What to do with purchased mastic. Useful tips for working with mastic

I store the mastic in the refrigerator, but not more than 2-3 weeks ... Even well-packed, it loses elasticity over time and crumbles during sculpting and rolling. 10-12 hours before working with mastic, I take it out of the refrigerator and keep it on the table at room temperature. Before work, I stir it well so that it becomes soft.

Factory mastic can be stored much longer, since it contains conservatives - this is its plus and minus.

About figurines: depends on what figurines. If this is a type of dragon (elephant, shoes and everything like that), then yes, I sculpt in advance, dry them, and then they serve only as decoration, it is simply impossible to eat them. But such figures have one advantage - they can be left as a keepsake.

But I sculpt the flowers and immediately put them on the cake - it's easier to put the "bouquet" this way, firstly, and secondly, they can be eaten with the cake ...

And in general, I decorate all cakes, especially for children, as they say at the last minute, so that the mastic decoration does not have time to turn into stone (unless it is specially conceived), so that everything is really edible

What to lay the mastic on!?
.
Only for buttercream or ganache. I smear the cake on all sides with cream and give it time to cool in the refrigerator. I make impregnation with either jam or confiture ... whoever loves what. Jam sticks the mastic on the frozen cream and prevents it from slipping during the transportation of the cake and when cutting.

never reheat the marshmallows in the bag

Tips on how to cover a biscuit with sugar fondant(I found it on some forum, you need to know this!)

First, the biscuit must be smeared with cream, boiled condensed milk or jam to even out all the irregularities of the biscuit. On the surface of the biscuit prepared and primed with cream, boiled condensed milk or jam, sugar mastic will lie evenly and smoothly, there will be no protrusions and irregularities.
After the surface of the biscuits is prepared, you need to measure the diameter of the workpiece to cover the cake.
The diameter should be no less than the diameter of the biscuit, plus double the height and another 5 centimeters for folds and bumps.
For example, if you have a cake with a diameter of 20 cm and a height of 5 cm, then you need to roll out the mastic to cover the biscuit to a diameter of at least 35 cm = 20 + 2x5 + 5.
It is convenient to roll out confectionery sugar mastic on a table greased with butter and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and even better between two sheets of plastic film, the mastic rolled out on plastic film is very easy to transfer to a biscuit, this can be done directly with the film, which then you just need to separate from the mastic and continue leveling the mastic on the surface of the biscuit.
The thickness of the rolled sugar mastic to cover the biscuit should be about 5 mm, after you put it on the cake and level it, it will stretch to the required 2-3 mm.
If you roll out sugar mastic immediately to a thickness of 2-3 mm, it can easily tear when handling it.

How to knead the mastic?

Mastics are different, and they all knead in different ways. We will dwell on marshmallow mastic as the simplest one (if you don’t know, marshmallows are such candies like “Bon Pari”). To prepare this mastic, you will need, in fact, the sweets themselves and finely ground powdered sugar, which will interfere with the melted candy mass.

The finished marshmallow mastic should be homogeneous, dense and plastic. To achieve this result, it is important not to overheat the marshmallows (it is enough to heat the sweets until they begin to swell and melt). If during kneading the sugar mass remains sticky for a long time, do not stop there: keep mixing the powder until you get the mass of the desired consistency. If our mastic, on the contrary, turns out to be too hard, slightly heat it in the microwave, knead it with your hands and continue kneading. If the sugar-candy paste began to crumble, add a drop of water or lemon juice to it, and then continue kneading again.

How to roll out mastic?

'Secrets There are two ways to roll out sugar mastic: on a table sprinkled with starch or powder, and between sheets of polyethylene lubricated with vegetable oil. The only disadvantage of the first method is that the rolled mastic layer will have to be “unsticked” from the surface of the table and kept on weight. If you choose the second option, you will need to remove the top layer of polyethylene from the rolled mastic, turn the layer over, evenly cover the cake with it and only then separate the second layer of polyethylene. However, thin polyethylene (for example, cling film) is not suitable for our purposes: here we need to use something thicker and more substantial, like a film for greenhouses.

