Tackling Cakes Although you will be keen to get started on one of the fantastic eake projects in this book, take little time to read this seetion so that you are familiar with some important and basie points. This will help you to achieve the best results. Preparation your cake is tobe a creation that you wil'be proud ot, you wil need to be fly prepared. Before you stat your chosen project, read through the instructions carefully so that you understand what's ‘volved and how much time to alow. Make sure you have all the materiais and items of equipment Johend to complete the project Time planning Try not to leave everything tothe last minute, and plan your dacorating time in advance. As the cals ‘baked from the recipes in this book last about two weeks, you have about one week to decorate the cae, laxvng a wok for it to be eaton. Each project is spit into stages to indicate natura breaks in the decorating process: for example, a ‘ample two-stage project, such as Cheeky Chimp, could be carved and decorated over a two-day ‘Berod, Some projects are obviously more involved than others; for example, Farmyarcl Feast and Tike It Easy, so try to be reatstic with what time you have avaliable, and plan well in advance. Uning tins itis quite simple to ine tins (pars) well. Neatly ined tins will pravent the Cake mixture from ‘Sickng and help 1o ensure a good shape. Measure the circumference of your tin and cut a strip of baking parctment -zighty longer to allow for an overlap. Make ‘Pe stnp Som (in) deeper than the height ot ‘he tn, Fold up 2.5cm (Tin) slong the bottom lhe strip. For a round or heart-shaped tin ‘Gitths told with diagonal cuts. For a square, ‘ctangular or hexagonal tn, crease the strip stinervals equal to the lenath ot the inside 8025 of tha tn, and than cut the folded Secton where it is ceased Into mires (A )Grease the tin and place the strip around Fold the circles into quarters to find their he side\s) with the cut edge on the base, “Pcentes. Oper out the circles and risk Postion baking parchment to fit the base (B). ravfl cuts into the crce (C}, Grease both the tin and one side of the paper and place Care needs to be taken when ining ball the circle into the centra of one hai ofthe tin, ins. Cut two cicles of the appropriate —_grnased sicies together. Encourage the paper S820 fom baking paner: {oft the tin by overlapping the sections, “@ 15cm (62) for a 10cm (din) ball © 2iom (Bn) tor & 12.56m (Ain) bal 1 25,5cm (10n) for a 45cm (Bin) ball Cheoky Chimp can be mado ver two aEquipment List Cocktail sticks Used as markers and to transfer small amounts ‘of paste colour (1), CCratt knife for intricate cutting tasks (2), Cutters: Blossom plunger set (PMB) used on Flower Power (2) @ Circle, plastic, and small and targe metal (4), 1 Elegant Heart (.0) used on Pool Party, Purrfectly Exotic anct ‘Squesck with Delight (5). Hoar ‘f Large Blossom (FMM) used on Flower Power (7) ‘ Quals plastic and gall metal (FMM) for cutting out eyes and fish scales (8) { Paisley (LO) used on Purrfectly Exotic anc Tal Story (9) Stars (L.C) used on Varo tt Up! (10), Dowel used to create stable cakes and for making holes (11). Embosser @ Pan scouers (12) © Trelis (PO) (13) Foam for supporting paste during drying (14) ‘Meosuring spoons for accurate measuring of ingredients (15), Multisized ribbon cutter (FMM) time-saving too! for cutting ‘ren stros of paste (16) Paintbrushes including stippling brush, A range of sizes is usaful for panting and dusting (17), Paint palette for mixing paste colours (16) Palette knife for cutting paste (19). Pins (olass-headed, dressmakers') used to hold templates ternporarly in postion (20) Piping bag and coupler to hold buttercream or rayal icing while piping, The coupler is connected to the piping bag and ‘lows the tube to be changed easly (21) Piping tubes (tips) for piping buttercream, royal