Culinary mastic is a sweet coating for cake, pastries or other pastries that is very easy to make yourself. This decoration is especially indispensable for children's desserts, as it allows you to sculpt various figures and flowers.
Mastic of all colors and varieties is widely available in online stores. But the easiest way is to use freshly made mastic at home. Before starting work, it is worth considering a few nuances: first, first try to make a small piece of the product in order to understand how many components to mix to obtain the desired consistency; secondly, mastic can be made from different ingredients, depending on the purpose of the coating. For example, gelatinous mastic hardens quickly, so it is ideal for making small jewelry. If you want to make a fondant-coated cake, use marshmallows. These sponge-like candies are sold in shops and markets in pastry departments. To cover a cake with a diameter of 20-25 cm, you will need about 200 grams, no more. Place them in a metal container and heat over low heat until liquid forms, then add 20 grams of butter and one tablespoon of water. Any colorant should be added at this stage as well. Now move on to the most important thing: making mastic. Prepare a flat surface. Remove the bowl of sweets from the heat and place on the table. Pour some powdered sugar on it, add the rest of the powder to the liquid and stir until it begins to thicken. It is important here to achieve an even distribution of color. After that, put the thickened mass on the table and quickly add powder, knead the dough. You should get a non-sticky dense mastic without lumps. Roll it out with a rolling pin no more than 1 mm thick and boldly cover the cake. Products with the use of mastic should not be impregnated with butter cream. If you have just this option, it is better to apply an oil layer on top, level the cake with a knife, then cover it with mastic. You can apply the sweet mass to the confection using the same rolling pin, just wrap the dough on it and transfer it to the cakes. Gently cut from the bottom, lightly press with dry hands over the entire surface and leave to dry, then put in the refrigerator. During the entire time of working with the mastic, you cannot wet your palms, if you want to give the product shine, lubricate the surface with a small amount of vodka or brandy. If you allow water to get on the cake, the mastic will melt. The remains of the sweet dough can be used to make figurines or frozen in a tight plastic bag, in this form it can be stored for up to 4 months.
