Fondant Shapes on Wire

 There are a couple of tricks to successfully wire fondant shapes.

1. Choose the correct gauge of wire. This will depend on the size and thickness of the shapes you intend to make. The highest gauge is No.18, the finest is No.33.

2. I do not use the hook technique when making my wired shapes. I insert the wire into the shape, approximately 4mm deep then remove it. Brush the end of the wire to be inserted with sugar glue, this will ensure the wire does not move. Then reintroduce the glued wire end  to the little hole you previously made in the shape.

3. Place the wired shape flat onto a drying surface and leave for 24 hours. Carefully lifting the shape with one hand and the wire with the other hand, and turn it over, leave it for another 24 hours to dry on this side of the shape.

4. Repeat the turning until the shape is complete dry. Make the wired shaped well in advance of the date you need them, the longer the better. Cut wires to desired lengths

5. Finally, either brush with shimmer or spray with colour mist. For a glitzy look sprinkle edible cake sparkles as a finishing touch.

6. Warning: never insert the wires directly into cakes, they should be placed into a plastic flower spike which has been placed into the cake.

Class fees are not refundable

Small Classes: Beginners welcome

 

October 13^th & 20^th     Stage 2 - $160.00

10.00am to 12pm noon

 
Techniques: Frilling; Piping; Cameo design; Owl shapes; Pretty Bird designs.

Stage 2 are very detailed designs.

 Bring: small rolling pin; Spatula; Coupler: No.2 Tip; Decorating Tools; Tweezers and Apron.

 Take  home a box of beautifully decorate cakes for family and friends.

 October 13^th & 20^th  Modelling Hootabelle - $140.00

1.00pm to 3.00pm

Learn the techniques of creating a beautiful replica of Hootabelle. Shapping; Colouring; Detailing plus little friends.

Bring: Small rolling pin, Spatula;  Decorating Tools and Apron.

 Take home a delightful little Hootabelle to beautify any cake.

 

November 10^th & 17^th     Stage 3 - $160.00

10.00am to 12pm noon

Techniques: Open flowers (e.g. Anemone); Piping Cornelli Lace; Ruched flowers

Stage 3  is a creative class learning advanced skills.

Bring: small rolling pin; Spatula; Coupler: No.2 Tip; Decorating Tools; Tweezers and Apron.

November 10^th  Christmas Cookies - $80.00

1.00pm to 3.00pm
 

4 Beautiful Christmas designs

November 17^th  Christmas Cookies - $80.00

1.00pm to 3.00pm

4 Beautiful Christmas designs

 

Rich Christmas Fruit Cake

Rich Christmas Cake

If made now and correctly stored, the cake will have time to mature and develop the wonderful flavours expected of them. Keep the cake in its wrappings with the paper from the tin still in place and store in an airtight container until ready to ice or decorate.
Ingredients
12 oz Raisins
12 oz Sultanas
4 oz mixed Peel
4 oz glace Cherries
2 oz glace Apricots
2 oz glace Pineapple
6 tablespoons Brandy (Whiskey or Rum)
8 oz Butter
8 oz brown Sugar
Grated rind 1 Lemon
5 Eggs
1 tablespoon golden Syrup
2 tablespoons Marmalade
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon mixed Spice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
4 oz blanched Almonds
Extra Almonds
Extra Brandy

First prepare fruit: Wash raisins and sultanas separately and dry thoroughly. Chop raisins. Put into bowl with finely chopped peel. Cut cherries, apricots and pineapple into small dice, add to fruit in bowl. Sprinkle with brandy (whiskey or rum). Leave for a couple of weeks.

Beat butter and brown sugar with lemon rind until light and creamy. Add golden syrup and marmalade. Beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add 1 tablespoon flour with last egg. Sift together flour, spices and salt and stir into creamed mixture alternately with fruit and chopped almonds.

Spoon mixture into an 8 inch square or round tin lined with 2 thicknesses each of brown and greased greaseproof paper. Arrange almonds in pattern on top. Bake in a slow oven about 4 hours or until cooked. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon extra brandy. Remove cake from tin, leaving paper in place. Wrap in tea towels and leave until cool.

This cake has great keeping qualities, I allow at least 3 months to mature.

 

 

Colour Blending Chart

Notes About Wilton Paste Colors


RED – There are three different reds – Christmas Red, a blue-toned red; Red-Red, an orange toned red; and Red-No Taste, a blue toned red.

Note: It can take as much as 1 oz. of red paste color to one cup of icing to get a deep red.