icing end ‘softened modeling paste, and for cutting out small circies (22), Posy pick for insarting into cakes to hold wires (23). Rolling pins for ling out al the diferent types of paste (2 Scissors for cutting templates and trimming paste to shape (25) Smoother heins to creste a smooth and even finish to sugarpaste (olled fondant) (26). ‘Spacers (narrow and Smm (inl) for roling out an even thickness of paste (27). ‘Sugar shaper with discs creates pieces of uniformly shaped modeling paste (28) Tins (pans) medium ball, mutisized and mult-round for baking cakes (29), Tools: ‘® Ball tool, makes even indentations in paste and is used to curve smal pieces ot paste (30). ‘© Cutting wheel used instasd of a knife to avoid dragging the paste (31) {@ Dresden too, to create markings on paste (32) {@ Serber for scribing around ternplates (33). Work board. non-stick used for roling out pastes (24, Using the comect equipment wit ensure professional results quickty and simaly.butter 1009 bene, Diameter caster (supertine) sugar 2003 (70x) = 1 cu, 259 (102) = 2 tbep 1 Amm (fi) desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut 75 1 cup, 4 the = 289 (toz) | 18 ame (an) flour 180 (Soe) = 1 cup 4.5mm (in glacé (candied) cherries 2259 (Boz) = 1 cup 4 3mm (in) icing (contectioners’) sugar 1159 (4az)= ¥ cup 5mm (xin Hiquid 250i (9 oz) = 1 cup, 125i op ; 7 ‘Sm (in) Soff brown sugar 1159 (402) = 1 cup ; 8 Ten (sn sultonas 1'B aking Cakes ‘The projects in this book have been made using tried-and-tested recipes for Madeira ‘nd choclate cake, which will give you perfect results, Both cakes are moist and light in texture but also firm enough to be carved to form the. intricate shapes often used. A variety of flavourings can be used with the Madeira eake in place of the traditional lemon, and try touse the best-quality chocolate far the chocolate cake fora heavenly flavour. Madeira cake: ‘Ths isa firm, moist cake that will Keep for up to two weeks. This allows one, ‘week to decorate the Cake and one for it 1D be saten, Soe the facing page for the ‘Quantities for each recipe. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 4. Groase and line the cake tn (pan) wth baking parchment (see page 5). (2 cradled pplbatad mining bow) unti ight, Rufly anc pate Si the tours together in a separate bow Beat the eqgs into the creamed mixture, at te, following each vath a ‘Spoonful of flour, to prevent the mixture ‘fom cureing, ‘Sit the remaining flour into the creamecd mature and fold in carefully with 8 large etal spoon. Ads the favouring, if using, Chocolate cake “Transtoy to the lined bakeware. Please: note that baking times wil vary and depend on your oven, the cakes tin usa ‘andi the depth of the cake. When the cake ‘6 ready © wil be wall risen, frrn to the touch andi skewer inserted into the centre wil come out clean, Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then. Neaving the lining paper on, wrap the ‘Sako in foil or place In an airtight container {or at least 12 hours before cutting, to alow, the cake-1o settle, Make nuve your ego ‘aneat room temperature before yor start baling Flavourings Tractionaly, Madera cake was flavoured with lemon, but It can also. be made with other flavourings (flavourings are Given for a six-eg9 ‘quantity Madera cake; increase or decrease the amounts of favouring for other quantities}: Lemon: grated tind of 2 lemons Vaniita: S/n tsp) vaniia extract ‘Cherry: 3503 (1202) alace ieanclec) cherries. halved Fruit? 9503 (1202) sultanas (golden falsins), cunts, raisins or chopped ates ‘Coconut: 1 10g (9#iaz} desiccated {city unsweetened shreciiac coconut Almond: 5m (1 tsp) aimond extract and 45mt (3 tsp) ground amanda Thisis.arich, moist, yet frm, chocolate cake. The secret to success {6 to Use good-quality chocolate wth a remsonably high cocoa solids ‘content; Kaniry pain Belgian chocolate with a cocoa solid content OF around £0 per cent, for example, works wall. Sae facing page for the quantities. 