How to Use Frill Cutters By Jennifer Dontz

This week's tutorial is on frill cutters. 

These are such versatile cutters...the sky really is the limit with what you can do with them.  There are so many combinations of layering and using cutouts, that can give you so many beautiful looks.  I do show some these techniques on my


FUN WITH FONDANT FRILLS DVD

How to use frill cutters:

Step 1:  (Sorry about the not so clear picture above). 

I roll my paste through the pasta roller.  If you don't have a pasta roller, I highly recommend getting one.  They make sugar art so much easier.  I especially love the attachment that goes on my Kitchen Aid mixer.  

I love using the multi-ribbon cutter when I use these cutters.  This little wonder will adjust easily to make a number of different width bands.  Then you have a quick, straight line to work from when placing your cutters.  Roll the tool along your paste to make the desired band width. 

I also use this tool to make all my side ribbons for cakes, works great!  
Here's a link to this tool:
MULTI-RIBBON CUTTER

Step 2:  Take your frill cutter and match a straight edge of it against the straight edge of your paste.  Be sure to dust the bottom of the paste and I usually lightly dust the top as well. 

 Just go along the whole length of the paste, after cutting one of the cutters, just match up the end and continue going down the paste.  Now you can either disgard the bottom part or choose to use it to layer one design on top of the other. 

( See the BloomNet picture below, that has some nice examples of layering.)

Step 3:  Paste is all cut.  Now you can apply to your cake like this, or if you choose, you can make some little cutouts in it.  You can get so many different looks to these simply by applying them in layers and using different things to make cutouts. 

 See below the drastic difference in the same piece when you make some cutouts in it.

Step 4:  I used some round tips to cutout holes and the PME eyelet cutters worked great for the pretty little teardrop shape.  

 Here's a link to that set: 
PME EYELET CUTTERS 

Here's a pretty spring cake I applied those frill cutter strips to.  The birds are hand modeled and the pansies are piped. 
 They really are easy to pipe and so pretty on a cake. 

Thinking spring .....  :-)

 

Aren't these little mini cakes pretty? 

All done with frill cutters. 

We carry three sets on our site....here are some links to them. 
They run $7.00 per set. 

The above cakes were created by me for the BloomNet Floral book.  It was such an honor to be a part of that!

Click to order:
FRILL CUTTERS SET 1

 FRILL CUTTERS SET 2 
FRILL CUTTERS SET 3




This tutorial was written by Jennifer Dontz. All Rights Reserved 2010
This material may not be reproduced without permission from the author.

Gumpaste Blossoms by Jennifer Dontz

This Week's tutorial is on one of my very favorite cake toys, the blossom cutter / veines set. I LUV LUV this set! I think everyone should have it, so if you do not, you might want to put it on your wish list. I make out of fondant These Because first and foremost, I Always think of taste with my cakes. Sure you Can Make them out of Gump, But fondant is more palatable.

Here's a link to the set on Our Site: Sugar Delites

1. I roll my paste to # 2 on the Kitchen Aid pasta attachment. (Luv That BTW, if You Do not have one, get one! I had a manual for years and this Allows an extra hand in the kitchen :-) Cut out the blossom shape using the cutter in the set. We Also sell September 5 petal blossom Which makes for really cute little apple blossoms and cherry blossoms as well. That tiny little pinches in September has in it, Which Gives them a really cute edging.

2. Place the paste Vein Between the 2 piece, matching up the notches on the sides of the veiners. Press Gently, You Really Do Not Have to put much pressure at all. If You are not getting your subtle lines in the paste, press a bit harder. If you are cutting the paste, you are pressing too hard.

3. Then I open up the veines and with quick flicks of my fingers, Loos Each petal. If You Have Problems with sticking, just dust the paste a bit better. Then I pop the small kiss Into These formers. This little shapes in September Former them beautifully. http://jenniferdontz.com/viewproduct.php?itemid=for006

To finish, add a little dust or petal Simply airbrush them .... Adding to piped or dragee dot in the center. They are so cute and so easy to make! Here's a couple cakes I did using the blossoms: (On the cake Below, I Used petal dusts to add the pink color) See what I mean HAVING about "stock" flowers. You can do them in white color and add whatever you Need to the centers at the time. A real time saver When you are busy.

