Not a single store-bought cake can replace the warmth and care that goes into home-baked goods. But for all the soulfulness of homemade sweets, they are rarely as pleasing to the eye as the creations of professional confectioners. Making cake mastic at home will help correct this state of affairs. We'll tell you what it is, how to use it, and offer you several recipes and culinary life hacks.

What is this?

Mastic is a sweet, pliable mass that resembles plasticine in consistency. With its help, you can make voluminous or flat decorations for cakes, as well as completely cover one or several tiers of the cake, obtaining the effect of a smooth, satin surface. The basis of the mastic is powdered sugar, which is why you should pay great attention to its choice: the finer the grind, the smoother and more elastic the mass will be.

How to prepare mastic?

First of all, you need to decide what you plan to use it for, because different compositions have different elasticity: for example, honey is great for covering cakes, but figurines made from it hold their shape less well, especially in hot rooms. Sugar is excellent for creating jewelry, but if the proportions are not respected or the layer is too thin, it can crumble and crack. Have goals been set? Then, go ahead, get to work! If you want to make your mastic colored, you can add gel food coloring at the dough kneading stage.

Sugar mastic

You will need:

Powdered sugar - 500 g
Water - 60 ml
Gelatin - 1 tsp.
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.
Vanillin.

How to cook:

Sift through powdered sugar through a fine sieve.
Pour gelatin with water for 20-30 minutes, then, stirring, heat in a water bath.
Add lemon juice and vanillin, and then start adding powdered sugar in small portions, stirring the mass.
Keep kneading sugar dough, without bringing the consistency to a solid mixture.
Wrap the finished mastic in cling film and store in the refrigerator.

Marshmallow mastic

You will need:

Marshmallow - 300 g
Water - 60-80 ml
Powdered sugar - 250 g
Vegetable oil

How to cook:

Melt the marshmallows with two teaspoons of water in a double boiler or microwave oven, stirring the mixture every 30 seconds.
Grease the mixer bowl and the dough whisk. vegetable oil, transfer the melted mass there, add powdered sugar and the remaining water.
Knead the sugar dough until it becomes a homogeneous elastic mass.
Place the mastic on a board greased with vegetable oil and bring it to the perfect consistency by hand.

Honey mastic

You will need:

Honey - 90 g
Water - 25 g
Instant gelatin - 8 g
Powdered sugar - 500 g

How to cook:

Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve.
Pour gelatin with water and leave to swell.
Send honey to water bath and wait until all sugar crystals are completely dissolved.
Mix gelatin with still hot honey and stir until completely dissolved.
Stir the honey-gelatin mass into the powdered sugar, avoiding the consistency becoming too dry.

Methods of decorating with mastic

Covering the cake

The mastic for covering the cake should be as elastic as possible, so if your mastic was stored in the refrigerator, before covering it you should warm it up or at least let it sit for a while. room temperature about an hour. If the mastic is sticky, grease the rolling pin and the board on which you will roll the mass with vegetable oil.

Roll out the mastic evenly, achieving a uniform layer of 3-5 mm, then take the finished canvas and cover the cake with it. Begin to carefully expel the air from the space between the biscuit and the mastic; if wrinkles form, it will be enough to simply smooth them out with a spatula or pastry spatula. Trim off any excess fondant using a pizza cutter and smooth it down at the base. The cake is ready!

"Lace" decor

For this type of design you will already need covered cake And Additional materials: for example, cutters. Cutter is a form for cutting dough or mastic, they come in different forms: from simple, large and round, to complex and small. The lace mastic should be a little denser and hold its shape well.

Roll out the mass on a board greased or sprinkled with starch until a layer of 3-4 mm is reached and cut it to the height of the side of the cake. Inside the resulting rectangle, start cutting out “lace” with cutters, for example, flowers. The combination of colored covering with white lace along the side looks very beautiful. Once the design is cut out, all that remains is to carefully separate the fondant from the board and smooth it onto the side of the cake. Pieces of cut out decor can be used to decorate the top of your confectionery masterpiece!

Roses made from mastic

You will need several round cutters of different diameters from 3 to 6 cm (you can use shot glasses), a rolling pin, a board, corn starch, water, brush, toothpicks.

Before work, the mastic needs to be properly kneaded in your hands so that it becomes more pliable, sprinkle the working surface corn starch, roll out the mastic into a thin layer of no more than 2 mm and cut it out using mug shapes - 5 of a smaller diameter and 5 of a larger one.

You need to run your fingers along the edge of each circle to make it thin and slightly wavy like a real one. pink petal. Leave the petals to dry for 10-15 minutes and begin assembling the flower.

In the center of each flower there should be a “bud” - a small cone of mastic. Now each petal needs to be slightly smeared with water at the base and gently smoothed onto the cone, forming a flower from the center to the edges. Place the base of the rose on a toothpick, bend the petals a little and leave the flower to dry. Afterwards, you can remove the rose from the toothpick and decorate the cake.

