I spent 5 hours making pearls for this cake (my Cake International competition entry). Thinking I was running out, I even got the 6 year old to help....(that didn't last long my patience ran out before she'd made 3!)
I thought I’d share how to make them. There are moulds that you can buy to make strings of pearls, but I feel it is visible that a mould has been used. I also think that pearls are usually slightly different sizes. So I make pearls this way:
Mix a little tylo or CMC to your fondant (sugarpaste, ready to roll icing) and knead until fully incorporated.
Roll out to about 3 mm thick, if your paste is very sticky then give it a light dusting of cornflour or icing sugar so they do not stick together after cutting out.
I use this nozzle (some of us professionals call it the poo nozzle – but it is 1cm round nozzle). Using this nozzle means that all your pearls will be roughly the same size, it also collects the circles up it, I try to cut 50 at a time.
The difference in pearl size I was talking about will happen due to not rolling out 100% perfect i.e. the same thickness throughout.
There is no quick solution for the next part – each needs to be hand rolled. Use quite a lot of pressure at first so there are no joins then roll lightly to get a good sphere.
Place the pearls in a flat bottomed container – mine is an old ice cream tub. Sprinkle on suitable amount of pearl shimmer dust and roll the balls around gently in the tub.
Ta dah shiny shimmery pearls! Leave to dry – I like to leave at least overnight.
NB. I added a little silver to some and a little shell pink (shimmery pink) to some others - so they were not all exactly the same.
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