Ingredients
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1 pound powdered sugar
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1 TBSP + ½ tsp. Gum Tragacanth (don’t substitute)
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1/3 cup cold water (less 1-2 TBSP for firmer paste)
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1 ½ tsp unflavored gelatin
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1 TBSP shortening
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3 TBSP white corn syrup or glucose
Instructions
- Add powdered sugar and gum tragacanth to the bowl of a heavy duty mixer. Use a whisk to combine.
- Bring a saucepan of water to a light boil. Place mixing bowl over the saucepan and heat the powdered sugar mixture until warm, stirring occasionally. When ready the mixture will be warm to the touch.
- Place cold water in a heat proof glass container and sprinkle gelatin over it. Allow to sit for 5-15 minutes.
- Place shortening and corn syrup (or glucose)in a microwave safe bowl. Heat at 10-15 second intervals until shortening has melted. Stir occasionally during this process.
- Place container of gelatin in microwave and heat at 15 second intervals until the gelatin is completely melted being careful not to get the gelatin too hot. To check gelatin, rub a small amount between your fingers. If you feel a few granules, continue to warm. You should not feel any granules of gelatin.
- Pour the melted gelatin and the shortening/corn syrup mixture into the warm powdered sugar/gum tragacanth mixture. Turn mixer on low and mix until combined. Turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes. The mixture should not be warm after the 5 minutes. If it is, continue mixing until the mixture is at room temperature. Mixture will have a marshmallow feel and will stiffen up.
- Turn gum paste out onto the work space which has been dusted with powdered sugar. Knead 3-4 times. Wrap in two pieces of plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag.
- Let sit for 12 hours before using. Keep well wrapped when not in use.
- Gum paste can be stored in fridge for several months and in the freezer for a year.At this point, if coloring gum paste, substitute gel paste for some of the water. ie. Substitute ½ tsp of gel color for ½ tsp of water, etc. Gum paste will darken as it sits. I like to make the paste 2-3 shades lighter than I want the final paste to be.
Notes
- This recipe can be doubled.
- Corn syrup will work with this recipe but I prefer to use glucose.
- The fresher the gum tragacath the better your finished gum paste will be.
- Don’t substitute another type of gum for the gum tragacanth.
- Make sure to buy “Gum Tragacanth” not cmc… they are NOT the same.
- If the paste becomes a little too stiff to work with, Knead a drop or two of water into the paste. A little at a time until the preferred consistency is obtained.