How to make Fondant or Gum Paste Cherry Blossoms



Cherry Blossoms!

The beginning of Spring.

            They can be made using MMF since they do not need to hold a particular shape like big flowers or you could even use Gum Paste. These blossoms are very easy to make and with little practice, you will master it in no time. This method of flower making needs the tools easily available in the household and does not need any fondant flower making tools. They can be made in advance or you could make it on the go since  they do not need more time to dry. You could use them as filler flowers or just run your imagination and decorate the entire cake with them - whatever way you use, they simply make your cake adorable ! Since they are the CHERRY BLOSSOMS !

Tips n Tricks :

Always try to grease your hands with shortening before modelling the flowers.
 

If you find cracks on the fondant try to knead it a little by greasing your palm with shortening and then keep on roting it in your palm to form a ball until all the cracks over it have vanished.

If you find the gum paste or the fondant very sticky and soft dust with cornstarch.

Always rub the edgess of the cut pieces with your fingers to remove all the roughed edges.

Materials Needed :

The size of the fondant ball should be a size of a chickpea.
Toothpick
Paint Brush
Scissors
Dragees ( optional  )

Method :

Step 1

Shape the fondant like a tear drop -    First make a ball of the fondant . Now using your index finger slowly rolling one end of the fondant ball till you get a tear drop shape

Step 2

Press the other end of a paint brush in the round part of the tear drop so that a a deep dent is formed and you get a cone shape

Step 3

Holding the cone with your thumb, pointer and ring finger make 5 cuts with  small scissors so you have 5 petals.

If you want to have a more realistic look, then give one more small cut at the center of each petal

 

Step 4  

Now slowly rub the sharp edges so we have a curved shape of the petal.

 

 

      

Step 5

Now resting a petal over your ring finger slowly rotate a toothpick over it left to right so that the petals are thinned down and also you get a little bit of the veining effect on the petal.

Do not worry of the imperfection while thinning down. Afterall no petal is unique in a flower. Once the whole flower is done it will look good.

Step 6

Apply a small tiny ball of white , yellow or maroon coloured fondant or a dragee depending on what colour your flower is, at the center of the flower.

 

 

Keep them to air dry for some time.

 

If  you want to use them later keep them in soft covered cloth within a box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the cakes that I used cherry blossoms to decorate with

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 



How to make Fondant Gum Paste Calla Lily



Calla Lily

      I made these Calla Lily's  using MMF. They are very easy to make with no any special fondant flower making tools. They hardly need any mastery at work and can be tried at a beginner level. Calla lily's come in varied colours. Try playing with different coloured fondant as a whole or give a try at painting the flowers. You can use fondant, gum paste, sugar paste or clay dough, the tutorial however remains the same. 

Materials :

Heart Cookie cutter or a template shown below

Paper cones

Tooth Picks

Brush

Scissors

Small Knife

Yellow coloured Semolina

Fondant OR Gum Paste ( I used MMF )

Food Colour

Cornstarch to use while rolling the Fondant

Shortening

Method :

Step 1

If you are using a heart cookie cutter you can start with the next step.

But if you want to make large life size Calla Lilies, then you should make a template for the petal of a size as needed.

Fold the paper in half

Staring at the folded edge draw a semi circle and then make a pointed tip at one end of the semi circle. Cut the shape and you get a symmetrical other half when you open the folded paper

Step 2 :

Dust the work surface with cornstarch and roll the fondant thin as a thickness of 2 - 3 sheets of paper.

Place the petal template over the rolled fondant and curve the shape on the rolled fondant.

Tip :

    

     while using the knife to curve the shape dip in shortening so you don't have rough edges of the

      Fondant while curving

 

 

 

Step 3 :

 

Grease hands with shortening and rub the edges with your fingers to remove any roughness due to using the knife. Slowly pinch the edges all around so you have thin edge all over

 Make a paper cone in advance. Place the cone with its tip at the center of the cut petal. so the tip of the petal is towards the round edge of the cone.

Step 4 :

Apply a little of water at the edge as shown below and close them. Apply a very thin coat of water, since fondant is sugar, it will start to melt. So be careful.

Step 5 :

Hold the cone with its tip tucked in between your thumb and index finger. Slowly bend the tip and edges of the petal outward to give a realistic look. If you observe the calla lily, they have a little bend at their edges.

Step 6 :

Lay the cone on its base and let the petal air dry for 10 - 15 Min's. ( the time depends on the thickness of the petal ) Since the fondant dries quickly, and the petal is left to air dry upside down, you have to once again follow the above step .