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/50°F/Gas 4. Grease and line the ‘cake tin (aan) with baking parchment (see pace 5). Dit the chciste ether arenprot bow ove apa of -siTimeriig Watt or in @ microwave, Casem the butter and sugar ‘ha large mixing bow until ight, fut and pate Behe eine, Gracuaty aa the 099 yok, hen th rad choclate. n'a separate bow, wtih the epg wites to soft Peaks. Gradually whisk the ing suger into the egg whites. {Sit re xr into another bow and, using a arg metal sooon. ‘gently fold the four atemataly withthe eps wivtes ito the chovotate mature. Binal a ottreeo the linect bakeware andl bake. Baking times wil depend on your oven, the cake tin used and the clegtn tf the cake. Check small cakes after 30 minutes, medium-sized ‘cakes after an hour, and large cakes after 2 hows. When the cake ‘S bakod it will be well rigen, fim to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre will came out clean, sate the cake to cool completely in veal each tne tn, then, leaving the fring paper on, ‘op intawcup Wrap the. cake in fll cr plats in an airtight to prevent ‘container for at least 12 hours before cutting, meine a venionedk. ‘a fain Using @ ball fin For the sponge cakes used in this book, baka the cake in the bal tin in two halves. Allow the halves to cool in the tin and then evel Bach cake using the edgs of the tin as a guide. Stick ine ‘two halves together with butlerctea to create a perfect sphere.Baking Cakes 9 Bakeware Unsalted Caster Settraising Prain Eggs Baking Times (weet) (superfine) (seltvising) —_(elkpurpose) (large) at 160°C /328"/ butter sugar four four cagte Gos 3 bokedin 3509 (1262) 3809 (1208) 380g (1208) 1750 (602) 6 Vets hows Gein dang bow ‘ond 105m (ain) round tin (pan) 200 (in) founda aoe (800g (Ib 2ar) $009 (1b 20x) 500g (fi 20x) 2509 (90%) ° We 1 84 ours: a ea 550g (Vln) 880g (Tho) ——«BBDy (kta) 275g 10) 10 1-184 nous setogarn (ruled coke on) plus fom hin) ound to ‘30x Item (227m) ‘ectonguo! tin 3x2om 70H (iii) — 700g (Nilo 700g (ib) (3809 (1202) V2 We®houn ckeware Plain Unsalted Caster. Eggs cing Seltvaising Baking Times Ceomiswest) Cowes), | (superfine) Gange)| (confectioners) (eetirting)) of 180°C/350"/ ‘chocolate butter suger ewe sugar four Gort ‘dem mint} hour Tenn Saea) Nf PBK 2a Clee) 1189 (Hox) aS mins-1 hou ee me mea | ee! 509 (@er) 2259 (80%) 1-1 hous ‘toe pon) ‘Hom @x12n) 5609 (Md) 009 (1202) 00H (ITox) 16-—=« TO eH) SONG (bax) %-Zhoun rectangular tin eet 425q (160%) 278g (200! 175a(toH = 1070 (Rha) — 7G (IOEH) Ne Ts hours 5 A ae 159 (ot) 360g (1200) Whours fectonguiartin {rtiozed ‘ale pon) 65em (10) urd in10 Cup Cakes You can use any sponge cake recipe to bake cup cakes, but to avoid domed tops will need to reduce the amount of flour used. As a general rule, reduce the flour by 15ml (1 tbsp) for every 150g (602) of flour in the recipe. Vanilla cup cakes The fotowing recipe uses mik to soften the batter and produces a good, flat- lopped cup cake. Ingredients Vokes 24 1159 ox) buttor £9 2259 (Sox) caster (oxporine) sugar '@ 175g (607) piain (all-purpose) flour 7.5m (1 tp) baking powder 2 0038 room temperate @ 125m) ok {5m (1 tsp) vanéa extract Decorating the cup cakes ‘There are a niimber of ways of aiding aeearation 9 but the method 8 wil depend on the time you and the etlect you are trying to create. in i Cup cakes are cSnated with some of the main cakes have sugarpaste (roled fondant) and 38 the decoration mediums. with sugarpaste, ‘out the sugarpaste to a thickness of 5mm Phin) using spacers 9 cup cake ome cutter that has the same ameter as the top of the cup cakes. and cut out the appropriate number af paste discs (G), Piace the discs onto the cakes and then decorate as requred, ‘Preheat the oven to 