How to paint mastic if there is no dye?

You made a great mastic, but don’t have any gel dyes in the house? You can add a little color using products you have in your kitchen!

The red color comes from cranberry juice passed through a sieve or raspberry syrup. Beetroot will help you achieve pink. Yellow will come from an infusion of turmeric or saffron. carrot juice will give mastic Orange color. Blueberries or blackcurrants will create a beautiful shade of purple, and brown can be achieved with cocoa powder or strong coffee.

That's all, now you are in full confectionery combat readiness and can conquer your family with your culinary talents and pamper them with not only tasty, but also beautiful sweets!

Method for making marshmallow mastic at home:

Take a deep glass bowl and place marshmallows in it. Microwave safe dishes can be used.
Add lemon juice and butter.
Place in the microwave for a few seconds. The marshmallow should begin to melt, but do not allow it to completely dissolve or boil. As a rule, it takes 25–30 seconds to achieve the desired consistency, but due to different oven power, this process may take longer or faster.
Remove and stir until smooth.
Mix starch and powdered sugar.
Gradually add powder and starch into the mixture, mixing thoroughly each time.
When the mixture becomes thick and pliable, stops sticking to your hands and begins to shine, wrap it in cling film and place in the refrigerator for a day.

Recommended holding time ready mixture in the refrigerator - from 24 hours or more. But before using mastic to decorate a cake, it should be kept indoors at room temperature for several hours without removing it from the film.

Advice! When making mastic, always use store-bought powdered sugar. It must be very fine, which cannot be achieved at home. If there are grains of sugar in the powder, the mass will begin to tear.

How to color mastic for making figurines

Before sculpting, you should paint the mastic in the desired colors. To do this, use natural gel dyes. They are very economical, thick and concentrated, making it possible to obtain as bright rich colors, as well as delicate warm shades.

To color fondant, separate a small ball of material, make a well in the center and add a little food coloring. Then stir vigorously until the color is uniform. After coloring, each piece must be wrapped in cling film to avoid drying.

You can color it already finished figure with a brush, but in in this case You need experience and good artistic abilities. It is important not to paint on different parts of the figure and to be careful.

Making figurines from mastic

The basic design principle for the figure itself is quite simple:

If you plan to transport ready product, it is recommended to make a wire frame that will securely secure the position and individual parts of the mastic figurine. The frame is also made in the case of a strong inclination of the figure.
The face of a cartoon character or person can be made using a special mold, or using ordinary dolls with a relief profile.
Various parts, such as the head and body, are connected using toothpicks or skewer.
Small details, such as fingers, fringe on clothes, etc., are cut out with a knife or an artistic cutter.
Patterns on the surface are drawn with a toothpick.
Details such as eyes, lips, eyelashes, eyebrows, small fragments of clothing are colored with edible markers.
To add shine to elements or give a natural look, use kandurin. It is diluted in vodka and applied to the figurine with a brush.

The finished figurine hardens within a few hours and is stored in a closed container at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Important! During the modeling process, do not remove the main mass from the cling film. Having separated the desired piece from it, immediately wrap the edges of the film so that the mastic does not harden.

How to make flowers from mastic

Flowers are the most popular, spectacular and traditional decoration for cakes. Mastic for creating flowers is particularly flexible, since it is rolled out in a very thin layer that should not tear.

Milk mastic recipe for flowers

To create simple compositions, you can use a milk recipe:

Mix sifted powdered sugar in equal proportions, powdered milk and condensed milk. Knead until you obtain a homogeneous, thick mass.
Divide the mixture into several parts and color with food coloring.
Wrap each part in cling film and place in the refrigerator for a day.

If you want to make more complex flower bouquets with thin, graceful petals and miniature details, you need to use stabilizers as an ingredient, similar in properties to food glue.

Marshmallow flower mastic recipe

Ingredients:

Egg white - 1 pc.
Tragant - 2 teaspoons;
Sifted powdered sugar - 250 grams.

In addition, you will need pre-prepared marshmallow mastic.

Method for preparing marshmallow flower mastic for cake:

Mix the protein, tragacanth and powder until a homogeneous, plastic mass.
Wrap in cling film and leave for 4 hours.
Add marshmallow mastic in a ratio of 1/3 to the previously prepared mass, mix thoroughly, wrap in film and leave in the refrigerator for a day.

There are more complex recipes, when carboxymethylcellulose (food stabilizer E466), culinary shortening, astragalus gum and other elements are added to the composition of the mass.

Advice! To ensure that the mastic rolls out well and does not stick to the equipment, wrap cutting board With cling film, sprinkle your hands and rolling pin with powdered sugar or starch.

