One of the many, many reasons why people like baking is because the options are practically limitless. There are several reasons why individuals prefer to bake, from producing savory breads to sweet cakes, from adorning goodies with all types of toppings to just cooking a meal for themselves.
Of course, certain areas of baking will be more difficult to master than others. Confectionary baking recipes, in particular, grow increasingly complicated and challenging for novices to master. Working with fondant is one example of this.
While there are several techniques to ensure that your fondant looks and tastes nice, a crucial component of baking success is ensuring that your food also looks the way you want it to.
Depending on why you’re using fondant, you may find yourself attempting to figure out how to make it sparkle.
Fortunately, there are various methods for enhancing the gloss of your fondant. You will be able to select the procedure that generates the right shine for your fondant based on the resources you have, the kind of shine you want, and your fundamental tastes.
Things to Note
Before you start working on making your fondant seem glossy, there are a few things you should bear in mind. It is critical to be completely informed of possible unfavorable outcomes before engaging in any unfamiliar behavior.
Because all fondants vary in some manner, you should always test the shining procedure on a scrap piece of fondant before adding it to your cake. This will not only guarantee that you receive the desired amount of shine from the process, but also that nothing untoward occurs to the fondant itself.
You should also bear in mind that certain ways for making your fondant shine can degrade with time. This implies that if you bake a cake ahead of time, you should polish the fondant up closer to the time the cake will be delivered to ensure that it appears as excellent as possible.
If you plan to consume the cake as soon as you finish putting the final touches, you won’t have to worry about this as much.
Getting the Materials
First and foremost, before you begin adding any level of shine to your fondant, you must ensure that you have all of the necessary supplies.
It should go without saying that the resources you will need are totally dependent on the approach you will use to shine your fondant.
There are three techniques to select from, each with very different outcomes. You will also need to acquire a paintbrush to apply the glaze using in certain cases.
There is the high-gloss glaze, which will give the surface a really shiny aspect. Light corn syrup and at least 50% alcohol are required for this procedure.
Keep in mind that, due to the substance of this shine, bigger cakes may benefit from a specialist shining spray instead. Most shine sprays will give you a comparable shiny finish.
If you don’t require a permanent glossy finish or don’t want to deal with alcohol, the gum Arabic glaze is an option. To make this recipe work, you’ll need one part gum Arabic and two parts water, as the name suggests.
For example, if you’re going to use one tablespoon of gum Arabic, you’ll also need two teaspoons of water. This glazing lasts around 24 hours before dulling significantly.
Finally, the simplest way to make fondant shine is to add shortening. This will not give your fondant a glossy finish, but it will add some shine. As you may guess, the only thing you’ll need to make this work is shortening.
How to Make Fondant Shiny
Obviously, the ways you will use to add shine to your fondant will change based on the solution you choose. Some, like adding shortening, take little effort.
Other approaches need some experimentation to ensure that everything works properly.
1 – A High-Gloss Glaze
If you want to apply the high-gloss finish, there is one thing you should be aware of ahead. Almost any fat on the surface of the fondant, such as shortening, can cause this glaze to blister and bubble.
To avoid this, avoid kneading or rolling the fondant in any oil or fat, and avoid placing any oil or fat on the areas of the fondant that you wish to glaze if you want a smooth and glossy finish. Always let the fondant dry before using it.
Although, if it seems overly watery, you may easily lessen the quantity of alcohol used.
You should then fully mix this mixture before applying it. First, combine the light corn syrup and the alcohol in a mixing bowl. You should strive for a 50.
To apply it, just take a good-quality, soft paintbrush and paint the glaze over the fondant. This glaze is believed to have a permanent shine, which means it will not fade or lose its shine if you need to preserve your cake for a short period of time before presenting it.
2 – A Gum Arabic Glaze
In a cup or dish, combine one part gum Arabic and two parts water for the gum Arabic technique. Once these components have been added, aggressively whisk to ensure that everything is well combined.
After that, let the mixture remain for approximately 15 minutes before firmly stirring it again to ensure that everything is well combined.
As soon as you finish mixing, use a good-quality, soft paintbrush to apply the glaze on the fondant. While this will give your fondant a glossy look at initially, bear in mind that the gloss will partly dry in approximately 24 hours, leaving your fondant with a semi-gloss surface.
If this works for your cake, you won’t have to worry about it, but it is something to keep in mind.
3 – Shortening
Finally, there is the abbreviation. While the shortening will not give your fondant a glossy sheen, it is a fast and simple method to brighten it and make it stand out from the crowd.
To make shortening, all you need to do is carefully massage the shortening over the fondant until it is thin and smooth. The finish is described as smooth and silky.
With these several strategies for making your fondant shine, you will undoubtedly be able to make your cake stand out from the crowd.
You may be confident that no matter what ingredients you have in your pantry or the sort of shine you desire, you will be able to make your cake appear precisely the way you want it to look.
FAQs
How do you make fondant look shiny?
Combine 1 part vodka and 1 part corn syrup. Paint this onto your fondant in a very thin layer using a food-safe brush to provide a good drying time. Allow to dry overnight for optimal results. This process produces a high-gloss finish.
Can water make fondant shiny?
Alternatively, you may use simple boiling and cooled water to brush the sections of the bottle that need to be polished and leave to dry. When the fondant dries, it will stay glossy; you may apply a little shimmer to accent the location.
How do you make fondant shiny without vodka?
A fast and simple approach to create a sparkling sheen to fondant is to paint it with egg whites. Brush the egg whites on with a food-safe paintbrush and set aside to dry. (This might take 1 to 2 hours depending on humidity.) Although simple to use, bear in mind that this procedure may create streaks on your fondant.
Does piping gel make fondant shiny?
Piping gel adds a sheen to fondant-covered cakes and decorations. You may use it as is or dilute it with vodka before brushing it on. (This gives your work a more consistent gloss and hides brush strokes.)
How do you make fondant look like silk?
Pasteurized egg white should be applied to the fondant.
Brush the egg whites onto the fondant’s surface softly and evenly with a tiny, delicate paintbrush. To ensure safety, use pre-separated, pasteurized egg whites from a carton.
What does steaming fondant do?
However, the cornstarch frequently leaves a white residue, particularly on black cakes. Steam removes all of the cornstarch powder from the fondant and thoroughly cleans it. Steaming will set the color of petal dusts so they don’t wipe off or smear.