190°C/475°F/Gas 5, Place 24 paper baking cases in bun trays (mutin pane), Crean the butter and sugar in a large ing bow unt hgh sty and ol. ‘Sift the flour and baking powder into a ‘separate bow, S Beat the eqs Into the creamed mixture, one at a tine, following each ‘with & Spoonful of four, to prevent the midure curdling. St the remaining four into the maure, alternating with the mi, ‘Strin the varia extract, Fil the paper cases half-tul with the ‘mixture (A), Bake for about 20 minutes, (F untl the tops of the cakes spring back when lighty touched. Leave to cool in the: tray for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely (B). Displaying cup cakes Ityou decide to make a feature of your decorated cup cakes, why nat display them in a stand designed for the purpose? Thess cute iti curly flecced sheep have been piped onto the sugarpaste topping Using tinted buttercream. (Modeling paste paisley shapes defined with modeling paste lines make an unusual decoration for cup cakes.Mini-cakes Crating mini-cakesCookies Decorat okies is a preparat cutters availabl Vanilla cookies Ingredients Nicios 22 a zreg i (al- purpose) flour, sited © bmi (tsp) baking powder 1009 3¥402) ca barf} sugar 2 utter, diced 2 9, beaten 90m den {ight com 25 a extract Decorating cookies This canbe dane ira numberof ways ering on how much tme you have valabie and what aft you wish to crost, Water icing and royal icing These icings are used for semtar af water icing, as used for the Dolphin 1 sotter ong but royal icing, as ‘chosen icing into smal int with edible o te (C), Then, whe the cing is ade your choice of ready ations on to contrasting icing into a pip 9 (D), Leave unt fer 3g bag and pipe a patter mi great way of getting children involved in party ns. You will find that there is a huge a ‘0 you should be able to pick some that will fit your theme, cortment of cookie and biscuit 4] Bateetite one sorcicasrrices 2 ‘and grease a baking sheet. Sit the dy ingredients into a large bow, ‘iit ator edn ogatnn Your fingertips unt the mixture resembles tne breaccrumbs, Maki @ hollow in the centre and pour 8 beaten egg, golden syrup and \anile: Mix together well urél you ha ball of dough. Place in a plastic bag and Chillin the retigerator for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to Sem (Yin) thi ‘out the cookies, usiig your (A), Lohtly knead and r- {ogethsr, and cut out mora cookees to us Lup allthe dough, Placa the cookies on th ‘reased baking sheet ‘Bake the cookies for 12-18 minutes, or unt ightly coloured and firm but ot ofsp. Leave on the tray for § minutes Make the before transferring to w wie rack to ooo! up fo one m ‘compete (B) beforehand and ston tight Modelling pasteMould Making Take It s both use moulded animals as y and Roaring Success cup cal decorations, Commerc noulds tend to be expensive and often are not exactly ou require but it is quite easy to make your own. Moking and using a mould You will need sxc modeling Cay or Plasticine, H making your own Bittle rom toy and at stores ‘model wounds too #8 Dende toot and cutting wheel wel like hard work, Itch noxkcing val ty wing ig oe rmaiguea, shells, @ modeling past tttona, oerltery, colours colna,chlcren' toys, rt, such as gin or vodka ‘and 0 on A pantorushes wy Siousdeviiemcn anaes and ball shap your mould doen turn out quite fn you had emiacgeel it, at re-melt itandd try again, You can also reuae the gel after you have finished waing it for ‘act of modelCovering Boards and Cakes Follow these initial cake and board coverings. With ¢ have a perfectly smooth finish. Levelling the cake g an accurate cake base Is a tant part of creating your masterpiece, ‘against the edge of the the top of the cake at the required height. svaly for the cakes in this book, but ih alarga ated kota the marked tng and cake to Method 2 he base of the tin baked so th 16 Cake & placed