And, They last for months stored in boxes.

Below on the cake, I airbrushed the flowers. I Also Used frill cutters to do the chocolate lace around the top and the baby bootie booties in September for the sugar. If You Have Any Questions, you know I'm here to try and help.

I make them up ahead and keep them in little bowls .... I call them "stock" flowers. I can dust them or airbrush Any Color When needed.

Tutorial and Photography by Jennifer Sugar Delites Dontz-2010-all rights reserved

This tutorial Was Used with permission by Jen Dontz.

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Ooooh Baby! Easy sugarpaste booties by Jen Dontz

This week's tutorial is on the adorable and VERY EASY baby bootie.  It's lifesize, so much fun to make and will really impress your customers!

Step 1 - Roll out your paste about 1/4" thick.  You can use fondant or gumpaste.  I'm using gumpaste on these.  The set comes with three cutters.  Taking the sole cutter, cut one of the thick pieces for each shoe you want to make. 

 You can let these dry, but really don't have to.  I started working right away on them.  Since the paste is so thick you will not be able to totally cut through it with the cutter so just make an impression on top, then use the scissors to cut it out.

  By cutting the paste thick, I feel it's easier to put this together.  I'm sure there are many ways to make these, but this is my way.  :-)

 

Step 2 - I use my tiny little scissors and cut off about 1/4" from each end of the sole.  If you don't do this step, the final result looks more like a moccasin than a bootie.

Disgard the end scraps.

Step 3 - Cut out one of each of the other two pieces for each shoe you want to make.  You can use any thickness of paste, I cut mine on #4 on the Kitchen Aid pasta machine.  The next part we will apply is the part that looks like a little helmet.

Step 4 - Take the sole and moisten the edge with gumglue or water and wrap the "helmet" part around the sole, making sure the paste edge goes right to the bottom of the sole edge.

Step 5 - Take the longer piece and moisten the edge shown by the brush, just this straight edge.

Step 6 - Wrap this back part of the shoe around the back part of the sole.

Step 7 - Using a clay gun, make some tiny strings for the ties of the bootie.

Step 8 - You can make whatever little tie like finish you want.  You can make a bow or just leave the untied strings.  You also can use your imagination to decorate these in numerous ways.  I used the little daisy punch and the snowflake cutters to embelish the ones below.  You might have to stuff some plastic wrap or a cotton ball in the shoe until it's competely dry.  I guarantee your customers will LOVE these, especially when they find out they are made of sugar :-)  If you have any questions at all, please contact me, cakebabe1@aol.com  All of these cake toys are available through Sugar Delites, I'll make a list of just what I used and post it below.  Aren't these just to cute for words?  I LOVE using them on my baby cakes.

Equipment used to make the booties:

Click on item to order:

Jem baby bootie cutter  -

Daisy punch cutter -  

(I used a tip #7 to cut out the center of the daisy)

PME snowflake plunger cutters -

Rainbow disco dust (brilliant) -

Sugarcraft clay gun -

Tiny scissors -

Tutorial courtesy of Jennifer Dontz
2010
All Rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Fondant Made Easier with a Lifter

STRUGGLING WITH FONDANT?

Another tool to make the cake decorators life easier to manage is the Fondant Lifter from ChocoPan.

The rings link together forming a flat surface to roll out the fondant. When the fondant is rolled to the desired diameter, simply lift the outer ring.

The inner rings detach, but the fondant is held intact on the outer ring, which is easily lifted and centered over the cake. Lower the ring down over the cake, and now the fondant is ready to smooth.

This fondant lifter is easy to order from ChocoPan online. I have personally found their service to be friendly, helpful and have quick delivery.

Check it out!

Click here

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