How to form flowers from mastic

To form beautiful buds you will need: a mastic ball, foam rubber, foil, molds for cutting out flowers and petals, silicone viners, a toothpick.

An example of making a rose from mastic:

Prepare the core for the flower - form an elongated circle in the shape of a drop and leave to dry for 2 hours.
Roll out mastic pancakes in a thin layer, cut out a flower with a mold. Use a ball along the edges of the leaves to give them a natural, curved shape.
Place the core on one edge of the toothpick.
Place the cut out flower on a foam stand and pierce the center with a toothpick so that the core falls onto the petals.
Fold the petals onto the core in the following sequence: 1, 3, 5, 2, 4. This will make the rose look more natural. Leave the workpiece for 10 minutes.
Make the next layers three-leafed, i.e. remove the 2nd and 4th petals. The procedure for applying to the workpiece is the same as in the previous paragraph.
Repeat this manipulation with the remaining layers until you achieve the desired thickness of the bud.
The flower is dried with the head down.

If the petals of a flower do not fit tightly to one another, such as those of a lily or an orchid, then thin foam inserts are placed between the layers. These flowers are made on foil, which is placed on top of the glass, creating a small depression. To better connect the layers to each other, you can lightly lubricate the attachment point with a brush dipped in water.

Achieve the desired shape Special cuttings of petals and leaves will help; you can make veins with a weiner or a toothpick. You can buy a special one confectionery equipment which includes everything necessary tools to give shape and pattern.

If you don’t have time for complex manipulations, use a 2D mold. Mastic is placed in the mold different colors, placed in the freezer for 5 minutes, then the finished flower is carefully removed from the mold.

Dry the fondant decorations well at room temperature and attach them to the cake just before serving. If you secure the flowers in advance and put them in the refrigerator, they will become saturated with moisture and fall off.

DIY pastilage

A recipe for mastic with gelatin or pastillage is often used to create complex flowers or figures with miniature elements for decorating a cake. This mass retains its given shape well, is very plastic and hardens quickly. At the same time, gelatin mastic is quite cheap financially, unlike other types.

Making pastillage is not easy. To ensure that the mass has the desired consistency, does not tear when rolling and does not crumble, it is necessary to strictly follow the technology for working with gelatin.

Ingredients for pastillage:

Gelatin - 25 g;
Sugar - 2 cups;
Powdered sugar - 1.2 kg;
Starch - 300 g;
Water - 1 glass;
Maple or corn syrup - 170 g;
Salt - on the tip of a teaspoon.

Method for preparing cake pastilage:

Pour gelatin into 0.5 cups of cold water and leave for several hours.
Put the gelatin on the fire and hold until the lumps are completely dissolved. Do not bring to a boil, otherwise the product will lose its properties. Strain.
Mix sugar, syrup, salt and 0.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place the mixer into the hot mixture and begin whisking, slowly adding the gelatin.
Beat at maximum speed until the total mass increases significantly. The mixture becomes airy, fluffy and white, increasing almost 3 times its original volume. The desired consistency is usually achieved in 10–13 minutes.
Replace the beater attachments with spiral beaters and continue mixing, gradually adding powdered sugar.
As a result, you will get a thick snow-white mastic, which you need to cover on top with cling film and leave for a day at room temperature.
The next day, place the mastic from the bowl onto a cutting board thickly strewn with starch. Knead the mixture, wrap it in film and put it in the refrigerator for a day.

Be sure to sift the flour and strain the gelatin through a fine sieve before using. Undissolved lumps make the mass less elastic, it begins to tear when stretched, and loses its even, homogeneous structure.

How to make mastic for covering a cake

The cake wins for beauty and taste qualities when completely covered with a soft and thick paste. Covering the surface of the cakes will not be difficult if you choose the right recipe mastics.

Sugar mastic recipe

Suitable for decorating a cake with a single-color filling sugar mastic. It has a very soft texture, rolls out well in a thin layer and is evenly distributed, fitting the cakes. You can also use milk or marshmallow paste.

Ingredients:

Gelatin - 2 tbsp;
Powdered sugar - 3 cups;
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.

Cooking method:

Place instant gelatin in cold water for 40 minutes. Place on the fire and melt until the lumps disappear completely.
Add powdered sugar and mix thoroughly.
Add dye if you plan to get a certain color of mastic, mix until you get a uniform tone.
To make the mixture less cloying, add lemon juice.
After kneading the paste, wrap it in film and place it in the refrigerator for a day.

Covering the cake is quite simple. The main condition is to level the sides and surface of the product using marzipan paste, ganache, buttercream or condensed milk.

The cake should not be too soaked and its surface should not be wet. Place it in the refrigerator after leveling so that the cream becomes firm.