on top the outer level with the tin and the dome will protrude above. Take a long shart 5 the dome from the cake, keeping the kr tin, Thi wal Covering cake boards sad the eugarpaste (roe fondant) untii warm and plable. Ral out ‘on a surtace ightly dusted with cng (confectioners!) sugar ort you have a larga conan werk board or worktop use white vegetable fat (shortening) instead White tat works wl, andl you don’t have the problems of icing sugar drying cut ‘or marking the sugarpaste, Roll out the sugarpaste fo depth ot 4mm (Yin), kSeay Using spacers (C} Molsten the board with water oF sugar lve, Using @ roling pin, it up thes (paste and drape over the boar! (D), Cicle ‘| smoother over the paste fo achieve a ‘smooth, fat finish to the board. Cut the paste fush with the sides of the board Using @ palette knife, taking care to keep the edge vertiet(E). Leave the covered bboord ovemight 10 cry thoroughiy asic techniques to achieve a neat cance to the \d professional apps and practice you will soon find that you Filling cakes Itis not necessary to add ings ote cake recipes used in this book. Ho many people 0o lice thelr cakes Hed Jam and/or buttereream. To ad tg spit the cake into-a number ot hora layers and add your choice offing Tal Story ilustrates one jam and one buttercream layer (B). Freezing cakes Most, but not al of the cake projects fequire the cakes to be frozen. Tres allows you not only to bake the cakes in advance but also to carve more Intricate shapes without the cake crumbling and faling apart, How hard your cake freezes Clopends on the settings of your freezer soll may be nectssary to let your cake atrost slighty befor attempting to carve i. Detaded carving instructions are given wath each projet.g a sugarpaste covering BY Pace the cake ethor on a shot of V need paner or directly onto a covered augerpaste raked fondant boar. the cake by covering witha thin ‘of buttercream to fil in any holes and pine sugarpaste stick. Brush away Recess crumbs. (Waxed paper cut to sure shape as the cake and placed the surface ofthe board and the Wi prevent the icing under the cake the sugaepaste until warm and ¢. Rol the paste to @ depth of 5mm his a good idea to use spacers for as ey ensure an evan thickness. the paste carefully over the top of cake, Supporting it witha roting pn. dpoation itso that it covers the coke () j Smeath the surtace of the cake reerove any lumps ancl bumps a smoother for the fat areas anda bration of smoother anc the pam four hand tor the curved cones. Always ie se your hands are clean ard dry tho traces of icing confectioners’) sugar srreothing Ssugarpaste. Take the and, while pressing down, run at edge around tha base of the cake ies a cutting tne (G). Thm away the paste wth @ palette knife (Hy, ‘Soften 225g (Boz) tul-Fat soft cheese in a large bow. Beat in 10x) (3802) superine} sugar and 60m (4 tosp) rum until the moxture is Ight and creamy, fithe meted chacolate. 100g (3202) cake crumbs, 75g (3az} chopped walnuts 13009 130%) chopped gine (candied) cherries. he mixture is 8 sotto handle, nen mould into @ small log shape, Coat the shane eveniy with 75a (30x) ‘our, Chil for one hour, Decorate with extra glaoé chenies and walnuts, Covering Boards and Cakes 15. IF wow fin you have onmated air bubbles under the icing, tusert ‘@cleou plast-headed drexrmakers' pin at ‘ax angle and prens ont the air You eam make your ‘mt pacer from strip wood exailabie from DIY vtores.16 Sugar Recipes Most of the sugar recipes used in the book for coyering, modelling and decoration can easily be made at home. Use paste colours to colour them according to the individual project. Sugarpaste FReadly-made sugarbaste(roled fondant) can be ebtained from ‘supermarkets and cake-decorating suopbers, and is avaiable In white and the whole colour spectrum. Its also easy and Inexpensive to make your