Cake! magazine by Australian Cake Decorating Network Februrary 2019 Cake! Magazine

Centre – For Bud • Cut a piece of 20 gauge wire and make a hook on the end. • Roll a marble-sized ball of paste into a ball and attach to hooked wire. • Allow to dry. • Cut three petals using the smaller cutter. Vein and frill, attach to dried marble, being sure to completely cover dried centre. Stamen Centre • Take a small pea-sized ball of paste and roll into a teardrop. Insert a hooked 28 gauge wire into base, repeat and make two more. Glue three pieces together, pinching outer edges to form triangle shape. Tape together and curl back ends of teardrops. • Take one bunch of fine stamens and divide into three bundles. • Squeeze a small amount of high tack glue in the middle of the stamens, allow to become tacky. • Cut in half and while still sticky attach around prepared dried centre. First Layer • Roll out paste thinly and cut out five petals, using smallest petal cutter. • Insert hooked 26 gauge wire. • Place in veiner and vein heavily. • P lace back on board and using veining tool, work petal to make it larger and ruffled on the outer edge. Keep petals irregular in shape and texture to add interest. • R epeat with the four remaining petals and place in an apple tray to dry. Flick some of petal edges to add texture and interest. Second Layer • Roll out paste on grooved board and cut out 10 petals using next size petal cutter. • Insert moistened 26 gauge wire into petal. Vein and dry petals as you did for the petals in the first layer. Leaves • Roll out green coloured paste on grooved board and cut out leaf shape. • Insert a moistened 26 gauge wire. • Ball edges of petal and place in veiner and vein heavily. • Pinch in central vein and allow dry. • Leaves are a deep green with a red/aubergine edge. • Leaves can be dipped into 1⁄2 strength confectioner’s glaze if desired. • Wire in groups of 3 to add to completed flower. Leaves First Layer • Tape two petals opposite each other on prepared stamen centre, add remaining three petals underneath. Second Layer • T ape remaining 10 petals around previous layer, adding in no particular order to make the flower look natural. Two rows of five petals works well. Colouring • I t is best to source a picture of a real peony to get an accurate idea for colouring. I dust or air brush a deeper colour at base of petals for depth. I then add highlights of colour on some of the petal edges, also adding touches of soft green here and there on pastel shade flowers. You can also add deeper highlights to petal edges for realism. Gently steam the completed flower to set the colours. f www.facebook.com/sweetumsdesignercakes www www.sweetums.com.au

Cake! magazine by Australian Cake Decorating Network Februrary 2019 Cake! Magazine | Page 22