FAQ
My pieces did not dry enough. Why?
Your room may be too humid. Switch on an air-con or use an electric heater on low fan force blowing directly on pastillage from a distance.
Why is my pastillage crumbling?
You may have lost too much water content due to multiple heating/kneading and reusing. Try adding a spoon of water or two and knead again.
Why are there are hard parts in the paste?
You may have kept the paste on the table too long. Due to this, parts of it may have dried too much, after which you may have mixed the dry parts back into the paste. Be sure to always keep pastillage in an airtight plastic bag when not being used.
Why can’t I cut the paste cleanly?
Make sure your knife is sharp and cleaned after every few cuts. Clean box cutters usually do a good job at cutting pastillage.
Why doesn’t the paste have a clean surface after rolling or shaping?
Your hands or your roller may not have been cleaned from sugar residue often enough. Too much starch or icing sugar may have been dusted on the paste.
The edge of the paste is cracking when I roll it out?
You may be working too slow causing the paste to dry slightly. Knead the piece well and roll right after without pausing.