Fun day with Julie Bashore

Last week, I spent the day with Julie Bashore (and some other great people, all looking to learn). She is one of Satin Ice's ambassadors. She was in New Zealand to teach us how better to use Satin Ice Fondant. Now I knew I would learn a lot - but I learnt HEAPS!

Julie is a very giving person, such a wonderful lady, who says the only stupid questions, are questions not asked.

I was particularly thrilled to learn Julies marbling technique. She has a You Tube video here on this technique.

It starts like, this after a few folds and twists, it begins to morph in to............................

Then it gets a bit of a wiggle on

When she told us, we'd be rolling our Satin Ice to 2mm, without any cornflour or icing sugar, using only a silicone mat. I only-kinda-sorta believed her. But you know what, everyone of us did it, and no one's icing tore.

In the end, we had a very crazy cake dummy, covered in marbled icing with ruffles, drapes, broderie anglaise, bows & more.

Julie demostrated making bows, our gumpaste was only 1.5mm thick. She explained a thin bow, that dries in 15 mins, is actually much stronger, than a thicker bow, which after 2 days might still not be hardened. We all made the bows too.

It was amazing covering a cake in only 2mm of fondant, how very little fondant is actually used. Providing great value for money. Julie explained she came up with this technique, after noting how people always peeled fondant of their cake, because it was too thick & rubbery. She did go on to explain, at only 2mm thick, your layer of buttercream or ganache must be very flat and smooth, so the fondant also very flat on the finished cake.

We also did fun things with crimpers - that I never knew were possible.

She also showed us one more great technique, that I didn't get photo's of. I will create it for you, in a blog post to come (once we get this move to new premises done & dusted)

I've also got more exciting news to share with you a little later from this day (think competition!)