Gum paste is a sugar-based decorative paste used in baking to create an assortment of custom designs. Making flowers, leaves and all types of other edible decorations is possible with gum paste, which has a clay-like texture allowing it to be crafted into nearly any shape. If rolled thinly, gum paste dries quickly. However, more complex designs require thicker pieces of gum paste, which can take up to 24 hours to dry. If time is of the essence, gum paste can be dried faster using some tricks of the trade.
Place an expanded polystyrene foam block on your table or counter top, or somewhere your decoration won't be touched.
Sprinkle cornstarch on the block.
Carefully place your gum paste decoration on the block.
Place your small fan close by your decoration sitting atop the block. Aim the fan at the block and turn it on. Set the fan to a reasonable setting so that your decoration receives adequate airflow but isn't being physically moved.
Carefully turn around your decoration every hour.
Warning
Do not attempt to dry your gum paste decorations in any sort of oven or heat source.
Writer Bio
Steve Cortis began writing professionally in 2011. His work has been published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer's "Proceedings of the 36th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference." Cortis holds a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from the College of New Jersey.