How to save mastic figures
The main ingredient of mastic is sugar. Therefore, the jewelry has a rather specific taste that will appeal only to those with a real sweet tooth. If you are not one, you can choose not to eat the figurines and keep them as a souvenir.
There are several simple rules that will help extend the life of mastic figurines:
- First, the decor should be dried at room temperature for 4-6 hours to form a dense crust.
- Avoid high temperatures. The optimal mode for storage is plus 6-15 degrees. Otherwise, the sweetness may begin to float and lose its shape.
- The humidity regime is also important: in a damp place the figurine will soften and become deformed.
- If exposed to direct sunlight, the bright colors of the mastic may fade. They should be avoided.
- When placing mastic figures on a cake, confectioners do not use water. Even a small drop on its surface is enough for the contours to be washed away.
- It is not recommended to store figurines, even well-packed ones, in the refrigerator for a long time. Due to the special humidity regime, condensation may form under the film or in the container where they were placed.
- It is easier to save large mastic figures. For small ones, any environmental influences (temperature or humidity changes, water ingress) will be noticeable immediately.
- A whole cake with mastic decoration can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days. After this period, you can only admire it, but eating it is already risky.
- If a small part of the figurine falls off during storage, it can be easily glued back in place using egg white.
Let's summarize the rules: mastic figurines should be stored in a cool, dark place, sealed. In this case, they can remain edible and quite soft inside for 1-2 months. If you do not plan to eat the decoration, then you can put it on a shelf not illuminated by the sun or other prominent place.
How to properly dry mastic products - tips
Comments on the entry "How to properly dry mastic products - tips"
Thank you very much to the author for such useful information, since I am just learning, these tips were very useful to me. If possible, please answer my question. How many days in advance to make cake figures? I want to make this for my daughter's birthday. But I'm afraid that if they sit there for a long time, they won't spoil. And if I make it and decorate it, where should I store it in the room or in the refrigerator? Thank you in advance))
Irina, in fact, such jewelry lasts a long time. Unused mastic can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or in the freezer for about a month, after wrapping it in cling film. Any figurines can be stored for several days, up to 10 days, in well-closed plastic bags or plastic containers. There is nothing to spoil in sugar mastic; it is important to simply protect the mastic from air so that it does not dry out and from moisture so that the mastic does not get wet.
Hello. I have this question: I want to make a cake decorated with fondant for my mother-in-law, but the problem is that we don’t live together, and I’ll be baking at home, what’s the best thing to do in this case with decorations if I decorate everything at home? , will he be able to wait until he gets to the table (about 20 minutes walk)?))))))
Anna, don’t worry, nothing will happen in this time. The only thing is to thoroughly dry the mastic decorations in advance so that they don’t “float” and everything will be great. You came up with a wonderful gift for your mother-in-law)
Hello. I have a question. Most often they order lady fingers cake from me, and of course they want a mastic decoration. but not just with sour cream, but with gelatin so that there is a shape, but the mastic (even dried) floats on the gelatin. please tell me how best I can do all this. I myself relatively recently (1 year) took up such a wonderful business and simply fell in love with it. thanks for the answer and for the advice.
Natalya, alas, such jelly cakes are just exceptions to mastic; the decorations still “float”. You can wrap the sponge cake in a thin layer, for example, so that there is a minimum of it, then cool the cake and then decorate it. There is no other way)
Hello! Tell me, please, if I need to make round decorations for cupcakes from fondant (I will place them on top of the cream), should I also store them at room temperature?? It’s just that I previously stored them in the refrigerator, and they “flowed” during transportation (the journey was 15 minutes maximum). I had cream from Philadelphia and butter. Thanks in advance for your answer!
Lena, in principle they shouldn’t have leaked in such a time, maybe you didn’t wait until they were completely dry? But, if you are worried, then as an option: store the cupcakes in the refrigerator, transport them separately from the decorations, and decorate your desserts with them on the spot, placing them on the cream.
Maybe.. But it’s still better to dry at room temperature, right?
I think yes, this will be the best option.
Tell me how to preserve the marzipan mastic figures that are left after the cake is eaten? This is a memory from my niece’s christening and we want the figurines (slippers and marzipan baby) to remain as a souvenir for a long time. I once was in the marzipan museum in Budapest, there are human-sized marzipan figures there. How do they store them?! So I’m wondering how to save mine))). Thank you. Elena
Lena, they should dry well, after which they can be stored for several months in a dry place, for example, you can put them on a shelf. But, depending on the mastic, they will begin to fall apart over time, although sometimes they stand perfectly well for two years.
If you don’t want it in a visible place, then figurines made from mastic are well stored in a tight box, which needs to be placed in a dry place. Instead of a box, you can use a plastic container, which needs to be placed in a dry place so that they dry well.