The cake is covered with mastic as follows:

Place the mastic on a cutting board covered with film, knead it and roll it out with a rolling pin so that the surface is no thinner than 3-4 mm.
Measure the cake based on its diameter and height. The rolled out mass should cover the entire cake, leaving a margin of 10–15 cm at the edges. This diameter will allow the mastic to lie flat and be evenly distributed over the entire surface.
Carefully lift the fondant and cover the cake, carefully leveling it over the top layer and sides.
Trim off the excess pasta at the base with a pizza cutter.
Level with a spatula.
If the canvas is torn, you can smooth out the hole with a brush dipped in water.

How to make cake mastic at home - watch the video:

Mastic prepared independently is original and delicious decoration For homemade baked goods. You can completely envelop the cake with it, make beautiful patterns, flowers or personal inscriptions, sculpt figures or create a three-dimensional composition on the product that will delight the craftswoman and surprise the guests.

Other photos:

Never has a celebration been complete without birthday cake. But people have special requirements for this delicacy.

It's not enough that the birthday cake tastes good. A modern view of things and Newest technologies today they dictate the requirement that such an attribute festive table was as beautiful as possible.

Today, mastic is increasingly used to decorate birthday cakes. The confectionery product itself is covered with it, and magnificent figures of various designs are made from it. There are also women who can fashion a whole composition out of this mass.

Mastic is a mass that consists of sugar and various thickeners (both natural and artificial). It is easy to make at home, but can also be purchased in the store.

Home is an option for supporters natural products. Store-bought products are produced industrially and are characterized by the presence of artificial components in their composition.

In ordinary human language, mastic is plasticine that allows you to sculpt jewelry and is edible.

Types of mastic

In the confectionery industry, there are only two types of mastic:

Gelatinous;
Dairy.

These types differ from each other only in the complexity of production and the personal preferences of the confectioners. Both one and the other are ideal in the process of making jewelry.

The basis of milk mastic is powdered sugar, condensed and powdered milk. By mixing these components, it becomes possible to achieve the plasticity required for work. The mass is easy to make and pleasant to work with.

Gelatin mastic takes a lot more time to prepare. This is a rather lengthy process. Moreover, you must not miss the time when the gelatin cools down, but still does not lose its elasticity.

These types of mastic have their own specific subtypes:

Honey;
Industrial;
Marzipan and others.

Preparation honey version based on the fact that honey is added to the components used traditionally. The resulting mass allows you to make various figures from it and not worry that they will crumble.

Industrial mastic refers to the one that is sold in stores. Its production requires special equipment, so it is created exclusively in production.

The marzipan version is based on all the traditional components, but to this composition they add almond. Figures cannot be sculpted from such mastic; it is not suitable for creating inscriptions. Its main purpose is to cover confectionery.

Depending on the end use of the mastic, it can be:

Sugar (the surface of the product is covered and covered with it, used in modeling simple jewelry, compositions, figures);
Floral (it is easy to work with, it is plastic, rolls out well, holds its shape perfectly and dries quickly - used only when modeling jewelry and flowers);
Modeling (its main feature is soft inside and hard outside; due to the fact that it dries slowly, it becomes possible to create various shapes and devote more time to this process).

Depending on the purpose, mastic is divided into the following types:

For sculpting;
For tight fitting.

A mass intended for modeling is one in which the thickener is present in small quantities. This allows it to maintain its elasticity for a long time. Used to create figures and details decorating confectionery products.

The mass intended for covering is rolled into plates, then the surface of the confectionery product is covered with it. This mass contains a lot of thickener, so tightening the product must be done quickly.

How to make cake mastic at home

Among the masters involved in the preparation of confectionery products, certain recipes for mastic have been developed. Let's pay attention to the most common of them.

Universal milk

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice, dyes and cognac and mix well. The mass is kneaded until it is elastic (if it sticks to your hands, powdered sugar is also added to it).

If the mass begins to crumble, you need to add a small amount of lemon juice. To give the mixture a bright color, add a few drops of food coloring.

Sugar made from gelatin

To prepare mastic from gelatin (sugar), you will need the following products:

10 gr. gelatin;
60 ml water;
600 gr. powdered sugar;
2 tsp. lemon juice;
Food coloring.

Gelatin is soaked in cold water and wait for it to swell. After this, the water in which the swollen gelatin is placed is placed on fire.

With constant stirring, wait until the gelatin is completely dissolved. You need to control so that the water does not boil. Otherwise, the mastic will be of poor quality.

Then you need to pour the powdered sugar onto the table, give it the shape of a slide and make a depression in it. Pour gelatin into this depression and begin to knead the mass.

If the mastic crumbles, you need to add lemon juice to the mixture. Food colors are added as desired.

Classic marshmallow

To prepare classic mastic (from marshmallow) you will need:

Powdered sugar (the quantity is adjusted during the cooking process);
200 gr. soft marshmallows (marshmallow);
10 ml water;
Dye for food.

