Ready To Roll as
a Decorative Medium
What is
RTR?
RTR(Ready to roll) is an icing
which is pliable and can be used to cover cakes or can be molded into decorative shapes to make a
showpiece or cake toppers.Gum paste, Fondant, Marzipan, all come under Ready to
roll icing.
Other rolled icings:
• Candy Clay - Can be made with a mixture of
heated Candy Melts and corn syrup. Dough-like consistency that is rolled out
before applied to cake. Edible and sweet. Also makes a delicious chocolate
candy.
• Rolled
Butter cream - Made
from stiff American butter cream and confectioners sugar which are kneaded
together. Dough-like consistency that is rolled out before applied to cake. Sweet
and similar to fondant.
Gum paste
Gum paste or
pastillage or sometimes called candy clay is used for making fancy and delicate
decorations. It has been used by confectioners since the late medieval period
and is quite popular with cake designers today. Although it is made up of
edible items it is not consumed as it is brittle, hard and tasteless, so used
only as centerpieces.
Recipe :
Icing sugar-500g
Gelatin-12g
Water-60ml
Lemon juice-10ml
Procedure:
•
Bloom the gelatin in water and melt it.
•
Sift the icing sugar.
•
Make a pliable dough by kneading the icing sugar
with the melted gelatin . Add the lemon juice at the end to give brighter
color.
•
Keep the dough covered at all times . Add lemon
juice to dough if it becomes too dry/add cornstarch if its too moist.
Rolled Fondant
Fondant can be made at home or
bought from supermarkets. It remains soft for quite a while, but will harden
over time. It never gets bone hard. It can be used to make decorations and is
great as cake coverings.
Recipe:
icing sugar-675g
egg whites-3nos
liquid glucose-30ml
glycerine-5ml
Note: Fondant must me
wrapped in an airtight polythene bag, in a cool dry place. Should not be frozen
or else it becomes limp and sticky.
Precautions
to be taken while working with rolled fondant
•
Fondant dries out quickly. Keep it covered or
wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a plastic bag when not being used.
•
If fondant becomes too soft or sticky to roll,
knead in a little confectioner’s sugar.
•
To prevent sticking when rolling, prepare your
surface with solid vegetable shortening or a dusting pouch filled with equal
parts cornstarch and confectioner’s sugar.
•
Fondant picks up dirt and lint easily. Be sure
your hands are clean when handling and avoid wearing fuzzy sweaters during
fondant decorating.
Marzipan
Marzipan is a paste made of almonds
and sugar that is worked to a plastic consistency. Its texture allows it to be
rolled like a dough or be modeled in shapes. Marzipan is readily available in
the market but was initially made by confectioners. Whenever one is working
with marzipan the work surface must be dusted with icing sugar. There are two
types of marzipan –French and German. French marzipan is considered as cooked
marzipan.
Types of Marzipan
French Marzipan
Recipe:
Blanched almonds-1kg
sugar-1.5kg
Water-450ml
Liquid glocose-75g
Procedure:
•
Sliver the almonds.
•
Boil water sugar and liquid glucose to 118C .
•
Mix with almonds and cool. Grind the mixture to
a fine paste.
•
Wrap the paste well and store
German marzipan
Recipe:
Almond powder-1kg
Icing sugar-1kg
Egg white-1no
Procedure:
•
Mix the almond powder and sugar.
•
Make a well and add egg white .
•
Mix it well and knead to form a dough.
Precautions to be taken while working with marzipan
•
Marzipan
dries off quickly and forms crust on the surface, so, it is better to cover it
with a damp cloth when not used.
•
To
store it, keep it wrapped or covered in airtight container, else it becomes as
hard as a rock.
•
When
it is kneaded or worked, the oil content comes on the surface and makes it sticky,
so dust the surface with confectioner’s sugar as and when needed.
Techniques that are used while
working with RTR
•
Crimping: This process is done by using
metal tools or stainless steel tools which will make an impression or pinch a
design onto a soft freshly applied sugar paste. There are many types of crimper
tools like-v shaped, scallop, heart, etc.
•
Embossing: It is similar to crimping as
it must be done when the gum paste is fresh, many different tools can be used
to impress a pattern into the paste. Embossing can be used on the cake borders
as well as on the cake.
