How to make SugarPaste Butterflies

These little gumpaste butterflies make a lovely addition to a floral cake topper.
They are made on wire to easily insert into your topper.

Supplies

Gumpaste

Fondant Roller And Board

Cornstarch

Patchwork Cutters

#20 Covered Wire

Wire Cutters

Gum Glue

Edible Markers

Non Toxic Pastels

Instructions

Using wirecutters, cut wire into 6-8 inch lengths.

Roll out a small ball of firm gumpaste on a board, heavily dusted with cornstarch.

Roll thin, but not paper thin. Dust the Butterfly cutter with cornstarch. Press the patchwork cutter into the gumpaste, placing pressure on the edges of the cutter.

Pressing firmly on the cutter, move on board in a circular motion. Holding cutter in place, pull remaining gumpaste away.

Using a pin, loosen gumpaste from cutter. If butterfly should break in half at thorax, don’t worry, it will work just fine.

Roll a small amount of gumpaste into a 3/8” size ball. Moisten one end of wire with

gumglue, and insert into the ball. Press the gumpaste into wire, creating a ½” sausage on the end of the wire and brush with gum glue.

Place the gumpaste covered end of wire vertically over the center of the back side of gumpaste butterfly.

.

Fold the butterfly over the wire, gently folding the ends of wings to

create movement.

If thorax breaks off during process, make another by forming a thorax from a small sausage of gumpaste. Attach to the butterflies with gumglue

Place on a Styrofoam base to dry.

Once your butterfly has dried, use a colored marker

and paint a few sections of your butterfly.

With a black edible marker, outline the detail of the butterfly,

Repeat on back sides of wings.

Then finish by softening the shades, by coloring

the remainder butterfly using pastels. Gently rub

the pastel color in with a soft paper towel.

Insert wire into your cake topper. 

The butterfly can also be made without the wire

and attached to cake with gum glue.

Just have fun and use your creativity!

Photography and tutorial by Jacque Benson

All rights reserved 2009

Contents of this tutorial cannot be reproduced for

Commercial purposes without permission from author.

Sweetheart Cookies

Ready for Valentine's Day?

Here is a simple Jam-filled Butter cookie that is easy to make. They look beautiful and taste delicious!

Sweetheart Cookies

Ingredients

Butter Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 drops orange oil 

2 cups+2 Tblsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground almonds ( or almond flour )

2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg. 

Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.

If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.

Filling

1/3 cup seedless strawberry spread

1 tsp Grand Marnier (opt)

When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".

 

Remove the top sheet of wax paper.

Using a 3" heart shaped cookie cutter, cut heart shaped cookies.

For every other heart, cut the center with a 1" heart shaped cutter, creating a "window" for the jam filling.

 

Flip over onto parchment paper and peel the wax paper from the dough.

 

Arrange the hearts on the parchment paper. Place on cookie sheet.

Gather scraps, wrap in plastic, chill and repeat process until all the dough is used.

Chill the cookies and the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before baking.

 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-9 minutes just until the edges of the cookies become a golden brown.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack and cool completely.

 

Place the Window cookies on a rack and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

 

Drop a spoonful of jam onto the center of the solid heart cookies.

Using a spatula, spread the jam towards the edges of cookie, 

leaving a generous amount in the center.

 

Top with the "window" cookie, as shown below to make

a jam filled cookie.

 

Place on a pretty serving dish for a beautiful Valentine's display.

Serve, with a kiss, to your favorite person in the world.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson

2011 All Rights Reserved

This material may not be reproduced without permission from the author