I have included hydrangea here in the beginning of the book because they are one of the essentials used in many of our cake designs. Green hydrangea are our favorite because they add freshness to arrangements and make the pastel flower colors pop, but try them in purple, blue, pink, and white too! When making them, let them dry two ways – hanging from a rack so the shape is more closed, and face up in a cupped former so the flower remains more open. The closed hydrangea flowers nestle closely together, which is one of my secrets to creating tight arrangements.
1. Roll a tiny 3⁄16in (4mm) ball of white paste until it is smooth.
2. Attach neatly to 26g green hooked wire (see Getting Started).
3. Use a knife tool to make an indentation across the middle of the paste to create two halves.
4. Use the knife tool to make two more indentations dividing the halves into half again.
5. Make a center for each hydrangea flower you will be creating. Let them dry completely.
6. Roll a small ball of pale green paste, 1⁄4in (5mm) in diameter. Roll the bottom half of the ball into a tapered cone, leaving a bulbous tip.
7. Insert a hooked 26g green wire until the hook is in the middle of the widest part of the bud.
8. Thin and taper the base of the bud by rolling it between your fingers until the bud is 3⁄4–1in (2–2.5cm) in length.
9. Use the knife tool to mark the top of the bud into quarters in the same way as the hydrangea centers.
10. For visual interest, make buds in a variety of sizes but keep them all small. Allow them to dry completely.
11. Roll soft green paste thinly to 1⁄16in (2mm), keeping it covered if necessary to prevent it drying out. Press in spots all over the paste evenly with the hydrangea flower veiner.
12. Cut hydrangea flower shapes, centering the cutter over the veining. Keep the flowers covered to prevent drying.
13. Work with three to four flowers at a time and place on a foam pad. Thin the outer edges with a ball tool and go back with firmer pressure if a more ruffled flower is desired.
14. Apply a small amount of sugar glue on the underside of a hydrangea center.
15. Slide one of the hydrangea flowers up the wire.
16. Gently attach the center to the flower.
17. Turn the flower upside down and secure it to the center by pressing the base with your fingertips.
18. Hang most of the flowers upside down to dry (this will allow them to nestle more tightly together in an arrangement).
19. Dry some of the hydrangea flowers right-side up in a shallow cupped former to create some visual interest and use in layering the flowers over each other.
20. Dust a kiwi green color over the entire bud.
21. Dust a kiwi green on the hydrangea flowers, working from the outer edges in towards the center, avoiding getting color on the white centers.
22. Add a bit of pink dust on random edges of the flowers if desired.
23. The closed hydrangea flowers fit together more tightly, but the open petals add some charm and dimension.
24. Roll the green leaf paste until moderately thin, to about 1⁄16in (2mm), on the groove board.
25. Press the paste evenly with the hydrangea leaf veiner, centering it over the groove.
26. Move the paste to a cutting surface and cut a hydrangea leaf.
27. Dip the end of a 26g green wire into sugar glue. Insert it about 1in (2.5cm) into the groove on the back of the leaf (see Getting Started).
28. Pinch the paste where the wire enters the leaf to secure it to the wire.
29. On a foam pad, thin the edges of the reverse side of the leaf with a ball tool. Repeat with heavier pressure on the edges to add movement.
30. Lay the leaf right-side up on a piece of foam to dry completely.
31. Dust the topside of the leaf with moss green dust, leaving the underside untouched.
32. Add a bit of yellow dust and a kiwi green dust in small random splotches on the leaf.
33. Dust a tiny bit of pink on random parts of the edge of the leaf.
34. Steam the leaf for a few seconds to set the colors and let it dry (see Getting Started).
35. If desired, dab the topside of the leaf with a thin coat of confectioner’s glaze or leaf glaze to create a nice shine. Let the leaves dry completely before using.
When gathering together hydrangea flowers and buds into a bouquet, allow the pieces to all be at slightly different heights. This will make them look more natural.