Step 7 :

To make the Pollens mix semolina and yellow food colour until you get the desired colour

Step 8 :

Grease hands and work surface with Shortening.

To make the Stamens roll a yellow coloured fondant in the shape of a rope, try to make a tapered end. Measure the stamen on the petal template and cut a little more than half of the length as the petal.

( In the picture below I have not yet cut the actual length of the stamen. So don't use such a big length )

Step 9 :

 

Now take a toothpick dip in water and slowly insert inside the stamen by pushing till it reaches the tip of the stamen

Step 10 :

Brush the stamen all over with a little water.

Step 11 :

Roll it in the coloured semolina.

Step 12 :

 

You can skip this step if you do not wish to paint the dried petal.

But if you wish to, then using food colour paint the petal, and allow to dry a while.

Step 13 :

 

Brush a little water to the end of the Stamen and insert the free end of the toothpick into the petal and secure it properly. You may feel the stamen not sticking to the petal at this step. Do not worry. After drying the stamen will be stuck. You can use a Styrofoam base to dry the flowers, by piercing the pointed toothpicks in it.

If you do not wish to make the stems, just snip off the toothpick ends and you are ready to use the Calla Lillies

Step 14 :

To make the stem you could start after the stamens are inserted in the flower.

Take a green coloured fondant ( I used yellow and green colour to colour my fondant for making the stem )

Grease hands and work surface with Shortening.

Roll the fondant in your palm, to make a thick rope.

Step 15 :

 

Cut about 2 - 3 inches and slowly insert the free end of the toothpick, pushing the fondant up to reach the base of the flower.

Step 16 :

 

Brush water to the fondant at the point of contact with the flower, so it is easy to secure.

Slowly move the fondant upwards with your index finger to secure the flower

Allow the flowers to air dry for a while

How to Frost and Crumb Coat the Cake

Frosting and Crumb Coating a Cake is like doing a foundation for decorating the cake.

 

For frosting the layers you can use a variety of things from flavoured Buttercream, Ganache, Mousse, Ice Cream, Jam or Fruit Custard.

For a Crumb Coat use Ganache, thinned Apricot Jam or Buttercream that is a little thinner in consistency.

 

Tips n Tricks :

 

Always wrap a baked cake in a plastic wrap and refrigerate well in advance. This will make it much easier to handle the cake for trimming and dusting off the crumbs.

 

Before beginning to frost the cake slowly rub the cake with your fingers to remove the crumbs.

 

Materials Needed:

 

Big Knife Or Cake levelling tool

Offset Spatula

Long rectangular strips of Parchment Paper or Butter Paper

Turn Table or a heighted stand that will help you to rotate the cake ( an inverted  bowl can do the trick )

Method:

 

Trim the top of all the cakes to get a flat top. You could use a cake leveller that is easy to trim the cake or mark the cake at the edges with toothpicks to use as a guide and then run a long knife to get a flat cut through the cake.

Place the cake board over the turntable or any mounting object you are using.

Dab a spoonful of frosting in the center of the cake board that will help to hold the cake and avoid it from slipping and moving.

Cut strips of parchment paper and place it all over the edges of the cake board. This will help you keep the cake board clean later.

Place the cake over the prepared cake board and spread the frosting of your choice with an offset spatula. If you are using some fruit in the frosting receipe then to avoid the juice oozing out of the cake later a good way is to first pipe a  buttercream frosting at the egde of the cake and then spread the frosting in the center. The buttercream at the edge will act as a bridge and prevent the juices from the fruits to ooze out later.

Repeat the frosting with as many layers the cake is going to be.

For the top layer place the cake with the bottom part on top. This gives you a perfectly flat topped cake for decorating.

The basic idea of crumb coat is to cover all the crumbs on the cake and get a clean surface for working over.

 

Use the buttercream that is thinned down a little as a consistency of a little thicker than a drizzle. You can thin down the same buttercream frosting you are using with 1 or 2 Tbsp of milk or warm water for a cup of buttercream. Check the consistency as you crumb coat such that the cake does not break up and stick to the offset spatula.

 

Now slowly turning the turntable or the cake board in case you are using a different mounting object frost the top and sides of the cake with buttercream . A thin coat will do to cover all the cracks and crumbs.

 

Now put the cake in the fridge for 15 - 20 mins till the crumb coat is dried.

 

If you are going to cover the cake with fondant, then you can go ahead now.

If you are using buttercream then you can go on for another  coat of buttercream to top the cake.

 

 

After you are done with all the decoration slowly pull out the parchement paper stripes from under the cake and now you have a clean cake board.

Trifle OR an Alternative to Broken Cake!!!!

TRIFLE you saved me!!!!

