of print Wilton Gum Paste book

Other SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

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