Making fondant icing cake figures weeks in advance/gum tragacanth

[Tinkjon]

If I made some fondant figures for DD's birthday cake (which I am STUPIDLY excited about, incidentally!) would they still look ok after a few weeks? I just use the standard fondant icing you buy in supermarkets, btw. Will they crack or lose their colour or something? I've made them a week in advance before but there are a lot to make this time and I wondered if I could do any of them now, even though it's about 5 weeks away.

Also I read about adding gum tragacanth (sp?) to fondant icing - is that a good idea and if so why? Or is that just if you're making your own fondant (I'm sure I read you can add it to shop bought ready-to-roll stuff)

[CountessDracula]

the gum hardens the icing making it stand up better

[Tinkjon]

Does that mean it's less pliable when you're working with it, or that you have to work quickly before it hardens?

[PortAndLemon]

It's very pliable when you're working with it. You have to work moderately quickly, but not enough so to be an issue (now pastillage (which is for very hard bits when sugarpaste just won't cope) you do need to work very quickly with).

You're more likely to be able to get CMC (an alternative to gum tragacanth) than gum tragacanth itself (and it's much cheaper than gum tragacanth).

If making ahead, air dry and then store in an airtight container.

[lucysmam]

PortAndLemon, what's CMC?

[PortAndLemon]

I had a horrible feeling someone was going to ask me that...



Carboxymethycellulose, a modified plant cellulose.

[lucysmam]

lol, sorry. I'll investigate in the morning, thank-you

[Olihan]

I've just started a cake dec course and our teacher recommends using denture fixture powder instead of gum trag. It's dirt cheap but does the same job if you're just modelling with it and don't need it to go rock hard.

CMC is sold as Sugarcel sometimes.

As long as you keep the figures somewhere cool and out of the sun (ha ha) they'll keep forever, pretty much.

[lucysmam]

are they meant to set hard?

[Pennies]

Olihan, I just sneaked a look at your pics and am curious as to why you think you need to go on a cake dec course? Those cakes are amazing! Are you self taught?

[Olihan]

Thanks, Pennies! Yep, I'm self taught so far but there is masses that I haven't done and various tricks of the trade that I couldn't learn purely from books. Plus, it's 3 hours every week when I can think of nothing but myself . Twas a birthday present from lovely DH.

Lucy, they should go completely hard on the outside within a few hours.

[Pennies]

God I am so impressed. How did you get started?

[lucysmam]

Very thoughtful present from your dh! Mine would never think of anything so original, am very

[stealthsquiggle]

I am very of your course, Olihan.

What are you making, Tinkjon? You know you want to tell us!

Sugarcel makes icing much easier to work with - you can get clean edges without it cracking - and it will dry harder so figures won't 'sag' - and yes you can add it to shop-bought stuff (I always do) but get Regalice rather than the supermarket stuff if you can.

[Olihan]

My mum always made us fab birthday cakes when we were little so I wanted to carry the tradition on for my dcs. I bought a couple of books and was instantly addicted!

Stealth, it's through the local FE college, I bet yours would do one too. Do one, I've learned LOADS in 2 sessions .

[stealthsquiggle]

Olihan I have looked and the most local one doesn't - I must get around to trying the next-most-local - but it would have to be evenings and even then I would have to rely on my DM for all the times when DH didn't make it home in time....

A couple of books? - I think my collection is still just about in single figures...

[SuperBunny]

Olihan, do you make your icing or buy the ready made stuff? And, if you make it, what recipe do you use?

Amazing cakes!

[Olihan]

I buy it. It's a bit of a faff to make and the readymade stuff is a better consistency, imo.

I do have a couple of recipes if you want one though.

You can buy the ready made stuff in 5kg boxes for about £13 - 15 from most of the sugarcraft websites. If you keep it wrapped and in an airtight box it will last for months. I made Kipper, the Ferrari, the Christmas cake and the Power Ranger out of one box which worked out cheaper than buying the small boxes in the supermarkets.

[stealthsquiggle]

I get 5kg boxes of Regalice too - from my local sugarcraft shop - who are often cheaper than online suppliers by the time you factor in P&P. I do also buy ready-coloured stuff sometimes if I am doing large areas of a strong colour (esp black) - but if DH ever takes the hint and buys me a big mixer with a dough hook I will stop doing that, as it is mainly because my hands are too stiff and achey for kneading huge quantities of icing.

[SuperBunny]

Thanks - we don't have regalice here but there is similar stuff. Wilton, I think.

[stealthsquiggle]

Are you in the US, SuperBunny? In which case Wilton or make-your-own are the only options I think. My American SIL calls fondant/moulding icing "English frosting"

[SuperBunny]

Yes, in the US. When I have looked for recipes, there are so many different ones and I never know which just makes normal roll-out fondant. It's very complicated!

[Tinkjon]

Sorry, have been away from PC for a bit, hence no replies! Superbunny, do you like fondant? I've been having a discussion with my US friend who says that fondant tastes disgusting and many people there hate it. I love it so I'm wondering if US fondant is different to UK fondant, or do my friend and I just have different tastes!

Stealthsquiggle, I am going to make a Charlie & The Chocolate Factory cake, as DD is obsessed with it at the moment. I'm going to use this cake as a model, but it's the Johnny Depp version which I won't do (has to be the Gene Wilder one!) and it won't be quite as complicated as this one. I love it though, it's one of the best cakes I've ever seen...

www.flickr.com/photos/karenilagan/568106550/

[stealthsquiggle]

Tinkjon that is a fantastic cake - I am seriously considering getting one or other DC hooked on Charlie & Chocolate factory just to have an excuse to try it .

Can I make a suggestion? For the seated figures, I would be inclined to make torso/head and legs separately so that you can pose them on the final cake IYSWIM.

Have you got lots of Gene Wilder film stills to get all the characters right?

[SuperBunny]

That is an amazing cake. I don't love fondant but its ok. I don't think it is hugely different to British roll out icing but its a long time since I had any.

please post a picture when you do the cake

[Tinkjon]

squiggle, I don't have any stills but I have the DVD I could just Google them though, i suppose. That's a great idea about making legs separately, I'd never thought of that! I'm rubbish at making bodies so mine are usually hidden as much as possible, that's why I loved that Augustus Gloop figure here! I'm not that great at making cakes but I'm very good at hiding my mistakes Last year, DD wanted Snow White & 7 Dwarves - I had no idea how to make the dwarves so I thought "aha - have 'em all lying in bed then I can just do bumps under a duvet and only have to make the heads!"