•
Ribbon insertion: this technique is
created by using the ribbons that have been threaded through sugar paste. This
technique gives an elegant effect.
•
Broderie anglaise: It is a delicate
technique in which different shapes are made fresh sugar paste plaque by
insertion or making holes and there by using royal icing to make borders so
that it is highlighted .
•
Modeling: It is a process in which the
paste is used to make different shapes by free hand or by using moulds or by
using armature.
•
Applique: Technique consists of
assembling different shapes to give a proper shape or picture. It involves
stencil work.
•
Smocking: this technique applied to
clothing and used for holding the full material. Smocking is commonly done to
decorate the cake from top side and borders.(Drape and Frill work)
Tools used
while working with RTR
•
Bone Modeling Tool – with large and small tip:-
One of the most essential items in your kit this is used to create
(cup) flower centers for a more open look and is used to shape and soften
flower petals (like filler flowers). It can also be used for molding, shaping
and thinning leaves.
• Veining
Tool - with large tip and small tip
Also known
as the Flower Leaf Tool - This tool adds detail to gum paste leaves and
flowers. It acts like a pen to carve and add texture into the surface of the
decorations. It can also be used to make thin or wide veins on leaves and
flowers. The larger end has a wide curved edge to add a curl to the edge or
round a petal
•
Ball tool with small tip and large tip
This tool is great for cupping and smoothing any size gum paste or
fondant petal without tearing. It is used to thin the edges of gum paste leaves
and petals.
•
Scallop and Comb Tool
This tool can be used to make serrated edges or mark small shapes. The
shell end creates simple embossed shell patterns on cakes particularly for
around edges and borders
•
Blade Tool
This tool can be used to trim petals, leaves and any other decorations
that require a fine cut.
•
Thick and Thin Modeling Sticks
These are sticks with thin and thick points, used
for frilling and ruffling petals and leaves. They can also be used as small
rolling pins for small amounts of gum paste. You can also wrap pieces of gum
paste around the sticks to form tubes or curved flowers.
•
Wheel Tool with Quilting, Wavy and Cutting
Wheel Tips
The quilting tip makes quilt stitches on fondant
and can be used to make a pretty pattern on the gum paste petals. The cutting
wheel is great for cutting stripes of gum paste or fondant and the wavy tip can
be used for embossing patterns in your fondant.
Fondant
cutters
These tools are used to cut the fondant into different shapes like
flowers, fancy shapes and many other designs.
Other Tools
•
Grooved spatula
•
Double ended gouge
•
Plain double ended spatula
•
Double ended paddle
•
Double ended serrated paddle
•
Cocktail sticks
•
Pastry crimpers
•
Paint brushes
•
Scissors
•
Nylon board
•
Rolling pins
•
Impression mats
•
Pairing knife
•
Silicon mats
•
Silicon moulds
Uses of
RTR
•
It is used for covering cakes
for various occasions.
•
It can be used as petit fours.
•
It is used to make 3dimentional
animals, birds, flowers, etc.
•
It is used to make showpieces/
centerpieces for buffets.
Covering a cake with Fondant or Marzipan
•
Dust the work surface and rolling pin with icing
sugar. Knead the icing until pliable, roll out into a round or square larger
than the cake all around. Lift the icing on top of the cake and allow it to
drape over the edges.
•
Dust your hands with icing sugar and press the
icing onto the sides of the cake, easing it down to the board.
•
Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess icing
at the base to neaten. Reserve the trimmings to make decorations.
•
Dust your fingers with icing sugar and gently
rub the surface in a circular movement to buff the icing and make it smooth.
Points to be
noted while working with RTR
•
Use a smooth work surface like marble, granite,
stainless steel, etc.
•
Always dust work surface, rolling pin and your
hands with cornstarch/icing sugar when handling gum paste/marzipan.
•
Use only that much dough which is required at a
given time and store the rest accordingly.
•
Knead the piece of dough with your fingers.
•
Glue decorating pieces can be attached together
with egg whites or royal icing for larger decorations.
Conclusion
RTR is a
versatile medium to work with. It is used extensively by confectioners for
creating showpieces for buffets,
weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
It is
also used for decorating cakes to explain a theme or purpose. It attracts a lot
of people.
Shows the
skill of the Chef. The demand for it is increasing day by day.
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