How To Make Gold Edible Pearls...help Quick!
Decorating By Wandootie Updated 30 Nov 2005 , 10:23pm by cakemommy
I need some quick advise on how to make gold edible pearls for a wedding cake this weekend. The bride just hit me with the idea this morning.
I know that Earlene has a "how to" on her website to make regular pearls dusted with pearl dust.
I am a little upset with the Bride right now, but any help ar advise will be greatly appreciated...as always!
Wanda
Hey Amy! LOL
Yeah, there is a Gold Luster Dust!! It isn't a pearl, just a luster! Dust the inside of the mold with a dry paintbrush with the luster dust! Roll your fondant out into a log a little longer than the mold itself. Just make sure to not make the log too thick. You know how to use it right??? Just asking before I type how to use it and you're thinking "duh, I know that already"! 
Amy
Pearl dust will make them shimmer. Dry luster dust will add a hint of gold to white fondant. Or color the fondant yellow for a more golden look. For a real deep gold look (like gold leaf). Make the fondant pearls and mix "super gold" luster dust with a drop of vodka to make a thin paste and paint them. After they dry, dry brush some more luster dust to make them really shine.
Have fun!
Amy,
No, I don't really know how to use it 
I was going to try to figure it out on my own...as usual. Any advise on this will be greatly appreciated as well. Boy, I feel like a big dummy!
So I can dry dust the mold first? And then what? Do I need to maybe tint the fondant yellow first? Will this give it a shiny-gold color?
Thanks...again!
Wanda
Most definately color your fondant first like maybe a "Wilton Dandilion" yellow first. That's what I use. Or any dark shade of yellow will work fine. Roll out the fondant into a log (not too thick) make sure it's a little bit longer than the mold. Dry dust the inside of the mold, not too light because then it won't show up very well on the final pearl strand. With the mold open wide, press it down onto the log of fondant, push it down and squeeze it closed. Flip the mold over and trim off the excess on the ends and I usually take one of my tiny Pampered Chef paring/utility knives and slide it along the top of the mold to trim off any excess fondant that squeezed out. Very carefully squeeze the mold open with one hand and with the other hand either with a toothpick or a paring knife start at the furthest end of the mold from you carefully pick out the strand until it falls out on it's own. Let gravity try to do most of the work on getting it out of there or else you risk denting the individual pearls if you have to force it out too much. If your fondant sticks which has been known to happen with MMF, I very lightly spray my mold with a non-stick spray and dab off excess spray. (Use that tip only if your fondant sticks)
Let the pearl strand dry a few minutes before placing on the cake if you are placing strands or if you are going to trim them off and use them individually.
This is how I make my pearls! So this is what works for me! Hopefully it will work for you. Try some practice strands now so you get comfortable using it!
Hope this helps.
Amy 
Dear Wandootie,
I'm sure your gold pearls came out wonderful, you got alot of great information in short order.
You asked about the gold luster dust being edible. I did not see an answer written, so please allow me.
Luster dusts are considered Non-toxic for Decoration Only. Use of the dust on the pearls render them inedible. The additives in question are Titanimum Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Carmine and Mica or any combination thereof.
Please check out www. fda.gov
Sec. 545.200 Confectionary Decorations (Nutritive and Non-Nutritive)
So many professional Pastry Chefs, Cake Decorators and home bakers are not aware of the effects of the popular shimmer or pearl finishes requested by brides.
We have a responsiblity to educate ourselves and customers when it comes to food additives. We must remember that we are essentially food handlers and secondary, we are artists.
I'm glad to see you thought about your decoration additives.
While I am sure no one is likely to drop dead upon consumption of a pearl or two dusted with either gold or silver luster dusts, it IS however important to know the FDA regulations for such products. If they were NOT meant to be used or possibly consumed on confections such as wedding cakes, then these items would not be marketed towards Confectioners!
The quantity that is going to be consumed (pending someone does want to taste such a morsel as a beautiful gold pearl) is extremely minute and will highly unlikely cause cancer or any other harm to the individual who consumes it.
