Pressed Lace - Elegant & Easy

LIST OF ALL GUMPASTE/FONDANT CUTTERS - TOOLS

MATERIALS TO USE: (Any rollable sugar mixture):
Fondant
Rolled buttercream Gumpaste
Candy Clay
Chocolate Fondant
Any combination of the above

SELECTING MATERIALS:
Use fondant over fondant. Either rolled buttercream or fondant can be used over a pure white buttercream frosted cake. Mix fondant and candy clay to match buttercream that is ivory colored. Use candy clay or chocolate fondant when cakes are covered with the same rolled mixture. Gumpaste (or combinations with gumpaste) can be used when cutability is not a factor or when a curve or shape must stand by itself.

THE BASICS:
Dust both sides of a silicone double sided lace press with cornstarch. Shake out any excess. Place rolled sugar mix-ture over the larger base. Set insert in position sandwich style. Using a heavy large rolling pin press with sufficient pressure to make deep impressions in the sugar mixture. Large molds should be rolled from the center to the top, and then from the center to the bottom. Trim off the excess sugar mixture by holding down the edge of the insert with your fingers while tearing. Remove the silicone insert and perfect the edges by folding in and pressing any of the sugar mixture that curves up the edges of the base. Replace the silicone insert and press again. To remove the completed lace, turn the base over and flex it.

WORKING AHEAD:
Press many pieces for one cake. Place on a flat surface (foil covered card-board) and slip in a large plastic bag. if made from fondant they will remain soft for several days. Experiment with other mixtures in your climate conditions. For the best effect in gathering lace, do not make ahead, keep as soft as possible for a graceful draped look.

USING LACE AS A PROBLEM SOLVER:
Cover a top edge to avoid a piped top border. Create a rounded edge even on a buttercream covered cake.

Conceal difficult corners on squares and rectangles.

Conceal seams in fondant or imperfec-tions in the surface

Cover spatula marks in buttercream. (Especially with a scalloped shape.)
COVER SEAMS:
Pipe a small design, cover with a smaller lace piece, cover with flowers or leaves
USING SEWING TECHNIQUES: Miter lace corners by placing two pieces of pressed lace in an overlapping posi-tion. Cut through both pieces with a ro-tary cutter (pizza wheel). Remove ex-cess above and underneath and position on cake. This same method can be used to cut around a lace motif to keep conti-nuity in the pattern.
TROUBLE SHOOTING:
The most common problem is rolling the sugar substance too thick. Use a pasta machine for consistent thin rolling. Machines vary so experiment. Rosemary suggests rolling to No. 5 or 6. (Always start at No. 1, roll through, change to No. 3, roll through, change to No. 5, roll through and to number 6 if desired.) Clean frequently with a damp cloth from under the pasta machine. Follow with a light greasing of shorten-ing from the bottom of the rollers.

Press really hard to get the best detail. Place in the freezer after edges are trimmed to aid in removal from the press. Keep the press free of excess cornstarch. Just flip it over to remove excess. Thin the rolled sugar mixture if necessary. Keep mixture soft and pli-able for the best detail.

By Rosemary Watson