Fun and Original Children's Cakes. Maisie Parrish

      Introduction

      I am delighted to present the long-awaited follow-up to my last book, Fun & Original Character Cakes (D&C, 2009), and I know you are all going to love it! This book focuses on children’s cakes, with fun and seasonal projects for you to make and enjoy with your family. Within these pages there are lots of new characters for you to model, bringing real magic and colour to your cake creations.

      As in all my books, I have kept the techniques very simple with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and beautiful photography for each project. I promise you just can’t go wrong! If you are a complete beginner then this is just what you need to give you the confidence to get started, and if you have more experience I am sure you will find many things to get your creative juices flowing.

      At the front of the book you will find lots of information regarding tools and equipment, and also a comprehensive section on modelling. Once you learn to place all the body parts in the right places and in the right proportions you will be flying. Facial expressions will give your characters a great deal of personality, and this is something everyone wants to learn more about. As with everything in life it takes a little practice if you want to progress, but the good thing is that modelling is very therapeutic and relaxing, so no matter what else is going on, once you sit in your own space and apply yourself, you will soon be in touch with your imagination.

      Everyone will have their own special favourite among the characters in this book, from the rock-and-rollin’ dragons to the ballet-dancing mice, from the whimsical fairy to the mischievous witch, so lets get started and get those modelling fingers moving.

      Until the next time, remember … everything starts with a ball!

       Sugarpaste

      All the models in this book are made using sugarpaste (rolled fondant) in one form or another. This firm, sweet paste is also used to cover cakes and boards. Sugarpaste is very soft and pliable and marks very easily, but for modelling it works best if you add CMC (Tylose) or gum tragacanth to it to bulk it up (see Sugarpaste for Modelling, opposite). This section gives you the lowdown on this wonderful medium, revealing everything you need to know for success with sugarpaste.

       Ready-Made Sugarpaste

      You can purchase sugarpaste in the most amazing array of colours; just take it out of the packet and away you go. Of all the ready-made pastes on the market, the brand leader is Renshaws Regalice (see Suppliers, page 126), which is available in white and 14 other exciting shades. This paste is easy to work with and is of excellent firm quality.

       Tip

      Very dark colours, such as black, dark blue and brown, are particularly useful to buy ready-coloured, because if you add enough paste food colouring into white to obtain a strong shade, it will alter the consistency of the paste and make it much more difficult to work with.

      Ready-made packaged sugarpaste is quick and convenient to use. Well-known brands are high quality and give consistently good results.

       Making Your Own

      While the ready-made sugarpaste is excellent, you can, of course, make your own at home. The bonus of this is that you can then tint your paste to any colour you like using edible paste food colour (see page 10). This can then be dusted with edible dust food colour to intensify or soften the shade.

      Sugarpaste Recipe

       900g (2lb) sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar 120ml (8tbsp) liquid glucose 15g (½oz) gelatin 15ml (1tbsp) glycerine 45ml (3tbsp) cold water

      1 Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and allow to ‘sponge’. Place over a bowl of hot water and stir with a wooden spoon until all the gelatin crystals have dissolved. Do not allow the gelatin mixture to boil.

      2 Add the glycerine and glucose to the gelatin and stir until melted.

      3 Add the liquid mixture to the sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar and mix thoroughly until combined.

      4 Dust the work surface lightly with icing (confectioners’) sugar, then turn out the paste and knead to a soft consistency until smooth and free of cracks.

      5 Wrap the sugarpaste completely in cling film or store in an airtight polythene bag. If the paste is too soft and sticky to handle, work in a little more icing (confectioners’) sugar.

      Quick Sugarpaste Recipe

       500g (1lb 1½oz) sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 egg white 30ml (2tbsp) liquid glucose

      1 Place the egg white and liquid glucose in a clean bowl. Add the icing (confectioners’) sugar and mix together with a wooden spoon, then use your hands to bring the mixture into a ball.

      2 Follow steps 4 and 5 of the above recipe for kneading and storage.

      Sugarpaste is such a versatile modelling medium, it can be used to create an almost endless variety of cute characters.

       Sugarpaste for Modelling

      To convert sugarpaste into modelling paste, all you need to do is add CMC (Tylose) powder or gum tragacanth (see page 27) to the basic recipe. The quantity needed will vary according to the temperature and humidity of the room, so you may need to experiment to get the right mix depending on the conditions you are working in. As a guide, add roughly 5ml (1tsp) of CMC (Tylose) or gum tragacanth to 225g (8oz) of sugarpaste and knead well. Place inside a polythene bag and allow the CMC/gum to do its work for at least two hours. Knead the paste before use to warm it up with your hands; this will make it more pliable and easier to use.

      Throughout this book I have used the combination of sugarpaste and CMC (Tylose) powder, and find it works very well. I personally prefer it to gum tragacanth. If you add too much CMC (Tylose) to the paste it will begin to crack, which is not desirable. Should this happen, add a little white vegetable fat (shortening) to soften it and make it pliable again.

       Colouring Sugarpaste

      Whether