Recipe
Servings: 2 lbs
Calories: 1839kcal
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoon vegetable shortening
- 12 teaspoon Confectionary Arts tylose powder Make sure the 12 teaspoon are level (30 grams)
- 4 egg whites fresh egg whites are best
Instructions
instructions
- Add 4 egg whites to a stand mixer bowl.Mix the egg whites for 1-2 minutes using a paddle attachment to break them up. You must use a paddle attachment.
- Pour all the powdered sugar in except for about 1 cup.
- Mix the powdered sugar and egg whites at medium-high (about 6 or 7 on a Kitchenaid mixer) until you get a royal icing consistency.
- Sprinkle the tylose into the royal slowly until the mixture starts to clump.
- Remove from the mixing bowl.
- Put shortening on your hands and knead until consistent.
- Knead in more sugar if it's too soft or wet. It will feel spongy and have a pocked look, that is normal.
- Place gumpaste in a zip-lock bag and then put into the refrigerator overnight to mature. This step is mandatory.
- Bring to room temperature before use. Knead until smooth with a bit of shortening on your fingers.
Notes
Tips: always store gumpaste in the fridge while not in use in an airtight container so it does not go bad.
You can freeze it if you're not going to use it for a long time.
Last for 6 months or longer in the fridge.
Bring to room temperature before using.
Put a little shortening on your hands and knead it onto the gumpaste until it's smooth and satin-y before you roll it out to make petals to prevent cracking.
Nutrition
Calories: 1839kcal | Carbohydrates: 452g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 97mg | Sugar: 444g | Iron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Skill level: Newb
Learn how to make my favorite gumpaste recipe by Nicholas Lodge. Perfect for making beautiful sugar flowers. This isn't my recipe, I just love using it. This gumpaste works very well, makes thin petals and is very strong.
Pair some beautiful sugar flowers up with my white cake recipe and you've got a winning combination!
Teresa says
I followed this the only thing I saw different was my mix with egg whites and powder it was not like royal icing it went pretty thick fast. But it turned out ok in end . How would you stop it from drying our is my question of added it to a bag with no air and then placed into air tight container.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Did you use the brand of tylose recommended in the recipe? If not then your results may not be accurate. To store I wrap in plastic wrap and then in a ziplock bag and store in the fridge until I need it.
Gabriel says
Have not try it but I believe is going to work have been looking for the recipe I got different recipe but pls can you give online Traning in craft pls
Nettie Baker says
This is a great recipe. I started using it years ago. There really is no way to improve on it, cause it is just perfect. Now, do you know Leslea Matsis? Check out her work at http://www.lealeamatsiscakes.com and take a look at her work. She is world renown. Just like Nicholas. She does not use gumpaste that is freshly made. She waits 2 to 3 weeks. It's really stronger, cause it's had a chance to release extra moisture. The ingredients come together very well in this recipe of Nicholas's. It's awesome that he shares it. Put a small part of the batch in a bag with the date that you made it and try it in a few weeks. Go ahead and use some of the rest of it while it is fresh. You will see a world of difference.
Craftdee says
Fabulous recipe for gum paste... I've been cake decorating for over 35 years and this is one of the best recipes I've ever used; the ingredients are simple, readily available and it is simple to make. It rolls out very thinly, is not too "stretchy" and best of all strong... I made flowers today, dried them (with the fan of the oven set to 50C and I've airbrushed them this evening... they are strong enough to handle, no problems - very impressed 🙂 Thanks for sharing this great recipe
corine says
Hi, thanks for th share, can i use Gum Tragacanth instead of Tylose powder?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Not for this recipe
Charity says
I have CMC powder, will that work in place of the tylose?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Unfortunately no, CMC is much stronger than tylose powder
Simone says
Can I used egg whites in a carton?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes I do often
Shelly says
Hi, can I use CMC Powder instead of Tylose?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Unfortunately if you use CMC the recipe will not turn out the same because CMC is a much stronger gum than tylose
Sharon says
I don't have the Tylose brand recommended. Will another brand work or are there adjustments that need to be made?
The Sugar Geek Show says
For this recipe you'll have to use the recommended tylose powder for it to come out right.
Sharmala Buell says
I only have the Wilton tylose. Will that work?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Unfortunately not for this recipe, not all gums are made the same
Cathie Huxtable says
Tylose powders can be different strengths, I've used a CK brand and an unknown which was packed by my local cake decorating shop and I found it to be much stronger which is good. That brand I haven't been able to get it Australia. Jacqueline Butler has found some Australian tylose powder stronger and recommends playing around with the amount, IMHO you are straying into dangerous territory when you start reducing the amount of tylose and the gumpaste seems strong but it is really just brittle.