What to do if the mastic breaks all the time?

You are probably used to rolling pizza dough and are guided by the principle "the thinner the better." Alas, this number will not work with sugar mastic. The thickness of the rolled layer should be approximately 2–3 mm (no thicker is needed either). Thinly rolled mastic has two whole minuses: firstly, it can tear during the coating of the cake, and secondly, all the “flaws” and irregularities of the culinary masterpiece will be visible under it.

It is also possible that when kneading the mastic, you used “coarsely ground” powdered sugar, in which whole sugar crystals come across. There's nothing to be done: such a mastic will tear even when rolling.

If the layer that covered the cake nevertheless broke at the most crucial moment, do not despair. Seams, patches and other shortcomings can be easily “plastered” with a wide brush dipped in water. With this brush, the cake is stroked until its surface is perfectly even. And if air bubbles suddenly appear under a layer of mastic, try to pierce it with a needle in these places, and then gently smooth out the “holes”. You probably did something similar if you ever had to glue wallpaper.

How to cover the cake with fondant evenly?

It is very simple to avoid ugly folds on the “sides” of the cake: you just need to roll out the sugar mastic with a large margin (at least 10–15 cm) and so that this margin is maintained around the entire circumference. Then the mastic will stretch under its own weight and lie flat on the cake. After that, take a round pizza cutter and carefully cut off “everything that is superfluous”, leaving about half a centimeter in reserve. If the "sides" of the cake turn out to be wavy, align them with a spatula.

And if the base began to shine through from under the layer of mastic?

Most likely, the matter is in humidity: sugar mastic is very sensitive to it. Either you used the “wrong” cakes, or you went too far with impregnating the cake, or you didn’t follow the storage conditions. It is necessary to store the finished cake in a tightly closed airtight box or in a plastic bag (and preferably no more than 2 days).

What should be the cake itself (base)?

As a base for the cake, it is recommended to use dry biscuits, butter cakes or purchased cakes. As for the cream under the coating, the easiest way, perhaps, is to work with marzipan mass. If you don't like marzipan, take classic buttercream, boiled condensed milk or ganache (chocolate buttercream). In this case, you will have to put the cake in the cold for a couple of hours and only then apply a layer of mastic. If the cream does not have time to completely harden, ugly dents may form on the surface of the cake after coating with mastic.

In no case do not use sour cream and all kinds of impregnations for the base (sugar syrup, liquor, confectionery rum, etc.). Remember that any mastic dissolves very quickly upon contact with moisture.

How to paint mastic?

It is best, of course, to use special food colors, but they are not always and not always found everywhere. You can replace dyes with ordinary paints for Easter eggs, but this must be done carefully, since egg paints usually contain salt, and our mastic should not turn out salty. Therefore, it is better to take not powder paints, but paints in tablets that do not contain salt. If you are categorically against "any chemistry" in food, try natural dyes: for green - spinach juice, for red - beet juice, for orange - carrot juice. It will turn out, of course, not so beautiful, but it is 100% harmless.

The most difficult thing is to paint the mastic black. To do this, you need to mix as many as three dyes: blue (2 parts), yellow (1 part) and red (1 part). It is very important to strictly observe the proportions, but even so there is no guarantee that we will get the shade we need - neutral black. Depending on the dyes used, it may be slightly greenish, slightly reddish or with a violet tinge.

Another way to get black mastic is to first prepare brown mastic (for example, with chocolate or burnt sugar), and then add a drop of blue dye to it.

Is it possible to store the finished mastic?

Yes, you can! There is nothing in the composition of the mastic that could deteriorate in a few days. For storage, the mastic is recommended to be well packed in polyethylene or put in a plastic container with a lid. It is not necessary to put this container in the refrigerator: the mastic just needs to be protected from moisture and air so that it does not dry out ahead of time and does not get wet. By the way, underused marshmallow mastic can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.

’Secrets How to "make" mastic shine?

To make the sugar mastic covering your cake shine, apply a layer of honey-vodka solution (honey and vodka in a 1: 1 ratio) with a soft brush on it. Don't worry, the vodka will evaporate quickly and won't affect the taste or smell of the cake in any way.

