I had heard of gum paste before, but wasn't sure what you use it for. I now know that you can use it to sculpt figurines and flowers for cakes with or without fondant. I also learned you can use it to make your own mints! After finding the recipe for these Homemade Breath Mints, I also found a recipe for homemade gum paste instead of having to use the store bought kind.
I already had all the ingredients to make it homemade, so rather than spend the money, I decided to try it. It was really quick, only taking about 15 minutes from start to finish!
While kneading the dough, it was so soft and squishy! The texture was pretty cool and I could easily see myself making this often. There's no such thing as too many mints, right?
Using a double boiler, dissolve gelatin in water and lemon juice over medium heat.
Stir in corn syrup.
Add 1-2 cups of powdered sugar, then stir. Continue to add an additional 1/4 cup until mixture is still soft, but solid enough to start kneading.
Knead until it creates a smooth dough, adding more powdered sugar if dough is too sticky.
Wrap in plastic wrap, then place in a Ziploc bag to rest at least 12 hours before using.
(Be sure to remove all the air.)
Recipe given by WNCMountaingirl on the comments of One Good Thing By Jillee
Ingredients
2 lb. bag of powdered sugar (you probably won't use all of it, but it's best to be safe rather than sorry)
0.25 oz unflavored gelatin (1 pkg.)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. corn syrup
Directions
Using a double boiler, dissolve gelatin in water and lemon juice over medium heat.
Stir in corn syrup.
Add 1-2 cups of powdered sugar, then stir. Continue to add an additional 1/4 cup until mixture is still soft, but solid enough to start kneading.
Knead until it creates a smooth dough, adding more powdered sugar if dough is too sticky.
Wrap in plastic wrap, then place in a Ziploc bag to rest at least 12 hours before using. (Be sure to remove all the air.)
Use within 2 weeks if storing at room temperature.
(You can also store in the fridge, but let dough come to room temperature before using.)
Hii..Could you tell me why have you used the lemon juice?
ReplyDeleteTo be completely honest, I am not exactly sure why there is lemon juice. I have seen many, many gum paste recipes that use lemon juice (although some use a ratio of 3 parts water & 1 part lemon juice), but I've never seen what the reason is. However, I have seen frosting recipes that call for lemon juice to help whiten the mix, so maybe that is what it is for....so when you add your colorings, it has a purer color.
DeleteThanks for your interest! If you try it without the lemon juice, I would love to know if it still turns out for you. :)
Hi I can't find gelatin at my house. Is there any substitutes?
DeleteCan you make delicate flower petals with this recipe? Like you do with gumpaste?
ReplyDeleteYes, you can! I've only ever used this recipe for the homemade breath mints, but I would imagine it wouldn't be a problem! It's very pliable to mold, then when set to dry, it retains it's shape really well and gets firm. (The longer you let it set, the crunchier it gets.) I plan on using it for cake decorating sometime soon! Thanks for stopping by! :)
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteWhen mixing in the powdered sugar do you use all four cups,you didn't specify how many cups you add when mixing?
Hello! I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. I didn't see your comment until just now. :( Yes, I didn't specify on purpose because you may not need to use all of the powdered sugar. I usually make sure I have a full bag (just in case), then start by adding about 2 cups and stirring to combine. When it starts becoming more like a scrappy dough, I begin kneading it, adding more powdered sugar as necessary. You may use different amounts each time depending on how it's responding. You don't want it too sticky, but you want to make sure it's still pliable. I'm sorry for the confusion and I will edit the directions to explain a little more clearly. I hope that helps! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteDo you use fresh or bottled lemon juice?
ReplyDeleteI used bottled for this recipe, but you could probably use fresh, too! :)
DeleteHow come you have to let it rest 12 hours?? I need to use it ASAP!!
ReplyDeleteTo achieve the best texture, it needs time to rest. I've never used it without allotting the full 12 hours, so I can't say whether or not the resting time could be shortened.
DeleteWhy does mine harden then crack???
ReplyDeleteIs it hardening after you mold it or during the resting time? If it's happening during the resting time, I would guess that you used too much powdered sugar. I didn't put an exact amount because it will vary depending on the climate. You want a smooth dough, but still pliable. Almost like a soft playdough.
DeleteAfter you mold it, it is supposed to harden. The longer you let it set, the harder it gets.
I've never had a problem with it cracking. Again, I'm thinking you may have used too much powdered sugar.
I'm sorry you're having so many issues with this recipe. It's worked perfectly for me every time! I hope you find the solution and have success with it! :)
Hi can you use golden syrup or glucose instead of corn syrup because I can't find in my town corn syrup can u please tell me
ReplyDeleteHello! I'm so sorry, I didn't see your comment! I have never used golden syrup or glucose, so I honestly don't know if it would work or not. If it has a similar consistency as the corn syrup, I would guess it would be fine. I have been using brown rice syrup in place of corn syrup for a lot of recipes lately and have been having good luck, so I would say-give it a go! :) If you tried it already, did it work? :)
DeleteCouldn't find gum paste in store so I thought I'd give this a try. I've never even used gum paste, let alone make it before! But it turned out perfectly! I am making "little pigs" for my daughter's birthday cake. Needing it pink, I added 2 drops of red food coloring to the water/lemon juice mixture and it is the perfect shade of bright, pastel pink. Thanks for posting this recipe!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked it! Making little pigs with it sounds adorable. I'm sure your daughter appreciated you doing that for her! :)
DeleteHi I am interested in making flowers ahead of time for an anniversary cake. I want to use the gum paste flowers for decoration only and not for eating. I wonder how far in advance I can make the flowers using this recipe. In other words, how long do you think the gum paste flowers will hold up and look nice.
ReplyDelete