GREEN -Leaf Green is a brighter green with more yellow than Kelly Green. Both of these greens require very little color, how much color added depends on the tone of the green you desire.

HOT PINK- Rose paste color will obtain hot pink with good results. Rose Petal is a soft, muted rose color. Pink is a traditional pastel with a slight yellow tone.

BLUE- Royal Blue has a red tone. Sky Blue has a yellow tone.

DAFFODIL YELLOW- Daffodil Yellow is an all natural food coloring and does not contain yellow #5. (Many people are allergic to this). Daffodil Yellow currently contains alcohol which all other colors do not have present.
ANTIQUE GOLD: Add just an extremely small touch of Leaf Green to Golden Yellow

AQUA: Sky Blue and Leaf Green

AVOCADO: Use Moss Green colour

BLACK: Our paste colour or Royal Blue, Christmas Red, Orange and Lemon

CHARTREUSE: 9 parts Lemon Yellow, 1 part Leaf Green

CORAL: Creamy peach and a touch of pink or orange and a touch of pink.

FLESH: Add just an extremely small touch of Copper to white icing. Ivory can also be used. Light pink with a small amount of brown.

GREY: Add just a touch of Black to white icing.

HUNTER GREEN: Kelly Green and a touch of Black

JADE: Leaf green, Royal Blue and a touch of Black

LAVENDER: Pink and Violet

MARIGOLD: Lemon Yellow and Orange

MAROON: Burgundy and Red Red

MAUVE: Touch of Burgundy with very little Black.

MISTY GREEN: Leaf Green, Royal Blue and a touch of Black

MOSS GREEN: Our paste colour or Violet and Lemon Yellow

MULBERRY : Mix Rose with a touch of Royal Blue.

NAVY BLUE: Royal Blue and Black

PERIWINKLE: Royal Blue and Violet

PLUM: Use violet with a touch of Christmas red.

RASPBERRY: Pink and Red Red

RUST: Orange, Red Red and Brown

SILVER : We do not advise attempting to simulate silver colour in icing. Instead, add silver leaves or other silver accessories to the cake.

TEAL: Use teal paste colour or Lemon Yellow and Sky Blue

TURQUOISE: Sky Blue and Lemon Yellow

WARM GOLD: Use Golden Yellow with just a touch of brown.

Please let me know if you find this helpful.
Sandra

Cherry & Almond Frangipane Tarts

Cheeries are beautiful at the moment so consider using them in a great dessert.

2 tsp softened butter; 2 tbls sugar; 1/4 cup ground almonds; 1 egg yolk; 1 tbls thickened cream; 20 cherries pitted; 2 tsp powdered sugar for dusting. 20 tartlet cases.

Preheat oven to 350F deg.
Combine butter, sugar, almonds, egg, and cream until well blended. Place l cherry on top if each tartlet. Bake until set and golden, approximately 15 minutes. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. If serving as dessert, have some thickened cream at hand.

Alternatively, this recipe can be made in one medium size tart.

French Vanilla Buttercream

This is a delicious icing, it tastes like vanilla ice cream.

It is ideal for sandwiching cakes or macarons.

345gr Sugar; 180ml milk; 1 ½ tsp plain flour; ¼ tsp salt; 1 tbls vanilla essence; 90ml whipping cream; 567gr unsalted butter at room temperature.

 Make custard by heating milk and sugar until sugar crystals dissolve. Add flour and salt and whisk over an ice bath until the custard has cooled, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for ½ hour to cool the mixture. Whisk in vanilla essence.

 Pour the custard mixture into a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Add cup up butter and add whipping cream. Mix on low speed to incorporate ingredients. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high until the mixture begins to thicken. It takes approximately 7-9 minutes for the butter to be completely incorporated.

 Put the icing in a plastic container with a lid and refrigerate. It will keep for l week in the refrigerator or freeze for 2 months.

Makes approximately 5 to 6 cups.

Fondant/Gumpaste Ribbon Bouquets

Because the ribbons are wired they hold their beautifully. Make the ribbons at least two weeks in advance, to allow them to dry completely.

Roll out fondant or gumpaste thinly, carefully measure and cut stips 1.3cm wide and 10cm long. Shape 24 gauge wire into individual upside down "U". Brush the upper and lower edges with egg white. Put the shaped wire about 1cm from the strip's base.

Close the  top strip on the bottom strip, sandwiching the wire. Turn the ribbon strip on its side and allow to dry. Repeat the process to achieve the size bouquet required.  Insert the ribbons into a ball of gumpaste. Consider cutting some smaller ribbons for variation at the base.