Tell me, please, I made mastics from marshmallows, I went too far with citric acid. Is it possible to somehow remove the sour taste? Thank you very much in advance
Ksyushka, it’s no longer possible to remove it. If the mastic doesn’t break and everything works out, then leave it like that. Next time make it less sour)
HELLO, I MADE A CROWN FROM MASTIC, IT TOOK 4 HOURS, I TRIED TO REMOVE IT AND IT BREAKS. WHAT TO DO. I DID NOT COVER IT WITH ANYTHING THIS IS MY FIRST WORK, I JUST ADDED DYE AND DID IT ON THE FRAME.
Marina, you definitely let the mastic decoration dry well. Maybe you were in a hurry? And you didn’t write what kind of mastic the crown was made of - sugar, marshmallow, milk or some other.
Hello, I was making poppy petals from sugar mastic, and since I needed a bright scarlet color, I had to add a lot of liquid coating agent, which made the mastic itself runny. I read that in this case you can thicken the mastic with powdered sugar, which is what I did. The petals turned out, but after a day they practically did not dry ((Please tell me, is there a chance in my case that the mastic will dry out? Or did I ruin it with dye and powder?
Julia, it is not advisable to use liquid food coloring, because... They change the consistency of the mastic; it will most likely become liquid and impossible to work with. That's what happened to you. But if the mastic is still liquid, then add more powdered sugar and starch, don’t be afraid to experiment, this is a sweet dough and it should resemble plasticine)
Thanks for the answer!
Good afternoon! I really need your advice, I will be grateful if you answer. I have no experience working with mastic, I have to bake a cake with mastic elements, namely, I transfer a design on sugar paper onto 3mm wide mastic, then decorate the cake with cream cheese. The question is that the figurine that should stand on the cake must be dry. The figurine stood for a day, but did not dry out much. Is it a matter of mastic, or has not enough time passed? I buy ready-made mastic.
Lesya, we have a detailed article on how to dry mastic figures https://retseptytortov.ru/ukrashenie-tortov/kak-pravilno-sushit-izdeliya-iz-mastiki-sovety/ Usually the figures dry simply in the air for about a day, but it may take more time. It depends on how you dried them. Don’t worry, such decorations can be made even a few weeks before using them)
Hello, I am making a cupcake with cream on top, I need to put a circle of mastic on the cream, will the mastic melt on the cream? Chantipak cream. Thank you.
How long can sugar paste figurines be stored?
The shelf life depends on your goals.
1. If the figures are needed to decorate a cake that you are preparing (or bought, but do not plan to eat right away), then the plastic mass can retain its properties as a product for up to two weeks. It must be remembered that glucose is a nutrient medium, which means microbiological processes can develop in it. From here we draw a simple conclusion: the storage rules are the same as for other food products - in the refrigerator, under cling film, a bag or a plastic cake dome.
During storage, it is important to limit the access of moisture to the product, as liquid can damage the shape of the miniature sculpture. The saying “not sugar, it won’t melt” does not apply to mastic - it is sugar and can literally melt from moisture. That is why, when storing sweet decorations separately from the dessert itself, it is best to further protect them - pack the mastic in separate paper bags and then in plastic bags.
In addition, fresh mastic should not dry out. You should not leave it in the open air if dessert has not yet appeared on the holiday table. An airtight container is good for temporary storage. If the cake is very large, then use a clean pan, bowl or ordinary basin as a dome.
2. A fundamentally different option is storing decor in open spaces. Wonderfully beautiful flowers made from sweet paste, cartoon figures and even real sculptural portraits can easily stand on a shelf at room temperature. This will already be a source of memories and simply an original interior object. But for this purpose, the mastic figures will need to be thoroughly dried.
This is done quite simply: put the product in a cardboard box and put it in a dry place, protected from sources of sunlight and heating devices. In its natural environment, the mastic will dry out in a few hours, which will add strength to it. To be safe, you can keep the product in the box for a couple of days.
Then feel free to place the beauty in a transparent vase, on a saucer, stand - anywhere. Our homes are decorated with dried flower ikebana, porcelain figurines and other decor, so why can’t a sweet piece of art be prominently displayed?
However, you should remember the shelf life of mastic as a food product. Taking it off the shelf after a month or more to enjoy it is dangerous. Warn your children about this, because little sweet tooths endlessly strive to swallow the “candy,” but in this case this is a bad option. In addition, house dust may settle on the decor.
- If sweet edible mastic is prepared for decorating cakes, then limit the access of air and moisture. Store the mixture or finished product in a paper bag, then wrap it in plastic or place it in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.
- If the cake has fulfilled its function, and you decide to keep the sculptural decorations and flowers as a keepsake, then first keep them in a cardboard box at room temperature (4-6 hours), and then put them on a shelf.
We wish you beautiful and delicious holidays! Troika confectioners are always happy to make your celebration sweet and original!
- sugar - a type of mastic for covering cake layers and forming a platform,
- floral - as the name suggests, it is used to create edible flowers and plants,
- Mexican - best suited for sculpting sculptural elements.