So I say, YES! educate yourself so you will be able to answer any questions that may arise and GO AHEAD and dust those pearls and enjoy making someone's day special!!!
Amy
I'll make it easy for you. Here you go!
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg545-200.html
Amy
Well, two points I would like to make. One, you can actually take your white pearls, even if they were originally lustred with pearl dusts and shake them in gold lustre dusts and they will come out gold. Haha, how did this lazy old brawd know this, well I have done it in a pinch. Pearls take on colour best when they have airdried for between 4-8 hours before being shaken in or having dry dusts applied, that is true, but it will work on previously made pearls even if they were previously pearl coloured.
This topic about the safe use of lustre dusts has been coming up for years. The same information that was available when they first came out is in use today.
Regarding the FDA regulations, well in Europe these dusts as well as silver dragees which incidentally are covered with the same thing that makes silver lustre dusts, are considered fine for human consumption although our products now have the U.S.A. labelling too. I am in Canada and can use these products and have been consuming them for several years.
FDA approved means that a product has been tested for food use. Which means that floral tape, that you folks are using to cover florist wire (the wire actually having lead based paints used which of course is not safe) is not considered food safe because it isn't tested for food use and the manufacturer themselves do not know if it is safe to be used in food use. As far as that goes, even products being sold as "Lead Free Paint" are not totally 100% lead free, it is just that the traces are below the minimum accepted standards.
In certain areas of the U.S., a licensed baker is not allowed to sell products containing lustre or pearl dusts to consumers and this includes some petal dusts, chalk dusts etc. Even non-toxic chalk dusts do not have FDA approval.
Many cake decorators, licensed bakers etc. are also using flowers that were not grown organically, not fertilized organically, not preserved organically and these present a far greater risk and yet the FDA has not tested or regulated the use of these, unfortunately. Unfortunately because even minute traces when ingested, can have longterm effects in the future. No you won't get sick right away, but the traces will stay in your system and can lead to a variety of health issues both physical and mental health issues.
You can use pure silver and you can use 24K gold, whether it be leaf or ground 24 k gold.
We have been able to purchase silver dragees and use lustre dusts for a few years, the dragees have been in use since I was a small child, so likely 45 years at least. I have eaten a fair amount of these over time.
I would say that if a product contains mica, you want to wear a mask if you are going to be breathing in a fair amount of it in use, so obviously, eating a fair amount is not a good idea. But from the articles I have read, you would have to eat several truckloads of some of these things to produce any ill effects.
Some of the chemicals that are used in the production of food colourings are in greater concentrations and would put you at greater risks.
So by all means if the state or area you live in forbids you to sell to the consumer any products containing these items and you are a licensed baker, do not use them. If you are not forbidden to use them, then educate yourself and your customers so that they can make an informed choice.
If you are making decorations with wires, these are not considered edible. If you are making gumpaste decorations, these are not considered edible, thought technically they are, the effect of the hardening product is not considered to be a good thing and the possible damage to teeth should serve as enough of a deterance.
Read your ingredients, read up about safe food practices, what is considered safe where you live. And bear in mind what is in the air you breathe and the water you drink and remember it is all relative. You are baking in aluminum pans and high aluminum traces have been linked to Alzheimer's patients. The inhalation of flour and icing (powdered) sugar can be linked to COPD's etc.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Hi Wanda!
I thought I would give you my advice on your topic. Do you have a cake supply store in your area??? There are many cake supply stores that carry the hard edible pearls. They usually have lots of different colors but the white ones could be dusted with gold. This might be an easy option especially since it was asked for so last minute. I actually picked up some white pearls and silver dragees today for a bride that decided she wanted them on her cake. I hope it all works out! 
Squirrellycakes....the lady absolutely loved the cockroach cakes...I delivered them to her house yesterday! No more nightmares! 
Oh yeah, definately. My supply shop in San Diego was being sued because she sold them. I can't find them anywhere. I remember when I was a little girl my mother had them, silver and gold ones! I'd like to use them in my cake decorating as she did but nope!!!!!!
Thanks!