Aerobatics - mastic figures

In fact, it is no more difficult to sculpt figures from well-prepared plastic mastic than from plasticine: special talent is not required here. In order to connect different parts of the figures or glue decorations on the mastic coating, you just need to slightly moisten the place of gluing with water. To make colored figures, it is not necessary to use mastics of different colors: you can fashion figures from plain white mastic, dry them, and then paint them on top with food coloring. To remove the remnants of powder or starch from the finished figures, “walk” over them with a damp brush.

There are several popular recipes for mastic for cakes. Each hostess can choose her favorite. Someone buys ready-made mastic in pastry shops, some prefer making it from powdered sugar with water or milk. Creating a work of art from your own cake is also a matter of fantasy, it can be floral or children's, or any other theme. But there is a moment that interests everyone - how to make mastic shiny?

In order to give a smooth, beautiful gloss to the surface of the cake, there are a couple of proven methods. The most convenient and inexpensive is to cover the mastic with a mixture of honey and vodka in a 1: 1 ratio. Before use, honey must be thoroughly dissolved so that there are no lumps, then you can start applying. Lubricate the mastic with this mixture using a brush with soft hairs. When the vodka evaporates, only a shining sheen will remain on the cake.

If a certain amount of excess mastic is bought or made, the question arises of how to store the mastic? Mastic is not a perishable product, the main thing is to protect it from moisture and drying out. A regular plastic bag is well suited for this purpose, if desired, a plastic container with a tight lid. Store in the refrigerator, ideally no more than a week.

Many are interested in how to make marshmallow mastic, as this product has become very popular with confectioners. Marshmallows are poured over with water or lemon juice and melted in the microwave. Powdered sugar is added to the liquid mass and kneaded to a solid dough. Such mastic can be made shiny by smearing its surface with a liquor with a pleasant fruity aroma. You can also add shine to parts molded from mastic, such as lilies.

There is also nothing complicated in how to make a lily from mastic. There are many master classes on making flowers on the Internet, the main thing is to give the finished product an attractive look. To do this, the prepared flower petals, laid to dry, must be covered with a mixture of honey and vodka; for this purpose, a thin soft brush is also used so as not to leave unpainted areas. Many housewives are interested in how to make marshmallow mastic if there is no microwave? Marshmallow melts perfectly on a conventional electric and gas stove, as well as in the oven. The only condition is to make sure that the mass does not burn and stir constantly.

So, the main secrets of how to make mastic shiny have been clarified! Now it's up to the small - next weekend we bake a delicious cake and decorate it with our own mastic, giving it a great gloss! And let the first "pancake" not be lumpy!

