12_70136x_ch09.qxd
7/17/06
3:47 PM
Page 139
CARROT AND BANANA
139
sert into the marzipan balls. Let dry for 1 hour. Petal dust the grape balls with super-pearl petal dust. Carefully gather the balls by the wires. Adjust the grapes so no one grape is on the same plane. Twist the wires together or wrap a 1-in. (2.54 cm) piece of florist tape around the wires (see the right side of Illustration 9.5).
Quick Prep 1 oz (28 g) orange marzipan 1 oz (28 g) yellow marzipan 1⁄2 oz (14 g) green marzipan Xacto knife leaf-green and chocolate-brown gel food colors #1 sable paintbrush cone and serrated tools nonstick rolling pin small rose calyx cutter
]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]] ]]
New Skill: Carrot and Banana
Decorator’s Hint Super-pearl petal dust is a sparkled luster that gives a brilliant sheen to gumpaste flowers and marzipan.
C A R R OT
Knead 1 oz (28 g) orange marzipan and shape it into a ball. Place the ball on the work surface and place the fingers of your writing hand on it. Rotate the paste back and forth, applying pressure at the left side of the ball. Continue to rotate the marzipan until the left side comes to a point. Alternatively, pick up the marzipan in your writing hand and use the fingers of your other hand to rotate the tip of the paste into a point. Score shallow, short lines around the carrot with an Xacto knife, just scratching the surface with random short strokes. Score a three-quarter view; there is no need to score the paste underneath. Insert the cone side of the cone and serrated tools at the large end of the carrot. Make a cavity 1⁄2-in. (1⁄3 cm) deep. Brush a little water inside the cavity.
Illustration 9.6 Left: Short lines scored around the body of the carrot give it texture. Right: Green and brown gel colors are added to the yellow banana marzipan for a natural look.