Amy
Squirrellycakes....the lady absolutely loved the cockroach cakes...I delivered them to her house yesterday! No more nightmares!
Heehee, I bet she loved them and I am glad the nightmares have stopped, haha, until the next weird order!
I never saw the gold dragees here until about a year ago, they are so pretty!
Hugs Squirrelly
Just a FYI...
FDA sec on Confectionary Decorations
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg545-200.html
Most of the gold dragees and other metallic dusts are also included in this because they contain silver.
These are actually old regulations that have had more attention focused on them due to the lawsuits in CA. We can't find them in any of the stores in TN anymore either. They used to carry them in all the grocery stores.
I used to eat silver dragees by the handful when I was growing up. Maybe that's why I have SFB syndrome. 
One other thing that makes me wonder is the embossed, colored foil with plastic backing that many of us use a cakeboards, when it is intended to be used in decorative potted plants sold by florists. Somebody told me years ago that they heard there was lead in them. 
Just a FYI...
FDA sec on Confectionary Decorations
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg545-200.html
Most of the gold dragees and other metallic dusts are also included in this because they contain silver.
These are actually old regulations that have had more attention focused on them due to the lawsuits in CA. We can't find them in any of the stores in TN anymore either. They used to carry them in all the grocery stores.
Haha, you know what I cannot figure? Silver is used in soldering the copper pipes that our drinking water flows through.
Also, the lawsuits in California. I purchased some Christmas trees from California last year, California was the world wide distributor. The wires that the lights were on, stated that lead had been used to coat and colour the covering on the electrical wires. Now that is the first time I have heard of this being used and it stated that after touching the wires and plug to plug it in, I must wash my hands to remove lead traces. So I guess I am having a bit of trouble with a state that is so strict about some things and so lax about others. Haha, and believe me this isn't anything against the state of California because we have some pretty strange rules here in Canada in specific provinces also. Just to point out how things are not consistent.
Hugs Squirrelly
In California, everything[/url] causes cancer. So many warning labels on products I by specifically state, "This product is known to cause cancer in the state of California." Politics is what that is.
Whew, does that mean that as long as you aren't in the state of California, it won't cause cancer, haha sorry, couldn't resist.
What I would really like to see is someone who lives forever because they followed every single guideline!
Regarding the floral foil, I have seen so many things that state it is fine and equally as many that say there are lead traces who knows. What does not make any sense to me is why something that human hands will be touching continuously, like foil or any other wrapping paper, would have traces of lead. It makes absolutely no sense that a warning would not be required by law, to be placed on these papers when used for wrapping flower purposes anyway. Because people do not wash their hands after wrapping or unwrapping gifts or flowers.
Hugs Squirrelly
It's not really CA's fault. There's just too many lawyers living there and they're looking for work
IMHO, if the FDA really worried about what we're eating, they'd of pulled canned tuna decades ago.
Shhh, Lisa, my cat is sitting on my lap and I suspect she can read, not tuna, haha! What, you are not a fan of mercury in your food? How about the pollution that is dumped in the waters where our fresh fish is caught? Hhmn, let us see, mercury and heaven knows what else from fish, salmonella and possibly some form of bird flu from chicken and poultry, Mad Cow from beef, cardiac arrest from pork, iron deficiencies from becoming vegetarian, don't drink the water, hhmn, what does that leave? Wait for it, CHOCOLATE, that is right, makes the brain produce the same chemical that it produces when we are in love. That is it, I am going on a CHOCOLATE diet, who else is with me? Sign up, haha!
Hugs Squirrelly
LOL! We forget about the FDA allowed # of insect fragments and rodent hairs in chocolate
. Heck that won't kill you though. I think the insects might actually be good for you. Sign me up!
You are signed, haha and yes the rodent and insect parts are protein, have to get it somewhere, haha!
The most disgusting part of my daughter's baking course was when they disussed the maximum traces of such things that were allowed in flour and other ingredients. You don't want to know, but ewwwhhhh! She took to calling the course, "Fear Factor 101"!
Hugs Squirrelly
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