At the National Capital Area Cake Show in Annandale, VA, Charra from Lucks demonstrated quick and easy ways to use edible Designer Prints to make fun fondant cutouts.
The first thing to remember is that you have to moisten the fondant in some way before applying the prints. You can use a damp paper towel, airbrush water (though that's a lot of work) or spritz water with a spray bottle and then use a paintbrush to spread. Then you just need about 4-5 minutes to set.
After you adhere the prints to the fondant, you can take inspiration from the crafting/scrapbook world to create fun, cartoon-like characters, Charrah says. Her favorite things to do are characters made from simple cutters, including the circle, oval and teardrop shapes. "I have a lot of cutters because I collect them," she says. "But I usually just stick to the basic shapes."
Use different sizes of teardrop cutters to construct a frog or a whale:
And a pinwheel is an easy item that really pops when you add a designer print:
Designer prints are made with starches and sugars, so she points out a couple of things to remember:
- Make sure you leave no bubbles when you moisten the fondant - it will affect the prints.
- You don't have to throw away your cutout scraps. You knead your fondant until the print is absorbed back into it, and then start over with something new.
- If you want to get a shimmer effect, DO NOT steam the fondant with Designer Prints, as the steam will dissolve the sheets. Use something like a food-grade shimmer or lacquer to achieve that effect.
Visit www.lucks.com for more information or to order the new Idea Book.