a new use for old stamps

{made by mika}

Stamping Fondant

In my continuing experimentation with fondant design, I recently came across these items called 'Cookie Stamps'. 

 

They were cute, but as with many baking accessories on the retail market, I just wasn't "wowed" by the actual design itself; and for the price, it would not be worth using just that one time a year when it would be applicable. 

 

But it did get me thinking about using my old rubber and acrylic stamps to emboss designs on fondant for cookies and cupcakes. Better still, I'd get to use all those stamps that had gone untouched for years now after I just couldn't live without them. (I mean stamping used to be REALLY big back in the early days of scrapbooking, right?) 

 

Pretty soon I was all over the web discovering that stamping fondant has indeed been going on for a long time now, although unbeknownst to me. But it would still be very exciting to try it out for myself and use it in some of my own designs. So here goes….

The stamping part was as easy as you'd imagine. You can cover your stamp in either cornstarch or shortening to prevent it from sticking to the fondant. But an even better trick was to use a piece of Saran Wrap between the two, which would leave a very nice imprint with no tearing or stretching from the tiny corners/crevices of your stamp. 

 

After stamping on one of my cookies, I decided to try filling the space with small nonpareils. Before I sprinkled them into the imprint, I used a small paintbrush to cover the area with a corn syrup/water mixture. This would catch the nonpareils and make them stick in place.

 

I really loved the end product. It is simple and elegant, and gave the monogrammed letter a special "mosaic" look.

 

And yet again, this technique could be used in almost any design and accentuated in any number of ways. Besides nonpareils, you could fill the stamped space with superfine sanding sugars, colored icing, or painted-on food coloring. 

 

Or you could leave it as a simple embossing - a very subtle, elegant touch to your cookie or cupcake's design. Either way, I'm in love with the whole idea and can't wait to build on this technique in the future.

Thanks, as always, to Oh Goodie Designs for allowing me to share on her blog every week. 

 

And please stop by my CookieCraft page some time… I'd love to hear any comments or ideas about your own confectionary creations!