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

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.

Spring Colour Mania......

    Spring, Spring, Spring.......

        Spring is in the air.....

      Finally the long wait is over, and now time for some Spring Colours all over.

Daffodils have bloomed, Hyacinths have bloomed, the Cherry Blossoms have opened up and showcasing their glorious beauty.

     But in my sugar garden, I have been working upon some flowers and Calla Lily, Cherry Blossoms, Plumerias, Ranunculus flowers are at their peak. I have earlier worked with Gum Paste to sculpt these flowers, but recently I tried MMF, and from then on have been keen to check how good I can use to sculpt flowers. I found the MMF receipe more easy than the Gum Paste.



Calla Lily

 

PLUMERIAS




Cherry Blossoms



        I tried to make the Ranunculus for the first time, with very little guidelines. So, I observed the flower pictures and with what Jacqueline Butler from Petalsweet has blogged, started to sculpt this very simple but tricky flower. I was pretty impressed with the final look of the flower.



Ranunculus



      The pink one was my first attempt. Though not to what I wanted, it does look like a full bloom Ranunculus. ( we need to use at least 3 - 4 different cutter sizes, but I have only 1 size, so I should pat my back for how good it looks )

       The  White Green Ranunculus is my second attempt , and I am fully satisfied how beautiful it looks.

I m glad to see this decked up on a pretty cake very soon.

          

     With this Ranunculus I have been running crazy for anything grass green in colour.

Finally it is SPRING you see. So Green should be in favour.

      My Green fever has led me in search of a new era of  patisserie. I went on hopping in search of something green coloured mousse based dessert, and found the beautiful, eye catching desserts from Hidemi Sugino that Bertha from Gourmetbaking has created. I have prepared a receipe of homemade Pistachio Paste ( green is dominating now ) and am all set to try my hand at all the delicious, yummy pistachio pastries. I hope I will be successful in making them, the way Bertha has presented.