Gum paste flowers are flowers that are used in the baking industry. You have seen many cakes that are decorated with amazing flowers. These flowers are made with gum paste. They are easy to make. Let’s see what are they and how they are used.
What are gum paste flowers
What makes gum paste flowers special is the fact that they are edible. You can create them from powdered sugar that you can mix with different ingredients. One of them is the edible gum and that is where they take their names from.
You can create a paste from it and you can shape it in any way you want to. It is quite elastic. You can either use your hands or tools to make your gum paste flowers. There are different flowers that you can create. Just use your imagination.
It isn’t as difficult as it seems
When you decide which gum paste flower you will create you need to do the following. You need to roll out the paste, carve your leaves and petals and then cut them out. You can make them with one attempt.
There are other flowers that might require more time to give them the precise shape that you want. Keep in mind that before you move on to the next stage, you need to let them dry. You can make more than one flowers and let them dry together.
You can acquire the skill easily
When you learn how to do it, you will get used to it. Even if you don’t make paste gum flowers every day, you will still be able to make them. There is nothing more rewarding than creating a cake and being able to decorate it on your own.
You can ask your children and friends to help you. It is a creative task that will bring everyone together. In the end, you will be able to smile and be proud of what you have made.
Check out these amazing tools that save your time:
How do you store gum paste flowers?
Once you have created them you should let them dry very well. Once they are dry they will look like small porcelains. You can maintain them for a long time if you want to.
Don’t forget though that they are made out of sugar and this means that the moisture can actually destroy them.
You can place them in an airtight case, you can also add a packet of silica gel and in this way, they won’t be destroyed.
Silica gel is able to absorb the moisture in case the bag hasn’t been sealed properly. In this way, you will be able to have them and admire them for a very long time and what’s better than this?
Once they are ready you should store them in a cool place. If you do that, the colors will not fade and you will be able to use them again if you want to. You shouldn’t store them in your fridge.
If you store them in your fridge the blossoms might wilt. Additionally, they might absorb the smell of other food that you might have in your fridge. There is also a chance that they might turn into syrup and this isn’t what you want.
But if you want to store them there then make sure to wrap the container that you will use. If you place them in your freezer and you want to use them take the ones that you want and place them in the fridge to get the right temperature.
Gum paste vs fondant
Gum paste and fondant can be used for the same reason but they are two different ingredients. Gum paste contains gum tragacant and fondant contains clyerine. Fondant is an ingredient that never completely dries. The outside will be dry while the inside will be chewy.
The good thing about gum paste is that you can make it as thin as you like and mold it the way you want to. The gum paste flowers that you will make will be thin and beautiful exactly as the real ones.
When you will use gum paste you shouldn’t use glycerine at all, otherwise, you will not have the result that you want. With fondant, you can cover a cupcake and a cake whereas with gum paste you can make anything you want.
It is quite elastic and you can mold it any way you want to. Both ingredients are equally amazing to work with and create anything you like to decorate your cake. The choice is yours.
How to make gum paste rose
One of the most beautiful gum paste flowers is the rose. It is very easy to make and it will be a great decoration for your cake. You will need the following ingredients in order to make it.
- Rose-bud center
- Rose petal cutter
- Ball tool
- Foam gum-paste mat
- Gum paste
- Silicone mat
- Fondant roller
- Gum glue, egg white
- Floral tape
- 20-gauge wire
You need to cut the wire around 7 inches. Create a rosebud by using the wrapping tape around the one end of the wire. Do it 10 times. Then wrap it again with 10 times with the floral wire.
Use the gum paste and make a cone. It should be around 1-inch long. The gum paste should be quite thin in order to create your gum paste flower. Then cut your petals and make them very very thin.
Place them in your foam mat and use your ball tool to make them thinner. Start by pressing the flower down on your mat. Then number your petals and do the same with the rest. Once you are done apply egg white on the inside of each petal. Apply it in petal number 1 and do the same with the rest.
Finally, you can add a second layer and a third layer. Don’t forget that you can use coloring gel and make it look amazing.
Dont Forget to check all rose names and rose types guide!
Conclusion
Gum paste flowers are a great and easy way to create your flowers and decorate your cakes. They are quite easy to make and you will enjoy every minute of it. Once you learn how to make them you will not want to stop. Enjoy!
