Fondant Pointsettia Picture Tutorial

2010

The Holidays are over and now it is time to get back into the swing of things.  I will be teaching again for Dedham Public Schools Adult Education Program. And also doing another Enrichment program for  Avery Elementary School in Dedham, MA.  Along with my regular day job as Secretary and my 24-7 job as cake decorator.

I received a Web-Cam for Christmas and plan to use it to do live tutorials for cake decorating. I am in the process of working out the details and look forward to adding this feature in the new year.

In the meantime,during this Holiday Season , I had an order for Poinsettia Cupcakes. Cupcakes for grown-ups have become quite a trend lately. As I am sure you have noticed in visiting the many cupcake blogs that are active.  So I designed the flower and made a picture tutorial for you. I know the poinsettia season has passed but I wanted to get this on my blog. It will give you a chance to practice for the next Christmas Season.  As always, if you have any questions please email me or post any questions here so I can help.

POINSETTIA FLOWERS 

Tools: 

• Rolling pin
• Clean flat surface to roll out fondant
• Fondant shaping tools( large ball tool and pointed pic)
  
• Large plastic bag
• Plastic gloves
• Corn starch for dusting the fondant so it does not stick 
• Cake decorating airbrush/ red and gold airbrush colors
• or: Red and Gold Aerosol cans of Decorating spray
• Large rose leaf cutter
• Small rose leaf cutter
• Large pastry bag
• Large star tip
• 2 standard pastry bags
• #67 Leaf tip
• #3 round tip
  

Ingredients:

• Fondant 2 1/2 lbs (Approximately)
  
• Red food coloring
• Green icing
• Yellow icing
  
• White icing
• Wired Ribbon
• Florist wire
• Green glitter or sugar 

Step one: 
Figure how many petals you need for the quantity of cupcakes that you will be making.  I made 5 large and 5 small for each flower.  The standard poinsettia has 6 and 6 but it is too crowded on the cupcake with so many petals. Especially on the standard cupcake. Then make about 6 or 7 extra of each size in case some of the leafs break.

Step two: Put a large piece of fondant (1 1/2 pounds) in strong plastic bag

                Add red paste food coloring to fondant. Knead the fondant until the food coloring is                 blended.
Step three: Put on plastic gloves. Remove some of the fondant from the plastic bag and put it on              the  flat surface.
Step four: Begin rolling out with rolling pin dusted with corn starch to prevent sticking.
                You want it as think as possible but not so thin that is will crack when you handle it.

Step five: Cut the leaf shapes and put aside. Do not place one on top of the other for they will stick
                 together.

Step six: In your hand place a petal. With the ball tool rub the ball in and around the largest end of the
               leaf. This makes the petal take a semi rounded shape.  Then with the pointed tool make a                   line from the bottom center of the leaf to the tip to resemble the main vein.Then
               make marks on each side of the petal to resemble veins of the petal.
Step seven: Now with your fingers shape the petal where needed. Bring a nice point to the top of the petal and put some detail in the petal by pinching the sides.
Roll out another batch: Follow step Four through Six.
Continue till you have enough petals large and small for your flowers.

Let dry for about an hour. 


Step eight: Spray the petals with your red air brush or red aerosol color. Let dry completely. Best if left to dry overnight.

Step nine: Spray petals with your gold air brush or gold aerosol color on tips and lightly on petal.
Let dry completely.

 

 CUPCAKES: Makes 12 jumbo

•  Gold, red or green cupcake liners
  

•  One batch of your favorite cake recipe. Or one cake mix.
•  One batch of butter cream icing (approx 8 cups)
  

( I made my chocolate fudge cake recipe and added 6 regular size York Peppermint Patties chopped into small pieces for a nice minty flavor for the Season)

Bake according to directions

Let cool.  

Pipe on icing with butter cream icing with large star tip and pastry bag. 

PUTTING THE POINSETTIA TOGETHER

• Place five large petals on the outer rim of the cupcake about half way from center.Push gently to secure the petals in the icing.
  
• Place five small petals in the center of the cupcake. Pushing gently to secure. 
  

•        Pipe 4 or 5 yellow dots in the center of the flower with tip #3 and yellow icing.
  

•        Pipe green icing leafs under the red petals. Four or five around the cupcake. Use your    judgment for symmetry.
  
•        Put some green glitter on the yellow icing 

 Cut 12 five inch pieces of wired ribbon. Cut points at both ends. Pinch the center of the ribbon. Fold in half. Wrap a 4 inch piece of florist wire around center of ribbon.

Put the ribbon decoration on the cupcake.

Finis  

Keep on Baking!!! Fondly, DCRose