Place the marshmallows in a large bowl that can be placed in the microwave and add water to it. The bowl is then placed in the microwave for 40 seconds.

When the marshmallows melt, add powdered sugar to the mixture. Knead until it becomes elastic.

You must not overdo it with the amount of powdered sugar. Otherwise, the mass will be rough and difficult to work with. At this stage, add food coloring if necessary.

When the mass reaches the consistency and color as planned, wrap it in cling film and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. After that you can work with it.

Chocolate

For cooking chocolate mastic The following products are needed:

100 gr. dark chocolate;
50 ml 30% cream;
1 tbsp. l. butter (butter);
10 ml cognac;
100 gr. marshmallow of any color;
125 gr. powdered sugar.

Place chocolate, broken into pieces, into a container and place on low heat. Do not remove from heat until the mastic is completely ready.

When the chocolate is completely melted, add marshmallows to it. With constant stirring, you need to wait until half of the marshmallow has dissolved. After this, butter, cream and cognac are added.

The whole mass is constantly stirred until it acquires a uniform thick consistency. Then remove it from the heat, add powdered sugar, cool slightly, shape it into a ball and transfer it to baking paper.

The mass is ready for further work or storage.

With egg white

To prepare mastic with egg white, you will need:

2 tbsp. l. glucose syrup;
Half a kilo of powdered sugar;
1 egg white.

First, mix the glucose and egg white, then add powdered sugar and mix well. Then roll it into a ball, put it in a bag and leave it in it for 2 hours.

After this, knead again. If the mass does not lag well from your hands, add a small amount of powdered sugar to it.

Honey

Honey mastic is prepared using such products as:

2 tbsp. l. honey;
Half a kilo of powdered sugar;
2 tbsp. l. butter (butter);
10 gr. edible gelatin;
120 ml water.

Gelatin is poured with water for half an hour, then completely dissolved using a water bath. Honey is mixed with butter and added to gelatin.

Powdered sugar is gradually added to this mass. While mixing the ingredients, the mass is constantly stirred with a spoon as long as possible.

When it becomes impossible to stir with a spoon, knead the mastic with your hands until a smooth and elastic consistency is obtained.

Mastic coloring and storage

You can add color to the mastic:

Gel food coloring;
Dry food coloring.

To color the mass with gel dye, you need to drop a few drops of the selected color into it. After this, the mass is kneaded.

You must remember that you will have to knead thoroughly and intensively. If this is not done, the mass will harden and the dye will be distributed unevenly.

When coloring the mass with dry dye, the required amount is placed in a container, and then a couple of drops of water are added. The resulting mass is added to the mastic.

At the same time, you cannot pour out all the dye at once. You need to drip drop by drop into different places of the mastic. After this, the mass is mixed.

If you need to get black mastic, then it is useless to look for food coloring of that color. It simply doesn't exist.

To give the mass a black color, you need to mix yellow, blue, and red powder dyes in a ratio of 1:2:1. In the event that after mixing the indicated shades you get black-green color, you need to add a little red dye directly to the mass.

Mastic should be stored in cling film(can be used plastic bag) in the freezer. Shelf life - no more than three months.

How to sculpt figures and decorate a cake

If the mastic is well prepared, it will not be difficult to fashion figures from it. Working with mass is reminiscent of modeling from plasticine. To connect the parts of the figures, as well as to glue the decoration, you need to slightly moisten the place to which we are gluing.

To make figurines it is not necessary to use dyes. You can make them from white mastic and then paint them with food paint.

Decorating a cake with made figures is much easier than making them. It is enough to take any picture as a basis and follow the placement of the figures as indicated on it.

will make the cake softer and more tender. This cake is delicious creamy taste and delicate aroma.

When indoor humidity is high, moisture may form on a fondant cake taken out of the refrigerator. It is best to serve this cake immediately. If this cannot be done, then the surface of the cake can be blotted with a napkin, which will remove moisture.

During the preparation of mastic, it may not roll out well. To prevent this, you can warm it up a little in the microwave.

After drying, figurines made from mastic are stored in a box, which must be dry and tightly closed.

The mastic coating is not applied to a damp surface, since the mass can dissolve.

The powdered sugar used to make mastic should be finely ground. This will prevent the dough from breaking when rolling.

Mastic will turn even a simple cake into a confectionery masterpiece. You can create any decoration from it. Anyone can learn the basics of working with mastic - it's not difficult. From the article you will learn how easy it is to make mastic with your own hands, how to cover a cake with it, and what is the difference between the types of mastic.

Covering a cake with fondant or creating decorations with it is an easy way to turn ordinary baked goods into a confectionery masterpiece. You can buy mastic or make it yourself. You can gain basic skills in the art of working with mastic paste using master classes with photos and videos.