own, Ingredients Vickes tke (2b) ‘60m (6 thsp) cold water ‘2 20mi(4 ts0/1 sachet) powdered gelatine ‘2 125m (4f 02) liquid fucose ‘1Smi(t tbsp) giycerine: 1kg (slo) icing (confectioners) suger, sieved, lus extra for dusting Modelling paste ‘This versatile pasts keeps 11s shape well, dries harder than sugar- pasts (rolled fondant) and is used throughout the book for xdcing etal to covered cakes, There ae commercal varies available, but is easy and a lot cheaper to make yourown paste. Ingredients Mickes 2259 (toe) ‘5m (I tsp} gum tragacanth (@ 2250 (602) sugarpaste (roted fondant) ‘Add the gum tragacarith to the eucarpaste and jnead in, Wrap fn aplastic bag and allow the gum to work before use, You wl ‘begin to fel aifarence inthe paste ater an hour or so, butt 's best et overight, The modeling paste should be fm bt lable wih a sight eastic texture, Kneading the modeling ‘Baste makes it warm and eaay to work With Modelling-paste tips ‘€ Gum tragacanth isa natural gum avaliable from cake ‘decorating suppliers used for hardening icing. ‘2 time is short use OMC instead of um tragacarth. This, ‘s p.ythetic product but t works almost immediatly. '@ Placing your madeling paste in @ microwave for afew seconde isan excallant way af warming It for usa, ‘8 1 you nave previously added a large amount of cslour to ‘your paste and its consequently 100 sof, an extra pinch or ‘wo of gum tragacanth wif be necessary, ‘8 it your paste is dry, crumbly or too herd to work, adel a touch of white vegetable fat shortening! and a tle oiled ‘wats, and knead untl softened. ‘Lise the paste whl fresh or immediatly it mice wath CMC. Place the water in a small bow, sprinie over the gelatine and sdk unti spongy. Stand the bow over a pan of hot, bd nat boling, water and str unl the gelatine is cissolved. Ads the glucose and glycerine, string unt! well blended andl runny. Put the icing sugar in a larga bowl, make wel inthe centre and sowly pour in the lui ingredion, sting constantly. Mix u ‘well Turn out onto a surtace dusted with icing "nan ba ssugarand knead unt smocth, sprieking with gaat fom ‘tra cing sugar the paste becomes too. sperma | sticky, The paste can be used immediately or tightly wrapped and stored in aplastic bag, Pastillage ‘This isan extremely usetul paste because, unike modeling paste, 20t9 extremely hard and ie not affected boy moisture the way other pastes are. However, the paste crusts quichy ‘and is brittle once ory. You can buy it in a powdered form, to ‘which you add water, but it is easy to make yoursel Ingredients Matos 3800 (1202) 1 egg white £9009 (102) ing (contectioners) aug, sited @ 10m) (2 tsp) gum tragacanth: Put ine egg white into a large mixing vow. Gradually 206 ‘shough icing sugar untl the mixture combines together ‘ball. Mixin the gum tragacanth, and then tum the paste out cto a work aurface and knead the pastilage wo. Incorporate the remaining icing sugar into the remainder of pastilage to give a stif paste. Store pastilage in a polythene bag placed in an airtight /container in @ refrigerator for up to.one month. Colouring paste Te color paste, place a itie paste colour, not iquid colour, conto the end of a cocktall stick (toothpick) ora larger amount tonto the end of a paletto rife. Add to the paste and knead i thoroughly, adcing more until you have the correct result. Be ‘careful with pale Colours, as only a litte colour is needed.10 sandwich cakes togethar, to coat them g With sugarpaste (roled fondant) or on its own the bitter in &’bow and beat untl the texture is g sugar into the bow and continue to beat unt ; 1 bol over a pan of hot water end eave j Soften the butter and beat in the sugar, ancl chocolate, ‘Sugar Recipes 17 Put the 69g white into. bowl anc grackialy beat in the icing ‘sugar Until the Icing is glossy and forms salt peaks. “This is useful for icing cookies. Make water icing by