Icing Cakes With Chocolate Plastique And Sugarpaste

(Kent)

Hi. Please help! I am making a three tier wedding cake - 12" chocolate sponge, 10" lemon cake and an 8" carrot cake? All are to be decorated with chocolate cigarillos. As I can't use marzipan because of nut allergies, someone has recommended a mix of half chocolate plastique and half sugar paste to be used instead? Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted! Thank you.

How to apply wedding cake icing and marzipan

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Answer:

Although I cannot personally attest to the flavour that the combination will produce with the chocolate cigarillos, I can help you with the science of it.
Mix the chocolate plastique and sugar paste 1:1 ratio by weight. Here are recipes for the chocolate plastique and sugarpaste from the amazing book ‘Couture Wedding Cakes’ by Mich Turner. These should be enough to cover the size of wedding cakes you are using assuming they are round.

Chocolate Plastique
Dark chocolate 1.25kg (2lb 12oz)
Glucose syrup 1 kg

Over a pan of simmering water place the chocolate in a heat resistant bowl or put in the microwave to melt. Heat until it reaches a temperature of 43°C (110°F). Separately heat the glucose syrup until it reaches the same temperature. Combine and stir with a wooden spoon. Cool.



Place the mixture into a large freezer bag and set overnight at room temperature. Remove bag when ready to use and knead plastique until pliable. Dust the surface with icing sugar to roll out.

To Make Glucose Syrup

Water 500ml (18fl oz)
Caster Sugar 280g (10oz)
Glucose Syrup 170g (6oz)

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. This recipe will yield just enough for the chocolate plastique recipe above.

Sugar Paste

Cold water 120ml (8tbsp)
Powdered gelatine 40ml (8tsp/2 satchels)
Liquid glucose 250ml (8fl oz)
Glycerine 30ml (2tbsp)
Icing sugar sifted 2kg (4.5 lbs)

In a small bowl sprinkle gelatine over cold water and allow to soak until it reaches a spongy texture. Place the bowl over a pan of hot, (but not boiling) water until the gelatine dissolves. Add the next two ingredients. Mix well.

Place the icing sugar in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Slowly add the liquid, stirring constantly until well blended. Dust the surface with icing sugar and knead the mixture until smooth. If the paste becomes sticky add more icing sugar.

To store sugar paste for later use wrap in a plastic bag.

Hope that helps.