Ready-made sugar mastic is always available in the online store Supermarket for confectioners in this section. You can buy online products made in England, the Netherlands, Turkey and other countries. Available as "basic" white mastic, and colored. The price of a package of colored mastic is about 240 rubles.

This mastic for professionals and novice confectioners has all the necessary properties:

homogeneous;
stretches well, does not crumble;
with a neutral sweet taste or with different tastes.

In addition, you can immediately purchase exactly the type of mastic that is best suited for your purposes. There are three categories:

universal;
for covering;
for sculpting.

If you want to try making a plastic mass with your own hands, then this is also possible.

Mastic at home

First, determine for what purpose you need to make mastic. Dairy (based on powdered or condensed milk), chocolate and marshmallow mastic are suitable for covering cakes. To create figures - chocolate, sugar and marshmallow.

Homemade marshmallow mastic is the most popular and simplest recipe. If you follow all the steps step by step, you will get an almost universal mass.

In total, you need four components - marshmallows (100 g), powdered sugar (250 g), a little citric acid and water.

Place the marshmallows in a bowl, add a pinch of citric acid diluted in a tablespoon of water.
Place the bowl in the microwave at maximum power. The marshmallows should melt well.
Start mixing powdered sugar into the mixture. Work like you would with dough - the mastic should become smooth and elastic.
Roll the finished lump in powdered sugar, wrap in film and place in the refrigerator for half an hour. After this, you can begin the cake decorating process!

This one is delicious and simple mastic for cake can be easily painted using food coloring. There are two ways to add color to the mass:

add dye while kneading - this will give you delicate shades;
paint already ready cake or a figurine. The color will be brighter, you can combine tones and paint complex decorations. But be sure to let the surface dry!

Another type of mastic intended for sculpting jewelry and figurines is gelatin. It is snow-white and hardens quickly. It is good for sculpting trees and bridges. You will need:

0.5 tsp gelatin (2 grams),
2 tsp water (10 ml.)
100 gr. powdered sugar
a couple drops of lemon juice.

You need to let the gelatin swell in water, then melt it in a water bath. After dissolving, add powder little by little, kneading like dough. Make sure that the mixture does not become too thick - if it starts to crack, add lemon juice.

Working with mastic

Working with mastic is not like that difficult process, as it may seem. You just need to take into account a few important rules.

If you make your own mastic, use high-quality powdered sugar. It should be free of grains - the sugar crystals will cause the mastic layer to tear.
To glue the fondant decoration onto the cake, moisten the desired area of the surface. Parts of the assembled figures can be glued together with egg white.
Large figures must be made in advance and allowed to dry.
Complex and voluminous flowers should be stored in the refrigerator after drying, and glued shortly before serving the cake. Otherwise, they will absorb moisture from the air and may lose their shape.
To make the surface shiny, brush the cake with vodka 10-20 minutes before serving. The alcohol will quickly disappear and the cake will be shiny.
Dry and gel dyes are best suited for coloring.
You can easily color the mastic at the kneading stage by rolling it into a ball and making a depression in the center. The dye is applied with a toothpick. Then knead.

Don't take it right away complex shapes and figures: tighten round cake, make simple flowers or cut-out decorations.

The nuances of working with mastic for cakes

If you want to cover the cake with mastic, you need to first prepare the surface of the product. Suitable for mastic chocolate ganache, oil or caramel cream, marzipan. This “layer” will help the mastic keep its shape: it “floats” from moisture, so on cakes with impregnation or sour cream it cannot be applied.

Sometimes it is advised to cover the top crust and sides apricot jam. But in this case, the mastic “wrapper” of the cake will swell from moisture.

A few more tips:

Pre-level the surface: apply the cream, smooth it with a spatula, let it harden in the refrigerator, and then check that the layer is even. Mastic will not hide unevenness.
It is better not to store the finished cake in the refrigerator for a long time. If you take out a product and it is covered with microdroplets of water, do not wash it, let it evaporate on its own. Otherwise, stains will remain on the mastic.
Don't roll out the mixture too thin. The ideal thickness is 3-4 mm. The table or board should be sprinkled with powder or starch. A silicone mat will also work well.

Working with cake fondant is easier if you use a few useful tools. These include:

perfectly smooth rolling pin;
leveling iron;
rotating stand;
roller for trimming edges.

All this can be purchased in the section “for mastic and marzipan” on the online store website Supermarket for confectioners.

Decorating a cake with fondant - how to do it

To make a cake with mastic - simple or complex, there is no need to rush. Then even a novice pastry chef will be able to make his own small masterpiece. The algorithm for a simple cake wrap looks like this:

roll out a circle of mastic. The diameter of the circle should be approximately equal to twice the height of the cake plus its diameter. Add to this a couple of centimeters “for trimming”;
roll the mixture onto a rolling pin and transfer it to the cake;
Smooth the top with an iron, being careful not to stretch the mass. Then smooth out the corners;
Carefully press down the sides to remove any creases. Walk the iron over the surface;
trim off the excess with a roller.

