Gum Paste, for Ornaments on Cakes, &C.

Ingredients

• gum adragant or tragacanth
• warm water
• double or treble refined loaf sugar
• fine hair powder
• gamboge
• cochineal
• indigo

Directions

1. Dissolve gum adragant or tragacanth in warm water and let it stand covered for 24 hours.

2. Strain the mixture through a cloth and place it in a mortar.

3. Add sifted double or treble refined loaf sugar and pound for at least 30 minutes until it draws into strings.

4. Ten minutes before finishing, add a small quantity of fine hair powder and continue to pound.

5. Work the mixture to a proper consistency with more sifted fine sugar and one third as much hair powder.

6. Color the paste with gamboge, cochineal, or indigo as desired.

7. Shape the paste into molds or fancy forms for decoration.