Does anyone know the secret to using tappits? I just bought the funky alphabet ones, and for the life of me I can't seem to get the letters to come out . By the time they do they are either in pieces, or totally twisted out of proportion. TIA
Lori
tonedna has a wonderful video on youtube for using these and making your life easier in getting them out.
i use her method of crisco on the cutting board plus i take a paintbrush and lightly dust the insides of the cutters with cornstarch before using (not on dark fondant or paste).
the funky letters are the largest. i don't have them in front of me, but i think the funky ones are just over an inch.
i got mine from here. if you click on 'view details' it tells you the size of each of them. they were super slow to ship. i had to send them 2 emails before getting a tracking notification
http://www.thebakerskitchen.net/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=tappits&btnSearch=GO&Page=1
use gumpaste that is really thin and LOTS of corn starch
i have both sizes of the funky ,etc.. i roll out my fondant or fondant/g/p mix . i roll it out on powder sugar and cornstarch mixed half and half. i have it in a dusting pouch of some kind. roll it out thin. not so you can see thru it.. but thin.. then i just rub the dusting pouch over the top.. let it sit for maybe a minute.. then i cut strips. and then take each letter. press hard and sorta twist the cutter just a little.. then tap it on the edge of my table. and it come out. i have a board of somekind laying there and trasfer it to the board with a pallete knife or something like that.sorta get them like i want them ..let them set up a bit. then use a dab of b/c to place them on my cake. or a little piping gel.. anything you would like to use to adhere it to the cake. hth
Thanks everyone I think that my problem is I had my fondant g/p sorta thick, I literally had to dig them out with a small knife. I have a cake to do tomorrow so I'm gonna try the cornstarch and rolling it thin and see if I have better results. Also, I'll check out tonedna's video, they're always so informative!. Thanks again everyone.
Lori
When possible, I try to roll my gum paste out on a dab of crisco so that I can see thru it.
I then dust the surface with a good dose of cornstarch.
I find that with items that have bits that vary in width within the mold, sometimes the thinner areas don't want to release all in one swoop. I use a fine pin to gently tease the thin area out. I let them sit for a minute and then manipulate them back into shape.
HTH
Rae
I struggle with them a bit too. I roll the fondant/gumpaste thin, dust & etc., but still have to use a straight pin to get out some of the smaller parts. I agree with BlakesCakes that they need to set up a bit before shaping or moving.
Lots of cornstarch!
Also in addition to rolling the fondant or gumpast very thin, let it sit a bit before using the tappits. Not so it's bone dry, but so it's not sticky or gummy. Whenever I have the patience to wait a few minutes it always works out better and they pop right out when you tap them.
I also lightly dust the work surface and the tappits with cornstarch.
The funky letters are quite large.
Good luck.
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