The PME rocking horse cutters can be used to either make flat rocking horse cut-outs for decoration, or with a little bit of extra work, can be used to make free-standing rocking horses that actually rock! They make a lovely centre piece for a new baby, or young child's birthday cake, or as a Christening cake.
For decorative cut-outs, sugarpaste or modelling paste is fine, but for free-standing rocking horses, you really need to use petal paste which will dry quickly, and porcelain hard.
Equipment:
Petal paste in colour of your choice
Rocking Horse cutter (PME)
Non-stick board
Non-stick rolling pin
Edible glue
Cornflour for dusting
Metallic paints, tints and colours to finish off
Method:
1. Roll out the petal paste thinly, and cut out 2 rocking horse shapes using the cutters. Check that there has been no distortion during cutting, and that both cut-out are exactly the same. Put to one side to dry (Flat)
2. Once the two sides of the rocking horse are dry, roll out another piece of the petal paste, only this time make it much thicker because this piece will give the rocking horse it's depth.
3. Cut off the legs of the thicker rocking horse you have just cut out - you only want to use the body and head.
4. Sandwich the thicker body cut-out between the two dry full size rocking horse shapes. Trim away any excess, and adjust slightly if necessary, to make sure the rocking horse will stand up. Once everything is in place, turn the rocking horse on it's side and use something to keep the legs and rockers in position whilst the body dries. Crumpled up kitchen roll, small rolling pins, pencils etc all make nice props :)
5. Allow the rocking horse to dry for as long as you can, so that it's nice and strong before you handle it.
Finishing:
You can either leave your rocking horse as it is, or carry on and make a few accessories for it.
1.
Saddle - using the smallest oval cutter from the 'oval cutter set', cut out one piece, in a colour of your choice. Add a little extra finishing touch by running around the border with a quilting tool to make it look stitched.
2.
Mane - Measure the length of the neck and cut out a small right-angle triangle, using the measurement as a guide. Decide which side you are going to use to run down the neck, and then using small scissors, cut almost up to the neckline all along the length. Attach the mane to one side of the rocking horse using a little edible glue.
3. Repeat the process for the other side of the mane, and then cut a tiny version to stick forward over the eyes between the ears.
4.
Reins - Roll out a tiny piece of petal paste into the thinnest sausage you can possible manage without it breaking. slightly flatten and wrap around the muzzle of the rocking horse, making the join underneath, out of sight. Secure the two ends with a little edible glue.
5. Cut two more pieces of the sausage long enough to go from behind the horses ears to join the muzzle band at the side of the mouth. Secure each end in place with a little edible glue.
6. Cut a longer piece of sausage for the reins, long enough to go from one side of the mouth, loosely over the back, and back to the mouth on the other side of the rocking horse. Secure both ends in place with a little edible glue.
7. Using edible pen or icing sugar, give your rocking horse some eyes and he's ready to grace the top of your cake!
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