Working with mastic for beginner confectioners! Everyone who has ever seen a chic cake with an abundance of figurines and flowers wondered: how is it made? Many would like to learn how to make such beauty. Today we will show you how to start working with mastic. After a certain number of cakes, when experience and skills are gained, you will certainly be able to make a masterpiece of confectionery art! Confectionery mastic is a sugar paste intended for modeling, that is, for decorating confectionery. Mastic can be bought at the store - it will have the right composition and texture, or you can cook it yourself - it's up to you. Fortunately, there are a lot of all kinds of mastic recipes. How to knead the mastic? Mastics are different, and they all knead in different ways. We will dwell on marshmallow mastic as the simplest. To prepare this mastic, you will need, in fact, the sweets themselves and finely ground powdered sugar, which will interfere with the melted candy mass. The finished marshmallow mastic should be homogeneous, dense and plastic. To achieve this result, it is important not to overheat the marshmallows (it is enough to heat the sweets until they begin to swell and melt). If during kneading the sugar mass remains sticky for a long time, do not stop there: keep mixing the powder until you get the mass of the desired consistency. If the mastic, on the contrary, turns out to be too hard, slightly heat it in the microwave, knead it with your hands and continue to knead. If the sugar-candy paste began to crumble, add a drop of water or lemon juice to it, and then continue kneading again. How to roll out mastic? There are two ways to roll out sugar mastic: on a table sprinkled with starch or powder, and between sheets of polyethylene lubricated with vegetable oil. The only disadvantage of the first method is that the rolled mastic layer will have to be “unsticked” from the surface of the table and kept on weight. If you choose the second option, you will need to remove the top layer of polyethylene from the rolled mastic, turn the layer over, evenly cover the cake with it and only then separate the second layer of polyethylene. However, thin polyethylene (for example, cling film) is not suitable for our purposes: here we need to use something thicker and more substantial, like a film for greenhouses. What to do if the mastic breaks all the time? You are probably used to rolling pizza dough and are guided by the principle "the thinner the better." Alas, this number will not work with sugar mastic. The thickness of the rolled layer should be approximately 2–3 mm (no thicker is needed either). Thinly rolled mastic has two whole minuses: firstly, it can tear while covering the cake, and secondly, all the “flaws” and irregularities of your culinary masterpiece will be visible under it. It is also possible that when kneading the mastic, you used “coarsely ground” powdered sugar, in which whole sugar crystals come across. There's nothing to be done: such a mastic will tear even when rolling. If the layer that covered the cake nevertheless broke at the most crucial moment, do not despair. Seams, patches and other shortcomings can be easily “plastered” with a wide brush dipped in water. With this brush, the cake is stroked until its surface is perfectly even. And if air bubbles suddenly appear under a layer of mastic, try to pierce it with a needle in these places, and then gently smooth out the “holes”. You probably did something similar if you ever had to glue wallpaper. How to cover the cake with fondant evenly? "Secrets Avoiding ugly folds on the" sides "of the cake is very simple: you just need to roll out the sugar mastic with a large margin (at least 10–15 cm) and so that this margin is maintained around the entire circumference. Then the mastic will stretch under its own weight and lie flat on the cake After that, take a round pizza knife and carefully cut off "everything superfluous", leaving about half a centimeter in reserve. If the "sides" of the cake turn out to be wavy, align them with a spatula. And if the base began to shine through from under the layer of mastic? Most likely, it's a matter of moisture: sugar mastic is very sensitive to it.Either you used the "wrong" cakes, or went too far with the impregnation of the cake, or did not follow the storage conditions.The finished cake must be stored in a tightly closed airtight box or in a plastic bag (and preferably no more than 2 days). If you don't like marzipan, take classic buttercream, boiled condensed milk or ganache (chocolate buttercream). In this case, you will have to put the cake in the cold for a couple of hours and only then apply a layer of mastic. If the cream does not have time to completely harden, ugly dents may form on the surface of the cake after coating with mastic. In no case do not use sour cream and all kinds of impregnations for the base (sugar syrup, liquor, confectionery rum, etc.). Remember that any mastic dissolves very quickly upon contact with moisture. How to paint mastic? It is best, of course, to use special food colors, but they are not always and not always found everywhere. You can replace dyes with ordinary paints for Easter eggs, but this must be done carefully, since egg paints usually contain salt, and our mastic should not turn out salty. Therefore, it is better to take not powder paints, but paints in tablets that do not contain salt. If you are categorically against "any chemistry" in food, try natural dyes: for green - spinach juice, for red - beet juice, for orange - carrot juice. It will turn out, of course, not so beautiful, but it is 100% harmless. The most difficult thing is to paint the mastic black. To do this, you need to mix as many as three dyes: blue (2 parts), yellow (1 part) and red (1 part). It is very important to strictly observe the proportions, but even so there is no guarantee that we will get the shade we need - neutral black. Depending on the dyes used, it may be slightly greenish, slightly reddish or with a violet tinge. Another way to get black mastic is to first prepare brown mastic (for example, with chocolate or burnt sugar), and then add a drop of blue dye to it. Is it possible to store the finished mastic? Yes, you can! There is nothing in the composition of the mastic that could deteriorate in a few days. For storage, the mastic is recommended to be well packed in polyethylene or put in a plastic container with a lid. It is not necessary to put this container in the refrigerator: the mastic just needs to be protected from moisture and air so that it does not dry out ahead of time and does not get wet. By the way, underused marshmallow mastic can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. How to "make" mastic shine? To make the mastic covering your cake shine, apply a layer of honey-vodka solution (honey and vodka in a 1: 1 ratio) with a soft brush on it. Don't worry, the vodka will evaporate quickly and won't affect the taste or smell of the cake in any way. Aerobatics - figures from mastic In fact, it is no more difficult to sculpt figures from well-prepared plastic mastic than from plasticine: special talent is not required here. In order to connect different parts of the figures or glue decorations on the mastic coating, you just need to slightly moisten the place of gluing with water. To make colored figures, it is not necessary to use mastics of different colors: you can fashion figures from plain white mastic, dry them, and then paint them on top with food coloring. To remove the remnants of powder or starch from the finished figures, “walk” over them with a damp brush. The main thing in working with mastic is love for creativity and a lot of practice! Create, sculpt and you will certainly succeed!

