RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT
DESIGNS FOR CAKES DECORATED
WITH SUGAR PASTE
SIPHOKAZI MAYISELA
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CONTENT PAGE:
PAGE 3-INTRODUCTION
PAGE 4/5- HISTORICAL
PAGE 6/7- CULTURAL
PAGE 7/10- CONTEMPORARY
PAGE 11- CONCLUSION
PAGE 12- BIBLIOGRAPHY
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INTRODUCTION
In this assignment we will focus on Sugar paste/ Fondant and the aspects, aspects
which are Historical, Cultural and Contemporary. It is important that we
understand where sugar paste came from and we understand the uses of it as
well as which direction sugar paste is headed in. this assignment will cover all
these aspects
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HISTORICAL DESIGNS FOR CAKES DECORATED WITH SUGAR
PASTE
The earliest stages of rolled fondant developed back in the 1500s, when its
ingredients consisted of sugar, rosewater, egg white, lemon juice, and gum
tragacanth. From the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries, the term
“icing” typically referred to a cake made of marzipan, which was a celebratory
food. Marzipan was paired with rolled fondant to sculpt into centerpieces as well
as candies. Somewhere in the mid to late nineteenth century, royal icing became
popular and the wonderful technique of piping was born. It wasn’t until the 20th
century that fondant was used as icing.
Fondant was invented in the 16th century; fondant has long been renowned as a
frosting for its versatility and pliability. It is believed that the British invented
fondant as a softer covering for fruitcakes and this was to replace the rock hard
royal icing, which was typically placed over marzipan. It is also believed that
fondant was also found to insulate wedding cakes on hot days, allowing them to
keep longer.
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CULTURAL DESIGINS FOR CAKES DECORATED WITH SUGAR
PASTE
Fondant may be stored for long periods of time. The texture of fondant lends
itself easily to molding and shaping. Pastry chefs and bakers prefer to use fondant
as a base frosting for any elaborately decorated cakes, such as wedding cakes, as
it provides a smooth foundation on which to build. Today, bakers usually
combine fondant frosting with piped frostings and other decorations, using royal
icing to "glue" fondant into the shapes they desire.
Early fondant was not chilled and then applied to cakes. Rather, small cakes were
dipped in warm fondant and allowed to set. Because fondant icing has such a
strong, sugary taste, flavorings were often added to it. These included chocolate,
almond extract and citric acid. Some bakers also would ameliorate the sugary
taste of fondant by beating marshmallows or other types of frosting into it. Small
fondant-dipped cakes were sometimes used to decorate larger cakes
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CONTEMPORARY DESIGNS FOR CAKES DECORATED WITH
SUGAR PASTE
Due to the increase of baking and cake-related television shows, fondant cakes
enjoy more popularity today than ever before. Such programs as "Cake Boss,"
"Ace of Cakes" and "The Martha Stewart Show" frequently feature complicated
cake designs that have been made using fondant.
Fondant has a malleable structure, smooth texture, and easy transportability.
This amazingly sculpt-able material has become increasingly popular among cake
designers in the past few decades, opening up all kinds of creative doors to cake
artistry. With fondant, cakes can now take endless forms and be adorned with an
infinite combination of cutouts, flowers, textures and toppers. Its taste is not
often preferred to buttercream, but perhaps fondant flavor will be the next
development in the history of this fabulous material!
Fondant is in fashion nowadays. There are now tools and equipment that you can
use to help you cut the fondant and shape it. It is so advanced that there are now
stencils for making patterns and flowers.
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CONCLUSION
This assignment has taught us the fundamentals of sugar paste/fondant. We covered the origin of
fondant as well as how it was used leading up till now. We focused on the historical, cultural and
contemporary aspects of fondant.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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