Remember the
Alice in Wonderland Party I showed you
here a few weeks ago? Well, today's blog post follows on from that party, and teaches you
how to make the stunning, cupcake decorations you saw on the fabulous dessert table by my dear friend Claudia from the Brazilian blog
Feito à Mao.
Let's Cake it Pretty!
Ingredients: I suggest you make a smaller quantity when starting to get the hang of it before trying out a bigger batch - Please note: This recipe does not have very specific measurements, but different sugars and powder brands have different grain size so a specific measurements do not apply every time. It's a tried and tested version, but you may find a little more or less of something works better for the ingredients you have to hand.
* 1kg of Powdered Milk - Use the make from Nestlé as it was tried and tested
* Same amount as the milk powder, minus 3 fingers worth, of very fine caster sugar (do not be tempted to substitute with coarser sugar or icing (powder) sugar as it does NOT work)
* Enough coconut milk to allow the dough to be worked without sticking on your hands Roughly 100ml - Low fat versions of coconut milk give a less fatty mix and much easier to knead.
* Food coloring gel (from cake decorating stores) - Do NOT use liquid form as it will not work
How to make the fondant:
1. Add the sugar to the milk powder and add a very small amount of coconut milk (about 100ml for 1kg of powder milk)
2. Knead the mix until you get a smooth, shiny (not greasy) dough that does not stick to your hand. At first is may seem impossible, but don't give up! Keep wetting your hands to make it easier to knead - Claudia's tip is to knead smaller portions of the dough.
3. Color batches of the dough in desired colors using a toothpick - Use small amounts of the gel coloring as even a small amount can get quite dark.
4. Shape and cut your dough as you would a sugar paste fondant. Keeping it wrapped in film when not being used.
The ready made fondant decoration can be frozen up to 3 months in advance, and defrosted in at room temperature, covered for about 2 hours - Do NOT open to peek inside until fully defrosted, as this may ruin the decoration!
These above photos show you just some of the Alice in Wonderland icons you can make using this powder milk fondant - Simply add the decorations to your cupcakes to transform any tea party into a yummy wonderland! :)
Claudia was kind enough to let me share with you today, her recipe and
tips and tricks for making the
tastiest fondant EVER! So a huge thanks, Claudia! :)
This fondant is also easy to make once you get the hang of it, and can be used in an array of cake decorating projects, from cupcakes and fun edible decorations to 3-tiered cakes - I tried and tested Claudia's recipe some years ago for the first party I ever styled for my kids - A Care Bear Party, and I can say from experience they taste oh-so yummy!
Happy caking! :)
Haflinger
