Sea Shells

Supplies:

• Shell Molds
• Shortening or corn starch
• Gumpaste
• Palette knife
• Small rolling pin
• Edible dusts for coloring (Brown, yellow, orange, gold and pearl)
• Small paint brush
• Small painter palette

Instructions:

Lightly dust your molds with either shortening or cornstarch to avoid them getting stuck. I rolled several small 1 to 1 ½ inch balls of gumpaste and made sure there were no cracks.

Stuff the gumpaste tightly and evenly in to the molds. Roll a small rolling over to ensure the gumpaste is tightly fitted in the molds so all the details show when removed. Slide a palette knife over the mold carefully to remove any access.

Put all the molds in the freezer for about 10 minutes so the gumpaste is easily removed from the molds without losing shape. After 10 Minutes in the freezer, carefully remove the gumpaste from the molds.

Trim any access that you might have missed when you stuffed the molds. then allow the pieces to sit out in order for the condensation to dry for about 20-30 minutes. It may be less, touch them, if they are not sticky then they are ready to be painted. (If you have time allow them to dry overnight)

I then used a small white painter palette and mixed different shades of brown, gold, orange, yellow and pearl dusts to color the shells once they were fully dried. I basically made extra shells and played with the colors while I cross referenced with the pictures of real shells.

I found it better to paint the shells with my fingers, basically just lightly dipping my finger in the dusts and smoothing the dust on the dried hard shells. Then going over them with the pearl dust.

After a little painting and mixing the different color dusts. Walla!! You have beautiful and realistic looking shells for you cake!

Good Luck!