Gumpaste Problems??

Decorating By miniflowercake Updated 14 Oct 2013 , 7:26pm by MBalaska

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miniflowercake Posted 6 Oct 2013 , 1:04am
post #1 of 16

    I've seen pictures of gorgeous gumpaste flowers that look almost real, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot get my gumpaste flowers to look like them. I use almost all Wilton fondant/gumpaste equipment and have tried 2 kinds of gumpaste - a homemade kind and a mix. The homemade dries out in seconds - I know gumpaste is supposed to dry out fast, but is it supposed to dry out in my fingertips while I knead it?? I'm not kneading in anything (no 10x, etc...) I'm just kneading it to get it pliable and warm it a little. The mix is not drying out fast enough (I've only tried the Wilton gumpaste mix so far). The mix stretches and slips on the flower stem while it's supposed to be drying. I've read where people use a mix of fondant and gumpaste - is that what I need to do?? When I made the gumpaste mix I didn't put in all of the 10x it called for because it looked good and wasn't very sticky. What should I do?? 

 

Here is the link to the homemade gumpaste recipe I used:

 

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/other-dessert/gum-paste-simple.html#

15 replies
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Goreti Posted 6 Oct 2013 , 1:54am
post #2 of 16

I'm a little lazy so I don't make my own gumpaste.  Since the Wilton is easily available, that is what I use.  I do, however, mix that with my homemade marshmallow fondant or the Wilton fondant.  I do approximately 50/50.  This gives me more time to work with it.  It has worked well for me so I stick to it especially since I only do this for fun.

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miniflowercake Posted 6 Oct 2013 , 7:51pm
post #3 of 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goreti 
 

I'm a little lazy so I don't make my own gumpaste.  Since the Wilton is easily available, that is what I use.  I do, however, mix that with my homemade marshmallow fondant or the Wilton fondant.  I do approximately 50/50.  This gives me more time to work with it.  It has worked well for me so I stick to it especially since I only do this for fun.

 

Have you had problems with it taking a while to harden? Maybe I should mix a little more powdered sugar into it? I didn't add all that it called for.  

 

 I will have to try mixing it with fondant - thanks! :)

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Goreti Posted 6 Oct 2013 , 8:17pm
post #4 of 16

Usually dries pretty well.  Had an issue this summer with high humidity but stuck it in the oven with the oven light on.  You do have to do 50/50 but if you add a little fondant it will give you more time.  Also if you cut more than one petal at a time, make sure you have it covered so it doesn't dry out.

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miniflowercake Posted 6 Oct 2013 , 8:20pm
post #5 of 16

Thank you :)

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kelly kakes Posted 6 Oct 2013 , 8:38pm
post #6 of 16

@goreti just adding the temperature which you work in is very important as, if the place is to cold then the gumpaste will not dry.

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miniflowercake Posted 7 Oct 2013 , 9:44pm
post #7 of 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelly kakes 
 

@goreti just adding the temperature which you work in is very important as, if the place is to cold then the gumpaste will not dry.

 

The past few days I have tried making gumpaste flowers it has been kinda warm (in the upper 80s). 

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Made-With-Love Posted 12 Oct 2013 , 5:04pm
post #8 of 16

Hi,

 

I don't know where you live, if in USA Satin Ice gum paste is very good, if you are in the UK then Squires or Sainsburys are excellent.

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miniflowercake Posted 12 Oct 2013 , 6:54pm
post #9 of 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Made-With-Love 
 

Hi,

 

I don't know where you live, if in USA Satin Ice gum paste is very good, if you are in the UK then Squires or Sainsburys are excellent.

Thanks! I'll have to try the Satin Ice. :)

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howsweet Posted 12 Oct 2013 , 7:01pm
post #10 of 16

I recommend adding 2 t tylose to 1 pound fondant instead of using real gumpaste. Satin Ice fondant works fine for this. True gumpaste is harder to work with in my experience and the kind you mix from powder is a nightmare. Wilton premade gumpaste is ok - I suggest that, if possible, take a flower making class. You can learn more in a class than watching tutorials and the teacher can tell you where you're going wrong.

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JWinslow Posted 12 Oct 2013 , 7:24pm
post #11 of 16

I use and recommend using Nicholas Lodge's gum paste recipe and Costumeczar's  blog on gum paste recipes:

 

http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2013/10/gumpaste-recipes.html

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MBalaska Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 12:29am
post #12 of 16

Just used Nicholas Lodges gumpaste recipe ( I followed his instructions on his DVD) to make snowflakes.  They were nice looking.......and very very fragile.  Is the addition of fondant to gumpaste used to make the gumpaste decorations less fragile??

 

the recipe mixed up easily.  it was simple to work with, the snowflakes looked nice, but broke easily.

 

it was also apparent that I needed a roller to make even layers of rolled out gumpaste.

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sarahgale314 Posted 13 Oct 2013 , 12:56am
post #13 of 16

A

Original message sent by JWinslow

I use and recommend using Nicholas Lodge's gum paste recipe and Costumeczar's  blog on gum paste recipes:

[URL=http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2013/10/gumpaste-recipes.html]http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2013/10/gumpaste-recipes.html[/URL]

Ditto.

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miniflowercake Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 3:26pm
post #14 of 16

I'll have to try it. :)

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costumeczar Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 5:47pm
post #15 of 16

A

Original message sent by MBalaska

Just used Nicholas Lodges gumpaste recipe ( I followed his instructions on his DVD) to make snowflakes.  They were nice looking.......and very very fragile.  Is the addition of fondant to gumpaste used to make the gumpaste decorations less fragile??

the recipe mixed up easily.  it was simple to work with, the snowflakes looked nice, but broke easily.

it was also apparent that I needed a roller to make even layers of rolled out gumpaste.

Nic Lodge's recipe tht he gives in the Craftsy class is pastillage rather than a gumpaste, and it's a lot more brittle. Use the recipe that has gelatin in it and you'll have a slower drying time.

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MBalaska Posted 14 Oct 2013 , 7:26pm
post #16 of 16

costumeczar:  thanks.  there is so much to learn...........and the reason that I read this website.

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