Sharon Sanders says
I just made this. It was so easy and was EXACTLY like described...spongey and pocked. I'm so excited, its going to be hard to wait til tomorrow to try it out.
Linda Probert says
Can I get Tylose powder on line and where, and when you say shortening do you mean solid or oil, I am in the U.K.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can order tylose on amazon. They sell vegetable shortening in the UK 🙂
Aidan Devlon says
Could we get a weight for the egg whites, please? Massive variance in size, especially when using fresh eggs from local places. Some of the chickens (particularly when it’s the neighborhood chickens) make small eggs, and one of he Happy brands I buy has giant eggs, probably twice as big if I weighed both. Plus, I’m more comfortable with grams where science is involved.
Also, can this recipe handle color added directly in any form or do you need to wait to knead it into the completed paste?
Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
One egg white = one ounce roughly. Yes you can add any color you like if you want it to all be one color
Sharmala Buell says
I only have Wilton tylose powder and cannot get anything else where I live. Will I get the same results if I don’t use the Confectionary Arts
Tylose?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Unfortunately no, all gums are not created equally. You can usually find it online
Kelly says
Mine still seems too soft and spongy this morning after leaving overnight. And it's still a little sticky? Any ideas?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It should be soft, just condition with vegetable shortening before you use it and it's ready to go
Lynne says
I'm finding the paste rather tough and difficult to curl petals with the ball tool. Is there any remedy for this. I
The Sugar Geek Show says
Put a little vegetable shortening on your ball tool and don't press too hard
Country Girl says
Can you dye this gum paste with gel colorings? If so, in the beginning?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes, either at the beginning if you need a lot or as you need it
ROSIE says
Can you use this to cover a cake or is it just for flowers?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Gumpaste is for flowers
Anna says
Whenever I use wilton ready gumpaste, and I roll out balls to make figures, it always cracks! I can never make it perfectly round without cracks and whatnot. I need to make a cake soon with animal figures, will this gumpast hold up well? Does it roll into shapes easily? And could I make the figures ahead of time and store in a airtight container? Thanks in advance!!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't usually make figures out of gumpaste, I make them out of fondant with a little tylose powder added in. Gumpaste is usually for sugar flowers
Anna says
Than you so much for answering! What recipe do you use, if you dont mind sharing that is. Also, is it ok to make the figures in advance? Thank you!
Julie says
I'm new to this and would like to clarify: I assume that after you make the flowers they would need to be refrigerated as well so they do not spoil. How long can they be on a decorated cake that is not refrigerated and still be good?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No, gumpaste flowers do not spoil. They last forever unless you drop or break them.
Rena says
I only have a handheld mixer without paddle , can I use the whisks to make this gum paste ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would mix the the last part after you add in the tylose with a spatula and then finish by hand or you might break your mixer
Holly says
I love your recipe and use it all the time. However I use CMC tylose. Now could that be why my petals break so easy?
Peta Z says
My search for "can I use CMC instead of tylose in Nicholas Lodge's gumpaste recipe?" took me here among many other places. Finally I have figured it out, for anyone looking for the answer, yes, you can! I checked the ingredients of the tylose powder NL uses and found it contains CMC, sugar and dextrine and mine only had E466 (CMC) as the sole ingredient. So I reduced the amount for the recipe to 8 Australian teaspoons (5ml per) and it came together exactly like every video I have obsessively watched. It is perfect, pliable and soft but even here in Queensland where it is currently 21°C and raining my test pieces are already starting to dry beautifully. Hope this helps someone!
Dorodeen samuels says
Can adding salt and cream of tartar spoil this recipe? I did because I thought it would help it to dry quicker and harder , but I got something different there were no elasticity in it.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Did you use the specific tylose brand in the recipe? Anything else will have different results. Salt and cream of tartar shouldnt make a difference.
Desmond says
Hi dear can I use this gum paste instead of a normal paste
The Sugar Geek Show says
What do you mean normal paste?
Annie says
Could I use gum paste to form a skeleton hand?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Totally!
Kristen Wilson says
Can you use the meringue powder for the egg whites? I’m a little ocd with using the fresh whites. If so, how much meringue powder would you use?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I've never made it without fresh egg whites so I don't know if it would work the same 🙂 You could always give it a try but I assure you using fresh egg whites with this amount of sugar is perfectly safe. Chefs have been making gumpaste this way for a long time.
Jay McGarry says
I tried halving the recipe, weighing the confectionary sugar and measuring carefully. It looked right until I added the tylose and then it became like a crumble. Can I fix it?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sounds like you didn't use the correct tylose powder. It needs to be the brand listed.