Mastic is a very tasty and beautiful decoration. Most pastry shops are filled with culinary masterpieces, seeing which, it is hard to believe that such a miracle can be created with your own hands. However, an original and bright cake is quite simple to make on your own.

Cooking technology

Mastic requires powdered sugar and water, as well as lemon juice and gelatin. Some masters use oil and glycerin in their recipes, this is done so that the mass remains suitable for work longer and does not dry out. The prepared mixture must be kneaded for at least 15 minutes.

It is recommended to perform kneading on a table that is previously sprinkled with powdered sugar or starch. This is done to prevent the mass from sticking to the surface and hands. Homemade mastic is beautifully colored with carrot, beet or spinach juice. Pigments that are sold in stores are also perfect. So that the mass does not dry out before starting work, it must be packed in cling film.

Marshmallow mastic

For cooking, you need 100 grams of marshmallow, 1st. l. butter, 350 grams of powdered sugar and a variety of dyes. The first two ingredients are combined in one container, then heated in a water bath in the microwave until the marshmallows increase in volume. Next, powdered sugar is added to this mass, and the mixture is kneaded until it resembles plasticine in composition. If it is necessary to mold colored elements, the necessary dyes are added to the composition.

Chocolate mastic

For cooking, you need to have 100 grams of dark chocolate, 100 grams of marshmallows, 1 tbsp. l. butter, 35 grams of 30% cream and 350 grams of powdered sugar.

The chocolate is broken into pieces and sent to the preheated cream. Then you need to wait for the complete dissolution of the products. Next, butter and marshmallows are combined together, and, as in the first recipe, the mass is heated until marshmallows increase in a water bath. Then we collect all the ingredients in one container. After we interfere with powdered sugar and bring the composition to the state of plasticine.

How to roll out?

There are several options for how to work with mastic so that it turns out smooth and beautifully covers the product.

1. To do this, you can use a rolling pin, and use it to roll out the mass on a flat surface with pre-sprinkled starch or powdered sugar.
2. Another convenient way is to use two polyethylene sheets. Before starting work, they are lubricated with vegetable oil, and a mass is placed between them. After rolling and giving the desired shape, the top layer is removed, and the coating is transferred to the product directly on the second sheet. After tightening, all excess is removed.
3. There is also a special silicone mat to which the ingredients do not stick.

How to cover a cake with fondant?

1. The right amount of mass is cut off and kneaded well.
2. Using a ruler, measure the top of the cake and its sides. Next, on a table that is sprinkled with powder or starch, a layer is rolled out a little more than measurements, 3.5 mm thick.
3. The surface is leveled with special spatulas, and excess powder is removed with a brush.
4. Then the cake is covered with mastic, for this it rises from the table using a rolling pin, on which it was previously wound, and then gradually laid out on the product.
5. Using a special tool or palms, smooth the top of the cake, starting from the center and moving to the edges.
6. Further, it becomes more clear how to work with mastic, so the same procedure is performed with the side parts. In this case, the mass needs to be pulled out a little when applied. You need to smooth the close-fitting very carefully so that wrinkles do not appear.
7. Excess coating is carefully cut off with a sharp knife or tucked under the base.
8. If a drawing or embossing needs to be applied to the cake, then this is done immediately, until the mass has hardened.

figurine making

After it became clear how to cover the cake with mastic, you can start making various decorations.