On average, a cake with a diameter of 15 cm and a height of 10 will require half a kilo of mastic. And for large ones, with a diameter of 35 cm - two kilograms.

If you didn’t calculate correctly and there are still bubbles on the surface, you can get rid of them by lifting the edge of the layer and laying it down again. If you have leveled the top and moved on to the sides, there is no need to return to it and smooth it further, because the mastic will stretch.

Decorating a cake with fondant can be done using prepared circles exactly along the diameter of the cake and ribbons of a contrasting color for the sides.

A textured surface can be easily created using tongs. Using pastry tongs, like tweezers, “grab” a piece of mastic and pinch it. With this device you can make geometric patterns, leaves, hearts.

Mastic cake decorating ideas

Mastic decorations can be used to decorate cakes of any size. Elements made from this mass go well with sugar beads or pearls, sprinkles and other confectionery decor.

An elegant and simple option is to cover the cake with elongated triangles of pearl fondant. The elements need to be layered on top of each other to create a ruched effect on the fabric. You can place several large sugar beads in the center.

A very effective decoration for mastic cakes is the use of figures cut out with cookie cutters. Snowflakes, hearts, and leaves look good against a contrasting background.

Delicate and very romantic decor - multi-colored “skirts” made of mastic on the sides of the cake. You need to cut out the ribbons, carefully make “assemblies” using a wooden knitting needle or stick and glue them to the cake. For more reliable fastening, you can use needles or pins - when the decoration dries, they can be easily removed. Additionally, you can cut out mastic bows.

You can make “marble” or “zebra” decor from mastic of different colors: contrasting ribbons, thin ribbons should be placed on a mastic circle, and then rolled out until smooth.

Mastic cake secrets for beginners

The best cake layers with mastic coating- biscuit, but there are recipes that allow you to use shortbread and even soufflé. However, if you want to make a soufflé cake, there should be sponge layers on top and bottom. Otherwise, the mastic will flow and the cake will lose its shape.

The basic version for a sponge cake is a dough made from eggs, sugar, flour and butter. Proportions vary depending on the recipe. The cake layered with the selected cream must be placed in the refrigerator for soaking. You can even press it on top with a press so that it takes shape.

Then you need to trim the sides to make it easier to cover with mastic. If the cake is made up of several parts, you need to make the desired shape. For convex elements, you can make a mixture of biscuit crumbs and cream for mastic. It’s easy to disguise unevenness with it.

A simple cream recipe - made from butter and condensed milk. Beat a stick of butter with a mixer until a white mass is obtained and add half a can of condensed milk. Whisk again. Cover the cake with cream and put it in the refrigerator. Then use a heated dry spatula to smooth out any unevenness.

You can start covering the cake with fondant!

For beginners, you can apply any design or inscription to a mastic cake using a stencil and a special dye or food markers.

Simple flowers are made using cups and other containers of different diameters: circles are cut out, and then the flower is assembled.

Simple mastic cake, basic recipe

If you want to make a cake quickly, then the most easy option- use ready-made cakes. Next you need to “assemble” the product:

The “inner” cream with which the cakes are layered can be used in almost any way to your taste, for example, creamy, custard, butter.

To make the cake tastier, the layers can be additionally layered with dried fruits, fresh fruit that do not get soggy, or alternate between cream and sour jam;
The top layer is covered with butter cream.
An even simpler option is to use a ready-made chocolate spread. You need to heat it slightly so that it spreads better, and then cool the cake in the refrigerator.
Cover the finished cake with fondant as usual. If the excess mass is trimmed unevenly, the bottom edge of the cake can be decorated with sides or cut out openwork ribbons.

This is the simplest mastic cake, basic recipe- you can even prepare it with your children, who will enjoy sculpting from a pliable mass, like plasticine.

IN Supermarket for the pastry chef You can purchase felt-tip pens for drawing with mastic, equipment for creating flowers and figures, ready-made sweet flowers and much more. You can make your own little confectionery masterpiece in just a few hours.

If you like to bake cakes yourself, sooner or later this dilemma will arise. - how to decorate beautifully home cake. For such a case, DIY cake mastic is ideal. If you do not use dyes to prepare mastic, you can get a festive white cake. By adding dye to the mastic, you can add solemnity and brightness to the cake.

DIY mastic is an excellent material for decorating a homemade cake. You can make different figures from mastic: flowers, toys, animals, people, houses, etc. In general, everything your heart desires.

