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How to make gumpaste dry quicker?

post #1 of 10
5/9/12 at 4:52pm
Thread Starter 
I am confused and am hoping someone can help me. I've gotten conflicting information about how to make gumpaste flowers dry quickly. I made a big flower last night for a cake due on Friday (my first time making a big flower!) I mixed the gumpaste with a lot of tylose, but it's still not dry. I read on this forum you can put them in a cold oven with just the light on to make it dry faster, but then the lady at my cake supply store (who's done all kinds of crazy fancy cakes) says to never do that because gumpaste is sugar, heat will only make the sugar soft, and that I should put a fan on it instead. So which is it? Thanks!!!
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post #2 of 10
5/9/12 at 5:03pm
First of all...if you used real gum paste you would not need Tylose.
Tylose is put in fondant to stiffen it. I personally hate using it, because IMHO it makes the fondant thicker, heavier and not as good for flowers because you can't get it as thin as you can real gum paste.

Go get Wilton's pre-made gum paste and use that. Your flowers will dry very quickly. Print off a 40% coupon for Michaels or Hobby Lobby and it will save you some money!

And yes you can put fondant AND gum paste items in the oven with just the light on. It takes out moisture. Don't touch your flowers until they cool off a bit. Even with just the light it can get pretty warm. If your fondant is still a little moist, letting it sit for bit to cool helps the drying process.
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post #3 of 10
5/9/12 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
Yes I used real gumpaste. I bought it at my cake supply store. I don't know the brand, but it's not Wilton - it's a good quality gumpaste. So if Tylose is used to stiffen fondant, since I mixed it in 100% gumpaste shouldn't it be totally dry by now? Maybe it just needs one more day. Anyway thanks for the help!
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post #4 of 10
5/9/12 at 8:54pm
I dry all my gumpaste flowers in my oven with just the interior light on. Sometimes (depending on the type of gumpaste you use), it does take one night and one full day. but usually if the flower or leaves aren't terribly thick, one night will do it. You must be in an extra humid climate.
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post #5 of 10
5/9/12 at 9:05pm
Thread Starter 
Yes - Mississippi - I guess that has a lot to do with it. I rolled it out as thin as I could without it tearing. I guess I need to get more familiar with this brand and how much drying time it needs (oh, and make them further in advance next time, lol!)
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post #6 of 10
5/10/12 at 12:56am
Adding Tylose to gum paste might change the nature of the product somehow I don't know.

Anyway, I've made bows, flowers, and toppers with the Wilton premade gum paste and most have dried enough to use within hours not days (depending of course on the thickness.) If I've got something that's thicker I keep turning it periodically to help both sides dry evenly. Just an FYI!
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post #7 of 10
5/10/12 at 7:20am
I hope the brand of gumpaste you bought is not Bakel's - that stuff never dries. Ever! I live in a very humid area, and I use a food dehydrator for my gumpaste pieces. You don't want a temp above about 130°, but a forced air dehydrator is wonderful - or a light in an oven.......
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post #8 of 10
5/10/12 at 10:26am
So is it the Bakels brand that you've got? If so, run out and buy something else if you want that flower to be done on time. Is it a peony or anything like that? With a big flower it helps if the petals are all wired separately, dried, then taped together. Having a big ole flower ready assembled and waiting to dry will take just short of forever...which is a bit longer than Friday.
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post #9 of 10
5/10/12 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 
cr@p!!!! It is Bakels!!!! No wonder this stuff isn't dry!!! AAAAGH! Thanks everyone for informing me. What do I do now? Hope for the best? I would say it's 85% dry. Petals are soft enough to move but it's dry enough to where it's holding its shape. Arlenej - it's a fantasy flower but sortof peony-looking...I used a 5 petal rose cutter in two different sizes, bigger size has 4 layers and smaller size has 3 layers. So y'all suggest Wilton gumpaste?

And let me correct myself - the party is Saturday morning, but I have to deliver it tomorrow because I'll be out of town Saturday. I could deliver it as late as tomorrow night if I need to. If I go buy Wilton gumpaste should I totally redo the flower?
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post #10 of 10
5/10/12 at 11:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by annakat444

cr@p!!!! It is Bakels!!!! No wonder this stuff isn't dry!!! AAAAGH! Thanks everyone for informing me. What do I do now? Hope for the best? I would say it's 85% dry. Petals are soft enough to move but it's dry enough to where it's holding its shape. Arlenej - it's a fantasy flower but sortof peony-looking...I used a 5 petal rose cutter in two different sizes, bigger size has 4 layers and smaller size has 3 layers. So y'all suggest Wilton gumpaste?



If you want to take the chance, use what you've got...however if it were me I'd go ahead and get some Wiltons...pre-made...not the mix (remember to get a coupon online for Michaels or Hobby Lobby) and make another one. The worst thing that could happen is you'd end up with two flowers. One of which you can keep indefinitely until needed. Gum paste flowers are great to keep for future use!
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