putting 20-90mi (4tsp-6 thsp) very hot water from the Kettle into. ‘bow. Sift over the icing suger and mix to a spreadable consistency, adding more water it necessary. Piping gel This is used when a wet liquid effect is required: for example, animals’ eyes as for Roaring Success, water droplets as for Poot Party and Top Dog, oF far water as on the waves of Whale of a Time. Piping gels avaliable from cake-decorating suopiers. White vegetable fat (shortening) ‘This isa sold white vegetable fat, which is often known by brand name: in the UK, Trex or White Flora; it) South Africa, Holsurn, in: Australia, Copha and in Amerca, Crisco. These products are more cor less interchangeable in cake making. Confectioners’ glaze Used where @ glossy-looking sheen Is needed: for example, on ‘eyes such as on Tak it Easy, and where a surace needs sealing such as for the waves of Whale of a Time. Confectioners! glaze is available from cake-decorating supplers. Sugar glue ‘Although commercaly available, suger glue s quick and easy to make at homme. Break Up pieces of white modeling paste into en eqgcup or small bow and cover with boling water Str untl diswolved, This produces a thick, strong glue, which can be easily thinned bby adaing some more cooled boled water. it stong gue is required, use pastilage rather than modeling paste as the ‘base (uselul for dicate work, but not nesded for any projects: in this boo)18 Sugar Crystal Growing in, As crystals take several weeks or even months to grow, You will need ‘@ S00mi/181 az water (istiled works ‘best but is not essential) Ppa (€7.600-750g (1 S0z-tib 1002) granulated sugar ‘@ 1 tall empty Gass iar tame ® paper cl 121 barbeque skewer oF dowel Bol the water in the pan then tum off ‘the heat Gradually add the sugar 16 the hot waler, a Spooniul ata time, and stir after each addiion to osssolve the sugar. Continue gradually adding the sugar until no. more wil desolve. f necessary reheat the solution to make it clear (Cod! the sugar solution stighty and then pour it into the tal lass jar: Leave to roach room temperatur. ‘Cut a length of string to the height of the ar Attach a weight such as 2 paper clip to one end and te the other around the ‘skower or dowel. Moisten the string with Water and seed the string by rubbing graies ‘of sugar along ts length. Allow the string woody, Using your crystals Home-grown crystals ave ised inthis book 10 represent dlamnanté forthe collar in Purrfectly Exatlc (fant) by panting the back of the crystals with ecible sive lustre dust {far right}, but the possibilities for ther use are ‘endless. They make unusual sparkly centres: {or flowers, they can also be used for racks ‘beneath a fantasy castle or would look fun on « Christmas cake to create an icy scene. ‘Carefully lower the string into the jar'so. at tha weight rests above the basa, ‘and then rest the skewer across the rim (A). Leave undisturbed for several weeks Jor months. You should see crystals ‘growing vthin 2-6 days. although i right lake a itis longer. The picture shows corystats after 2 weeks (B) YOU wil find that afer @ while the crystals wil stop growing, 80 if you want to create targe specimens, remove the string of crystals fom the jar and separate the crystais from the string; they should ‘separate quite ensiy. Cut and moisten ew string then select a number of crystals, place these on the string and allow the string to dry. Pour the sugar solution back into the pan and heat as before then act ‘more sugar as before untl the solution is saturated. Allow to cool, then lower the string with the specimen crystals into the jar (C)and allow to grow (D) Yow eval eatone the sugar soltion with tebe gui ealoure ‘oud erate tinea ot coloured ergata Aepeding on howe uch colour ow ad ‘ou need to be patient. Growing sugar erystals is great fun and an ideal activity for children to be involved /