Mastic decorations turn a simple cake into a work of art. Sometimes the decorations are so beautiful, that it is even a pity to eat them!
Mastic is used for decoration of cakes and other confectionery products. You can use it to cover a finished cake and then the surface of cake because mastic can have soft and varied forms.
Decoration from mastic can turn a simple cake into a work of art. You can do all kinds of decorations with mastic: leaves, flowers, flower arrangements, various figures that decorate the cake. Sometimes the decorations are so beautiful, that it is even a pity to eat them!
Mastic at first sight is easy to prepare, but sometimes it doesn’t turn out on first try. Therefore it is necessary to have patience and practice with it, then you will learn to “feel” it. Mass should be pliable like clay, but should not stick to your hands. For a start it is better to experiment with a small amount of mastic.
In order to make a variety of products with mastic you can use stencils and cutters.
How to Cook Mastic
Mastic is prepared from sugar powder with the addition of water, gelatin and lemon juice. Also, glycerin and oil are added, it is done in order so mastic does not dry quickly. The sugar mass is kneaded for 15 minutes.
The finished mastic is better to knead on a table, which was previously sprinkled with powdered sugar, some starch can also be used. This must be done to prevent the sticking of mastic to the table and hands while work with it.
Mastic can be colored with beet juice, spinach juice, carrot juice, juice of various fruits or colorants which are sold in stores.
The finished mastic should be packed in plastic wrap so it does not dry.
It is necessary to decorate cakes with mastic after the cream hardens. It is best if the cake is covered with marzipan mass or the surface of the cake consists of a dry biscuit.
How to Cover a Cake with Mastic
In order to cover the cake with mastic, it is necessary to put it on a turntable, so it is more convenient to work with. The surface of the table should be sprinkled with powdered sugar, then roll the mastic up to 5 mm of thickness on the table. The rolled mastic must be wider than the cake.
Using a rolling pin, put the mastic on the cake. Sprinkle the hands with some starch and make even mastic at first on the surface of the cake, so that it should densely adjoin to it and then put it on the sides. Cut extra mastic on the base of the cake off with a knife. Some figures or other decorations can be made from the remnants – leaves or flowers.
If further cake decoration is not provided, the mastic can be wrapped in plastic wrap and put away for storing in the refrigerator, but no more than 2 weeks.
Here are 3 Recipes of Mastic for Cakes
Simple mastic with gelatin
Ingredients:
- powdered sugar – 450 +/- 50 g,
- gelatin (powder) – 2 tsp,
- water – 50 ml.
Instructions:
Pour gelatin into a bowl of cold water, stir and leave for swelling. Melt (approx. ed – dissolve) it in a water bath, and cool down.
Sift powdered sugar, pour the gelatin and mix to obtain homogeneous mass. Roll it into a ball and store it in a plastic bag. If the mass in the cooking process turns sticky, add powdered sugar. If you have already achieved good mastic and powder on the table still persists, continue kneading to remove the excess powder.
Mastic with egg white
Ingredients:
- powdered sugar – 450-500 g,
- glucose syrup – 2 tsp,
- egg white – 1 piece.
Instructions:
Mix in a bowl the egg white and glucose. Add the powdered sugar (450 g), previously sieved, and mix until obtaining homogeneous mass. Roll it into a ball and store it in a plastic bag, leave it for 2 hours. Then knead again. If the mass gets sticky, add powdered sugar. If you have already received good mastic and powder on the table still persists, continue kneading, removing excess powder.
Mastic with a vegetable oil
Ingredients:
- powdered sugar (sifted) – 450 +/- 50 g
- powdered gelatin – 1 tablespoon
- vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons
- the egg white – 1 piece
- cold water – 30ml
- liquid glucose – 1 tbsp.
Instructions:
Pour gelatin into a bowl of cold water, stir and leave for swelling and then dissolve it in the water bath and cool. Add the glucose, vegetable oil and mix it. Add the egg white, mix again and join with powdered sugar. Stir the mixture cooking spatula until a shaped mass.
Put the resulting mass on the table, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and knead until obtaining homogeneous mass. Roll it into a ball and store it in a plastic bag, leave it for 1-2 hours. Then knead again and start rolling out or sculpting.
If you cook with a mastic small figures or other items, then keep the rest of the mass in a plastic bag.
