Baking Project

I’d like to share the latest item I bought, which is a silicon mould from First Impressions. (For the seasoned cake decorators, this might not interest you).  Anyway, here’s my secret to creating a perfect pearl border for my fondant cakes.  Using a mould   .

I’ve always wanted to buy this mould, but didn’t coz it is quite expensive.  But I guess it is worth buying. Saves a lot of time, and the outcome looks so pretty !  I always use a mixture of fondant and gumpaste to  make my border.  Brush the mold with some shortening,  this would make removing the pearls easier.  Roll the mixture into one long rope and push it into the mold.  The mold itself is quite flexible.   Ensure the mixture is compact inside the mold.

Take a craft knife and trim the surplus 50:50 mix.

The end result would be, sort of like half of a pearl ( with a flat side).   Turn the mold over, expand it slightly and the pearls will fall off.

Glue the pearls with some water.  Easy, right ?

I have another mold, from FMM brand.   Somehow I’m not really fond of using it.  Its too short and not flexible, and somehow the results were not as good as the First Impressions mold.  It is not as expensive as the blue mold, though.

As mentioned before, I usually get my sugarcraft gadgets online from UK stores.   However, please take note that currently there is a  Royal Mail Union postal strike going on.  I would suggest not to order anything from UK now, as it would take up to a few months for your order to arrive in Malaysia.   A turnaround to this problem would be using other courier services, but again, could be pricey.

Anyway, if you’re a beginner, don’t worry about these gadgets, you can still make the pearls one by one, by hand.  Practice makes perfect.  Happy sugarcrafting

Sorry for the long silence.. been busy as usual, with the kid and never ending housework. Still waiting for my new maid to arrive, ntah bila la. Anyway, here are 2 cakes that I did yesterday, for my hubby’s friend who is getting married this weekend. Selamat Pengantin Baru, Imran dan Su. Thank you for the order.

Nothing different, just an ordinary cake with swags and roses. But I used a textured roller to emboss the swags. The top tier, the middle part was done with a basketweave roller and the curly border with royal icing.

And this is a smaller cake, 7 inch butter cake for the hantaran ceremony. Same theme – yellow.

The lace was done using a patchwork cutter.

I have in my collection a few patchwork cutters, but never used them. So in the end, I decided to try my hand at it, using Mexican paste, as recommended. I find it easy to use and will definitely order some more patchwork cutters in the future. Now I have 3 types of sugar with me all the time – fondant (which I keep in my cake cabinet) and gumpaste & Mexican paste (in my fridge). I label them so I don’t mixed them up.

We are blessed to have so many tools and equipment for sugarcraft nowadays. Once you have the right gadget, you can make any cake beautiful.

Nothing much has been happening this past few days. Just resting at home, trying to catch up on sleep and tv. Got a message from a friend requesting for gumpaste roses urgently. So I sat down in my kitchen and made these roses, while watching endless Malay, Indon and Spanish soap operas. (wish I have Astro in my kitchen !) Anyway, here are the roses :

And the colour & petal dust used.

The colour is about RM20 plus which I bought from Pastrypro, Kepong (Chefmaster, “Red-red” Aqua gel colour). I got the petal dust online from Sugarflaire.

Before I sign off, here’s a lovely poem on Roses. (very unlike me, to have poem in my blog..well, there’s always a first time.)

Valentine’s Roses Author Unknown

• Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose.

  And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.

  The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door.

  The card said, “Be my Valentine,” like all the years before.

• Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,
  “I love you even more this year, than last year on this day.”
  “My love for you will always grow, with every passing year.”
  She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.

• She thought, “He’d ordered roses in advance before this day.”
  Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away.
  He always liked to do things early, way before the time.
  Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.

• She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase.
  Then sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.
  She would sit for hours, in her husband’s favorite chair.
  While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.

• A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate.
  With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate.
  Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before,
  The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door.

• She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.
  Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop.
  The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain,
  Why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain?

• “I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago,”
  The owner said, “I knew you’d call, and you would want to know.
  The flowers you received today, were paid for in advance.
  Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance.”

• “There is a standing order, that I have on file down here,
  And he has paid, well in advance, you’ll get them every year.
  There also is another thing, that I think you should know,
  He wrote a special little card…he did this years ago.”

• “Then, should ever, I find out that he’s no longer here,
  That’s the card…that should be sent, to you the following year.”
  She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.
  Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card.

• Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.
  Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote…
  “Hello my love, I know it’s been a year since I’ve been gone,
  I hope it hasn’t been too hard for you to overcome.”

• “I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real.
  For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel.
  The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life.
  I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife.”

• “You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need.
  I know it’s only been a year, but please try not to grieve.
  I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears.
  That is why the roses will be sent to you for years.”

• “When you get these roses, think of all the happiness,
  That we had together, and how both of us were blessed.
  I have always loved you and I know I always will.
  But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still.”

• “Please…try to find happiness, while living out your days.
  I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways.
  The roses will come every year, and they will only stop,
  When your door’s not answered, when the florist stops to knock.”

• “He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out.
  But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt,
  To take the roses to the place, where I’ve instructed him,
  And place the roses where we are, together once again.”