     I always try to experiment, but sometimes mistakes happen.

 

This time I wanted to bake a chocolate cake in a spring form pan and then use a thin layer of it to make a frozen cheesecake.

 

 

So my Brain was only thinking about will it be a success to make this or will the base cake layer in the cheesecake get soggy.

 

 

Finally I ended up putting the batter in the spring form pan without lining it with a parchment paper or a foil. That would do the trick. But this time the destiny of the cake was in a Trifle!

 

 

So after the baking time, out came the cake from the oven, sat a while for cooling on the cooling rack, then successfully opened the spring form edge.

 

 

Now I try to slide the cake from the pan base, but I see there is such a great bonding these two have developed in the oven  :)

 

When I try to get the cake out of the pan.......

Tadaaa!

 

Disaster for me.....  :(

 

The cake breaks with the base still clinging to its better half.

 

Oh NOOO!

 

I had to make a dessert for dinner.

Checked the stock in the refrigerator and found a variety of fruits.

So here now ready to make a TRIFLE.

 

Ingredients:

 

Cake

Fruit syrup like Orange, Pineapple

Fruits of your Choice, cut in slices - Strawberry, Blueberry, Tangerine, Grapes, Pomegranate

Pie filling of Cherry

Whipped cream

vanilla Custard

 

(The amounts depend upon the size of the bowl you choose to make the trifle in. )

 

Method:

 

    Cut Strawberry slices lenghtwise.

 

    Deseed the Pomegranate.

 

    Line the base of the bowl with slices of Cake.

 

   Now if you want to make the trifle more presentable, arrange the strawberry slices around the edges near the cake and push the cake so the strawberry slices do not fall.

( I skipped this part, since I was out of time)

 

Now drizzle some juice over the slices so it gets a little soft. If your cake is soft use less, since we are yet to use the custard and the cherry with its syrup.

 

   Add a layer of Custard.

 

    Add a layer of the Cherry pie filling

 

    Add a layer of Tangerine or Orange

 

    Continue with all the other fruits You have Chosen

 

   Now add a layer of the whipped cream or you can add another layer of ice cream and then add  whipped cream

 

   Sprinkle pomegranate seeds.

 

   Continue the process by repeating from the cake layer again

 

    You can make as many such layers till you reach the height of the bowl.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours till chilled and the taste mellows down through all the layers.
But if you are using this dessert for the next day then do not use pomegranate seeds until You serve else they wither quickly and don't remain fresh and crunchy.

 

 

 

 

  
You can even make this in individual serving glasses, or jars if you know the exact servings at the table. Easy serving you see.

Whatever it is from a :(    it is always and will be     :)





 

 

 

 

 

 



Fondant White flower Tutorial

Fondant Flowers as cake toppers

    This a very simple flower that can be used to make either big or small in size, and with different colours will give a very elegant look to your cake as a cake topper. such a simple way to enhance your cake.

Tips n Tricks :

Always try to grease your hands with shortening before modelling the flowers.

If you find cracks on the fondant try to knead it a little by greasing your palm with shortening and then keep on rolling it in your palm to form a ball until all the cracks over it have vanished.

If you find the gum paste or the fondant very sticky and soft dust with cornstarch.

Always rub the edgess of the cut pieces with your fingers to remove all the roughed edges.

Materials needed:

Large flower cutter or use a sketch of flower on thick paper
White fondant
Yellow fondant
Rounding tool
Small scissors
Foil
Cup or bowl  to air dry the flowers
Cornstarch for dusting work surface
Crisco

Method :

Step 1

Roll the fondant thin and using a large flower cookie cutter, cut the flower shape. If you dont have one, just draw a flower as big as needed on a card sheet, cut this and use as template guide on the rolled fondant. Now using a small knife cut the shape on the fondant. dont worry if you are not good at drawing, this is a very easy sketch and no petal needs to be unique as in a cooke cutter.







Step 2
Since we need to have petals using a small scissors give small cut at the end of every curve, towards the center of the flower.

Step 3
Slowly rub the edges with your fingers to remove any roughed edge

Step 4

Now dust the work surface with cornstrach and slowly run the ball tool over the petal inside out from the center to thin down the petals. You can see in the picture below how the petal that is being thinned down is larger than the other petals.

Step 5
Now with the ball tool get a small dent at the center of the flower.

Step 6
Use a small ball of yellow fondant and attach it to the center of the flower

Step 7
Since the flowers are large, they need to hold their shape while they air dry. Use a bowl as the size of the flower and place foil inside it to form a holding cup.

Step 8
Now place the flower inside the foil. Let it air dry.