Modeling & Flower Paste

The modeling paste is a malleable edible dough made from powdered sugar and thickeners (carboxymethylcellulose, tylose gum, potato starch depending on the recipes), designed for sculpting. Its difference from covering fondant is essential: it is firmer, less elastic, and dries faster.

Specifically, you can:

• Sculpting characters: bride and groom figurines, animals, superheroes, princesses, baby shower subjects.
• Creating edible flowers: roses, peonies, daisies, orchids, hydrangeas, to stick on the cake or on picks.
• Shaping 3D decorations: bow ties, crowns, hats, various accessories.
• Modeling miniature fruits and vegetables: for dessert arrangements or seasonal decorations.
• Creating letters and inscriptions: names, ages, personalized raised messages.
• Texturing elements: with dedicated tools, you can carve scales, feathers, wood, bricks, etc.

Conversely, it is not suitable for covering entire cakes (use our covering sugar pastes) as it would crack on large surfaces.

Patissland selects references validated by professional pastry chefs and experienced cake designers. Each brand has its specificities.

• Saracino Pasta Model: the Italian reference, praised by many top European cake designers. Flexible yet firm texture, particularly resistant to humidity and heat, making it the preferred paste for hot climates or outdoor events. Gluten-free, vegan, kosher certified. See the Saracino collection.
• Azucren Flower Paste: Spanish paste specifically formulated for sugar flowers. Very fine, dries quickly, allows for translucent petals and the characteristic hold of high-end edible flowers.
• Renshaw: some English references offer modeling ranges in addition to their covering catalog, with good firmness and a wide choice of colors. See the Renshaw collection.
• Smartflex: known for its covering pastes, Smartflex also offers premium modeling references. See the Smartflex collection.

Each brand has its texture, flexibility, drying speed, and taste. For regular modeling, many cake designers recommend testing several brands to find the one that best suits your working style.

These two pastes belong to the same family but have distinct specializations.

• Modeling paste (gum paste / modeling paste): firm, malleable, dries in a few hours. Ideal for subjects, characters, figurines, bows, accessories, and any volumetric element.
• Flower paste (flower paste): finer, more flexible when rolled out, dries very quickly. Specifically designed for flowers with thin, translucent petals, rolled out as thin as possible before modeling, drying, and assembling. The Azucren Flower Paste available at Patissland is an excellent example.

For advanced decorators, the two pastes are complementary: modeling paste is used for subjects, and flower paste for fine floral details.

1. Prepare the paste: take out the needed amount, knead for a few minutes between your hands to make it flexible. Keep the rest wrapped in contact film to prevent drying.
2. Work cleanly: on a clean workspace, lightly dusted with powdered sugar or cornstarch if the paste sticks. Avoid water, which softens the paste.
3. Model in stages: start with the main body of the subject, add elements one by one by attaching them with a touch of water or royal icing. Let dry slightly between steps so the elements hold.
4. Dedicated tools: use specific modeling tools (modeling tools, needles, scalpels, veiners) for fine details. Stainless steel tools last for years.
5. Texture: use embossers and debossers to engrave patterns (scales, feathers, bricks) or lace and relief mats for textured effects on flat surfaces.
6. Color: add food colorings in gel or powder form to the paste before modeling, or dry paint after drying with edible powders and a brush.
7. Dry: let the modeled pieces air dry, flat or supported, at room temperature (24 hours for small elements, 48-72 hours for larger pieces).
8. Keep pieces dry: in a cardboard box (never in a closed plastic container that creates moisture), away from light and odors. Once dry, the pieces can be kept for several weeks.

Modeling paste requires careful storage to remain usable.

• Unused paste: wrap tightly in contact film, place in a zip bag, store at room temperature in a dry cupboard, away from direct light and odors. Can be stored for several months.
• Slightly hardened paste: knead with a drop of water or a bit of vegetable shortening (Crisco / Trex) to soften it again.
• Paste too dry to be recovered: discard it, it will lack the flexibility and finish needed for clean modeling.
• Dried modeled pieces: store in a cardboard box away from moisture, for several weeks. Modeling paste becomes hard and solid once dry.
• Refrigerator: to be avoided for both unused paste and finished pieces. The cold moisture damages the paste.

Modeling paste opens up a world of decorative possibilities. Here are some ideas for your creations:

• Children's birthdays: unicorns, dinosaurs, jungle animals, cartoon heroes, princesses. See our birthday theme section.
• Weddings: sugar flowers (roses, peonies), bride and groom figurines, bows, lace. See our wedding selection.
• Baby showers: clouds, stars, baby bottles, teddy bears, moons. See the baby shower section.
• Halloween: pumpkins, ghosts, monsters, witches, spider webs. See our Halloween selection.
• Christmas: Santa Clauses, Christmas trees, reindeer, snowmen, stars, gifts. See our Christmas selection.

For cake recipes that pair well with modeling paste decorations, check out our Vanilla Molly Cake or our homemade fondant recipe.

Patissland is one of the largest French stores specializing in cake design equipment and ingredients. Our selection of modeling paste is carefully curated, featuring only the references favored by professional cake designers. Fresh stocks regularly renewed, fast delivery throughout France and Europe (Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, etc.).

Click and collect pickup is available at our Osny (95) store. Earn points on all your orders with our Members Benefits loyalty program.