CartoonÊkes Þbbie Brown 7

3Turn out the pastÄ™ onto a worksurface dusted with icirvg sugar and krvead until it is smooth and pJiable. If the pastÄ™ is dry and cracked. foÅ‚d in a tittie vegetabie fat (shortening) and knead again.

Put it inio a polythene bag. or double wrap the pastÄ™ in cling film (plastio wrap). and storÄ™ tn an airtight Container until you are ready to use it

BUTTERCREAM

As weil as makmg a delicious ftWng between tayers of cake. a thin coat of buttercream spread all over the cake fiSs any smali gaps and aiso provi<5es a smooth surface on whch to apply the sugarpaste. Buttercream can also be ftavoured.

To make about 500g (1lb/2 cups)

• i25g (4ozfA cup) butter. softened or soft marganne â€¢ I5mt (itbsp) milk â€¢ 375g (120Z/2T. cups) icing <conf«ętioner's) sugar

IPut the butter or soft margarine mto a mbdng bowi. Add the milk and/or any flavounng reguired (see box. betów).

2 Sift the tcmg <confectioner’s) sugar mto a bowt. a littie at a time. and beat well after each addition. until all the sugar has been mcorporated mto it and the buttercream has a lighi. creamy texture.

3 StorÄ™ the buttercream in an airtight Container until reguired.

MODELLING PASTĘ

Modeilmg pastÄ™ is madÄ™ by incorporatmg an edibie gum mto sugarpaste. The gum is availabÅ‚e m powder form and is easly kneaded mto the sugarpaste. which makes the pastÄ™ much firmer but snu pliable You can modeÅ‚ items using just sugarpaste. but modeilmg pastÄ™ keeps its shape well and dne$ much harder. givmg strength to your fmished work The natural gum. gum tragacanth. or the manmade alternative. CMC (carboxy methyl cellulose). were employed to make the modeilmg pastÄ™ thai i$ used in this book Both are wbely used in the food industry as thickeners Gum tragacanth needs a littie time after it has been kneaded mto sugarpaste before the gum starts to work. usually around 4-8 hours CMC. on the other hand. starls to work wtualÅ‚y straight away and is $i:ghtly stronger and cheaper. There are aiso some ready-made modeilmg pastes avaiiabte that give good resuits All these items are avaiiab)e from cake-decoraiing suppiiers.

To make 500g (Ito) of modeilmg pastÄ™

•    10ml (2tsp) gum tragacanth or S-7ml (1-1'/.tsp) CMC

•    500g (1tt>) sugarpaste (rollcd fondant)

IPut the gum on a worksurface and knead it into the sugarpaste

2 Double wrap the pastÄ™ m cling film (pÅ‚asiic wrap) or polythene and keep airtight.

BUTTERCREAM FLAVOURINGS

•    Vaniiia Add 5ml (itsp) var a essence (extract)

•    Lemon Replace the milk with 15m' (1tbsp) fresh lemon juice.

•    Chocolate Mix the mitk and 30mi (2tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder to a pastÄ™ and add to the mixture

•    Coffee Mix the milk and I5ml (itbsp) instant coffee powder to a pastÄ™ and add to the buttercream mocture

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Modeilmg pastÄ™ keeps its shape well.

Modeilmg pasto is used to make the vnrious characlers.

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