Since the mass resembles plasticine in structure, the necessary fragments are molded with active imagination. To connect the parts, they are moistened with a small amount of water and fastened. In order to add color to the elements, it is not necessary to use a colored mass, you can also mold the figures from white mastic, and then just paint them. Large decorations are best made in advance so that they have time to dry well. Details such as flowers are laid out immediately before serving, but a master class will help you understand the technology for attaching the figures. Cakes with such decorations should not be left in the refrigerator for a long time, otherwise they can absorb a lot of moisture and simply fall off.

What is sugar mastic?
Sugar mastic is a confectionery product - a paste made on the basis of powdered sugar. The rest of the ingredients tend to vary by manufacturer. For example, it can be: marshmallow, chocolate, honey, etc.
At first glance, as a rule, it looks like plasticine. About the same consistency. There are a large number of mastic flavor options, but the most popular among confectioners is vanilla. Almost all manufacturers of sugar paste make it with vanilla flavor. Mastic from different manufacturers can also vary in taste, despite the fact that both there and there it is vanilla.

Why do you need sugar paste?
Sugar mastic is used to cover cakes and create decorations (flowers, figurines, etc.). If you are planning to make a multi-colored cake, then the simplest solution is to cover it with fondant of different colors.

How long does mastic last?
The first thing to say about this is that there is practically nothing to spoil in mastic. Sugar paste has only two enemies - moisture and air. With high humidity (for example, too wet cakes or the filling of your cake), the mastic begins to melt, and in the air, it begins to dry out and harden. So, the mastic can be stored for as long as you like, if you store it in an airtight package.
When creating a cake, remember: First, don't make your cake filling too runny (Oil-based cream is ideal). Second - Do not store the finished cake in the air. Wrap it in cling film so it doesn't dry out. Also, drying out the mastic can ruin the look of your cake. It can be covered with cracks and grooves, like dried earth in hot weather.

Do I need to somehow prepare the cake for covering with sugar mastic?
It is best to prepare a cake. To do this, you can cover the cake with butter cream, boiled condensed milk or ganache (depending on how you smeared the layers of cakes). Then put the cake in the cold (for example, in the refrigerator), so that the surface freezes. After, you can start tightening.

How to cover a cake with fondant?
First, for this you will need:
Cake
rolling pin
Powdered sugar or starch
Iron for smoothing mastic
Paste cutter or knife
If all this is there, then you can proceed.
To begin, sprinkle the table with powdered sugar, or starch, as flour before rolling out the dough. This is necessary so that the mastic does not stick to your table. Take the pasta out of the package and knead it a little. Next, take a rolling pin and roll out the mastic to a thickness of 2 - 3 mm. Don't make it too thin or it will tear. If during rolling you notice air bubbles, then carefully cut this place with a knife, and release the air with your finger.
Now that the mastic is prepared, it can be transferred to the cake. Make sure that the cream with which the cake is covered has hardened sufficiently. Gently lift it up and place the center over the cake. Place carefully on the cake. Straighten the bottom edges of the mastic so that there are no wrinkles.
Next, take an iron to smooth the mastic and starting from the top of the cake, from the center to the edge, start smoothing the mastic. Thus, you expel the air trapped between the mastic and the cake. At the same time, it is not necessary to press hard, so that dents do not appear on the cake. Gently smoothing the top, go to the sides. From top to bottom, expel the air by pressing the fondant against the cake.
When the cake is covered, the excess fondant can be cut off with a knife, along the base of the cake or your backing.

When to decorate the cake with mastic figurines?
Before placing figures or flowers from mastic on the cake, they must dry out. As a rule, it is best to leave them in the air for 1-2 days. After they harden, they can decorate the cake. Therefore, if you decide to mold your own cake decorations, they should be created a day or two before the cake.
What to do if the mastic is torn during tight-fitting?
This happens, the main thing is not to panic, there is a way out! To do this, you will need a brush and water. Dip the brush into the water, moisten your “torn joint” with it and smooth the mastic until it sticks back together.