Parish - Fun & original birthday cakes

Fun & Original

Birthday
Cakes

Maisie Parrish

The Magic of Creating

The Fun & Original series of books brings to you a superb new collection of enchanting cakes, specifically with birthdays in mind and filled with wonderful characters. People come in all shapes and sizes with lots of different expressions, both facial and physical. Feedback from my previous books and from my workshops has told me that creating expressive characters is the key thing you wish to learn, so not only have I included more characters than ever in this book, I have also added some extra guidance in the Modelling section, to help you build your skill in crafting fun personalities.

Creating is not easy for everyone and at times can be a struggle, even for me. It is a truly magical moment when you finally arrive at that ah-ha! moment. It wont happen overnight, the secret is practice, but it must always be fun. As in all my books, I have kept the instructions very simple and the beautiful photography will really help to guide you. Each character is broken down into clear steps that can be followed with ease, and you cannot fail to be thrilled with the results.

As many of you know, and some are astonished to learn, I am not a cake baker but a sugar artist who brings delicious cakes to life. My designs always have lots of details, presented in my own unique style, and this collection is no exception it surely has something for everyone. The greatest reward about my craft is to know that my readers around the world share a love of my characters and have the same close attachment to them as I do. I know this is true because you tell me so.

Designing is a captivating process, something not everyone is capable of doing, but no matter what level you are at, once you have this book in your hands, who knows where it can take you? So jump on board and take a magical ride to your next fantastic creation!

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) to it to bulk it up (see ) 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 ), 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 ). This can then be dusted with edible dust food colour to intensify or soften the shade.

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

Sugarpaste Recipe

900g (2lb) sifted icing (confectioners) sugar

120ml (8tbsp) liquid glucose

15g (oz) gelatin

15ml (1tbsp) glycerine

45ml (3tbsp) cold water

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.

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

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

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.

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

Quick Sugarpaste Recipe

500g (1lb 1oz) sifted icing (confectioners) sugar

1 egg white

30ml (2tbsp) liquid glucose

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.

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

Sugarpaste for Modelling

To convert sugarpaste into modelling paste, all you need to do is add CMC (Tylose) powder (see ) 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) to 225g (8oz) of sugarpaste and knead well. Place inside a freezer bag and allow the CMC (Tylose) 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.