Hi all, I've been getting soooo frustrated with these molds I bought for gumpaste and fondant. Here's a link to one of the exact ones I bought:
http://www.celcrafts.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CM21&Category_Code=CM
The instructions say to use a 50/50 mixture of gumpaste and fondant, but I can't get them to come out of the mold without them losing their shape and falling apart. I'm trying to pick them out with a pin like the instructions say, but it's just not working. Anyone ever use any of these and have some secrets to share? I tried just fondant, just gumpaste, and then a mix, and nothing is doing the trick. I've also tried adding more cornstarch, powdered sugar, and crisco so they don't stick as much. Argghhh!!! I'm ready to give up. I thought using these molds would be easy!

Hi Cakey,
Did you get my email about this ?
Have a nice evening

Oh, I have those molds, but in different designs...They're sitting in my closet collecting dust... I finally gave up on them...Sorry, I can't help you!! I love the leaf design and I have a rubber mold similar to it...

Here's a picture of it...It's much easier to work with. I bought it a few years ago from an elderly woman. I think she may have passed away since then...She was a very sweet lady!!

I have some molds made out of that cel stuff, (not the kind you posted, but made out of the same material) and I won't be falling for that again! Are the silicone rubber ones easier/better to use?

Prettycake: I got your pm and I pm'd you back with my e-mail address. I'm going to try your suggestion of popping them in the freezer for a few minutes before I try to unmold them.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who can't get these to work!! I wonder how anybody does it successfully. Of course now I'm ready to try again since I've had time to let my frustration pass, but it's probably going to irritate me again!! Maybe I'll try to contact the company for more instructions.

Good to know how hard they are I was just pricing them and was just about to make an order!!!

Thanks for thr warning!

Are those flexi-molds? I don't have those exact ones but for flexi molds, I brush shortening onto the surface before I mold my gumpaste in. I've used small molds though and they are usually made for clay crafts. Works for me. Let me know if it works for you.

Bohemia: I did grease the molds with Crisco as best I could. It was hard to get it in all the little crevices, though. Do you have a good way to get it in all the little places? These Celcrafts molds are more like chocolate molds. They're about the same thickness of plastic, but they're white plastic instead of clear. They're not like the flex molds where your shape just pops out. With these you have to peel it out yourself using a pin, which would be fine if they just stayed in one piece and didn't stretch all over the place!!

I gave up on them for now. I wanted to practice decorating instead of giving myself a headache. But if someone out there has the magic instructions for these, I'll take them!

Maybe if you left them in the molds longer to firm up they might be easier for you to remove them.

Good luck!!

Hey, I never thought of that. How long would it take for the fondant to harden or a fondant/gumpaste mix to harden?

Some recommend a few hours to a day or two depending on the size of the molds.

Hope it will work out well for you.

Thank you, Cakes47! I'm going to try both your suggestion and the freezer suggestion from prettycake.

I usually use a make-up sponge and a small paint brush but the molds I use are the flexi-ones. Ive never used the ones you have . Hope the freezer thing works out.

I use molds all the time and found that the first few pieces of a new mold will be messed up...don't know why

I use a make-up brush and load alot of cornstarch in the mold and then turn it over and tap the excess starch out.

After doing this about three times, the pieces come out easy, just flip over and push out.

I haven't tried the freezer method and that sounds like a great idea. Will try that next time.

But I was having the same problem. I use Pam instead of crisco and it worked great.

I have also dusted the mold well with cornstarch or luster dust and it sticks. So in addition to dusting the mold, I rolled the fondant in the same medium before applying and it popped right out.