Types of mastic for cake

There are two types of cake mastic:

Gelatin sugar mastic;
Sugar paste with condensed milk.
If you make mastic from condensed milk, the figures will turn out soft and natural, but if you use gelatin, the mastic will dry out quickly.

How to quickly make mastic for a cake?

Cake mastic can be made from chewing marshmallows.

Compound:

Chewing marshmallows - 200 g
Powdered sugar - to taste
Water - 2 tbsp.
Food coloring - 1 pinch

Preparation:

Pour marshmallows into a deep bowl and add water. Please note that when heated, marshmallows will double in size, so you can prepare them in 2 steps.
Place the plate, covered with a lid, with water and marshmallows in the microwave for 30 seconds (power - 800 W).
Add the dye to the prepared mass, having previously dissolved it in 1 ml of water.
Carefully add powdered sugar, sifting through a sieve. Constantly stir the mastic with a spoon, and when it becomes difficult to stir with a spoon, start kneading the mastic with your hands.
The consistency of the mastic should be similar to plasticine - it should not stick to your hands. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it with powdered sugar.
Roll the resulting mass into balls, wrap them in cling film and place in the refrigerator for half an hour. Then sprinkle the mastic with powdered sugar and roll out the mastic balls to a thickness of 2 mm.
The mastic is ready to decorate your homemade cake! If you need to glue the mastic, sprinkle the layers of mastic with some water. Please note that mastic cannot be placed on whipped cream, sour cream or jelly surface. The mastic applies best to oil creams or fruit and berry (for example, apricot) confiture.

How to make mastic at home?

Syrup composition:

Sugar - 350 g
Water - 150 ml
Citric acid - 2 g
Soda - 1.5 g

Marshmallow composition:

Water - 1 tbsp.
Gelatin - 25 g
Sugar - 2 tbsp.
Salt - 0.25 tsp.

Preparation:

To prepare the syrup, combine sugar and water in a separate pan, place the pan on the fire and bring to a boil. Add citric acid, cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer the syrup over low heat for 45 minutes.
After preparing the syrup, cool it and add soda. Stir the syrup periodically and it will be ready in 15 minutes. Invert syrup will be thick and similar in appearance to honey.
Now it’s time to prepare marshmallows - 0.5 tbsp. Soak the gelatin in water. Leave it to swell.
In the remaining 0.5 tbsp. dissolve sugar in water and add 160 ml of prepared invert syrup. Put the mixture on fire. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer the mixture over low heat for 8 minutes.
Heat the gelatin and pour into a deep bowl. Gently beat the gelatin with a mixer, gradually pouring in the prepared hot mixture.
Once you have poured all the hot mixture into the gelatin, increase the mixer speed and beat the mixture for about 10 minutes. As a result, you will get a thick mixture white.
If you need mastic right away, add powdered sugar to the mixture and knead until desired. If you need mastic later, line the bottom of the bowl with cling film, place the mastic and sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar. Put the mastic in the refrigerator, and when you need it, take it out and mold it into whatever you want!

DIY chocolate mastic for cake

Compound:

Dark chocolate - 100 g
Marshmallow - 90 g
Cream (30%) - 40 ml
Butter - 1 tbsp.
Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp.
Cognac - 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

Break the chocolate into a saucepan and place it in a water bath. The chocolate should be completely melted .
Without removing the pan from the heat, carefully pour the marshmallows into the chocolate. The mixture must be constantly stirred with a spoon.
When half the marshmallows have melted, pour the cream, cognac and butter into the pan. Stir the mixture constantly until the mixture becomes homogeneous and thick enough.
Then remove the pan with mastic from the heat. Constantly stirring the mastic with a spoon, add sifted powdered sugar.
When the mastic no longer lends itself to kneading with a spoon, “switch” to your hands.
Add powdered sugar until the mastic feels like elastic dough. It is noteworthy that the mastic does not stick to your hands.
Roll the mastic into balls, wrap them in baking paper and put them in the refrigerator.
The mastic is ready! You can decorate any homemade cake with it, the main thing is to show imagination and creativity.

Mastic for condensed milk cake

Compound:

Powdered sugar - 160 g
Condensed milk - 200 g
Lemon juice - 2 tsp.
Cognac - 1 tsp.
Powdered milk - 160 g

Preparation:

Combine dry milk and powdered sugar. Place the ingredients in a mound, gradually pouring in the condensed milk.
Knead the mixture until the mass becomes elastic and homogeneous. Don't forget to add lemon juice and cognac. Knead the mastic again.
Wrap the finished mastic in cling film and put it in the refrigerator until needed.
Mastic can be slightly “revived” with the help of food coloring. This is quite simple to do: make a small depression in the finished mastic, pour the dye of the desired color into it and knead the mastic, adding powdered sugar. You will see how the mastic changes color before your eyes. Ready colored mastic Wrap in film and put in the refrigerator.