450g (1lb) sieved icing sugar, 5mls Gum Tragacanth and 20mls CMC(Carboxymethylcellulose) - Tylose
10mls White fat (Trex or Spry, not lard), 10mls powdered Gelatine soaked in 25mls cold water,
10mls Liquid Glucose, 45mls egg white. (5mls = 1 teaspoon)
Sieve all the icing sugar into greased* (Trex) mixing bowl. Add the gums to the sugar. Warm the mixture in the microwave oven for 3 x 50 secs on a medium setting, stirring inbetween. Sprinkle the gelatine over the water in a cup and allow to 'sponge'. Put the cup in hot, not boiling water, until clear. Add the white fat and glucose. Heat the dough hook beater, add the dissolved ingredients and the eggwhite to the warmed sugar, and beat on the lowest speed until all the ingredients are combined. At this stage the mixture will be a dingy beige colour. Turn the machine to maximum speed until the mixture becomes white and stringy. Grease your hands and remove the paste from the machine. Pull and stretch the paste several times. Knead together and cut into 4 sections. Knead each section again, and put into a self-seal bag, then in an airtight container and keep in the freezer.
Let it mature for 24 hours. This paste dries quickly so, when ready to use, cut off only a small piece and reseal the remainder. Work it well with your fingers. It should 'click' between your fingers when ready to use. If it should be a little too hard or crumbly, add a little egg white and fat. The fat slows down the drying process and the egg white makes it more pliable. Keep coloured paste in a separate container. This paste keeps for several months.
* This eases the strain on the machine considerably.
It can be made very economically and takes up about 1/2 hour of your time. The nearest commercial equivalent is sold by A Piece of Cake - check their Website -www.sugaricing.com.
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