ANIMATION IN SUGAR
Edibles
20.5cm (8”) round x 7cm (2¾”) deep cake, filled and crumb-coated Sugarpaste/rolled fondant: 1kg (2lb 3¼oz) pink, 150g (5¼oz) white SK Mexican Modelling Paste (MMP): 200g (7oz) Soft Beige, 50g (1¾oz) Teddy Bear Brown SK Sugar Florist Paste (SFP)/gum paste: 100g (3½oz) White SK Professional Paste Food Colour: Edelweiss (white) SK Designer Pastel Dust Food Colour: Pale Peach SK Professional Liquid Food Colours: Chestnut, Fuchsia 50g (1¾oz) SK Instant Mix Royal Icing
Equipment
Basic equipment SK Great Impressions Ballerina Head Mould by Carlos Lischetti, or a mould cast from your chosen head Design wheeler tool Food-grade soft foam pad 28cm (11”) Round cake drum/board 20cm (8”) round cake card
8 | DELIA’S MAGAZINE
6cm (23/8”) round x 6cm (23/8”) deep polystyrene dummy
Legs
1
Roll a piece of Soft Beige MMP into a sausage and stroke the paste halfway along to create the back of the knee. Roll one end into a long bottleneck shape to create the calf, leaving a tiny piece of paste at the end. Hold this tiny piece with your thumb and index finger and use your finger to push the paste upwards slightly towards the calf to create the heel. Flatten down the remaining paste in the opposite direction to point the foot then trim the end at an angle. Make a second leg in the same way. To bend the legs, press the back of a knife into the back of the knee and bend the paste to the angle required. Bend the right leg to a right angle and the left slightly less.
2
Leave both legs to dry on a soft foam pad until the paste is firm enough to handle. Leave them to dry
with the inner side of the leg facing down so that the flat side is hidden when the ballerina is assembled.
Shoes
3
Thinly roll out a small piece of White SFP on a non-stick board greased with a little vegetable fat. Cut out two teardrop (or round) shapes using a cutter and cut a ‘v’ shape into the rounded end. Brush the paste with a little edible glue and place it on the foot as shown in the picture. Bring the paste down and press gently to fit the shape of the foot. Trim away the excess paste with a small pair of scissors. Repeat on the other foot.
4
To make the ballet shoe ribbons, cut out a strip of White SFP and glue it to the right leg. Cut another strip of White SFP, attach one end to the shoe on the left leg and leave it to dry in a wavy shape. You can attach the ribbons now or once you have placed the ballerina on the cake.