Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Lokum paste is a soft, pliable sugar paste built on icing sugar and modified starch, with a little pastry margarine worked through to keep it supple. It takes its name from lokum, Turkish delight, and it has something of that character in the hand: smooth, slightly chewy and easy to stretch without tearing or cracking.
It rolls out thin for covering cakes and holds shape well enough for modelling simple decorations, flowers and cut-out shapes. Liquid colours can be kneaded straight in, and because the paste is made from store-cupboard ingredients it is a good alternative when you want a covering paste that stays soft and workable rather than setting rock hard.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 1005
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: batch of about 1 kg, enough to cover one 20 cm round cake with trimmings for modelling
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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400 |
14.1 ounces
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Pure Icing Sugar
Pure icing sugar is also made from pulverised granulated sugar but contains no cornflour. For everyday cooking, icing sugar mixture does the trick; the only place where pure icing sugar is a must is when making royal icing, modelling fondant and the like.
first addition, for the mixer bowl
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sifted |
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B
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35 |
1.2 ounces
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Modified Starch
Modified starch is a corn or tapioca starch that has been treated so it thickens smoothly and stays stable when acid, sugar and freezing are involved. In a glaze it gives body and shine without becoming cloudy or watery; plain corn starch can be used instead, though the set will be a little softer.
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C
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95 |
3.2 fluid_ounces
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Water
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room temperature |
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D
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Pure Icing Sugar
Pure icing sugar is also made from pulverised granulated sugar but contains no cornflour. For everyday cooking, icing sugar mixture does the trick; the only place where pure icing sugar is a must is when making royal icing, modelling fondant and the like.
for the starch and water mixture
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sifted |
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E
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70 |
2.5 ounces
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Pastry Margarine
This hard margarine is a type of vegetable shortening used to make puff pastry and other pastries. While you might find a similar product from a supermarket, it would probably be quite costly. It is recommended to be purchased from a wholesaler. Here are a couple of links to 2 Australian wholesalers. Frutex and EOI.
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soft |
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F
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300 |
10.6 ounces
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Pure Icing Sugar
Pure icing sugar is also made from pulverised granulated sugar but contains no cornflour. For everyday cooking, icing sugar mixture does the trick; the only place where pure icing sugar is a must is when making royal icing, modelling fondant and the like.
for firming the dough
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sifted |
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G
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5 |
1 teaspoon
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Liquid Sorbic Acid (preservative 200)
Liquid sorbic acid is a food-grade preservative used in very small amounts to hold back mould and yeast in sugar pastes, fillings and syrups. It is optional in a home kitchen, where a batch of paste is normally used up well before it would spoil.
optional preservative
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1005
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Sift all of the icing sugar and have the mixer fitted with the beater attachment. Keep the dough hook to hand for the end. |
No lumps in the sugar, everything weighed out before you start |
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2 |
Place |
Put A (icing sugar) into the mixer bowl. |
Bowl of dry sugar, ready for the liquid |
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3 |
Mix |
In a separate bowl, mix B, C and D (modified starch, water and icing sugar) together by hand. |
A smooth, lump-free slurry |
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4 |
Combine |
Add the starch mixture to the icing sugar in the mixer and mix on low speed for only a few turns. |
Just brought together, still rough and crumbly |
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5 |
Add |
Add E (pastry margarine) and keep mixing on low speed until the mixture comes together into a firm dough. |
A firm, even dough with no dry patches or streaks of fat |
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6 |
Firm |
Add F and G (icing sugar and liquid sorbic acid), change to the dough hook and finish mixing. |
Smooth, elastic and no longer sticky to the touch |
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7 |
Colour |
If you want coloured paste, knead liquid colour in by hand at this stage, a little at a time, or divide the paste first and colour each piece separately. |
Colour evenly worked through with no streaks |
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8 |
Rest |
Wrap the paste tightly in plastic film, pressing out all the air, and let it rest before rolling. |
At least a few hours at room temperature; the paste relaxes and stops shrinking back |
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9 |
Use |
Knead the rested paste until soft and pliable, then roll it out on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar or cornflour for covering and cutting. |
Smooth, satiny surface that rolls thin without cracking |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 1 kg of paste, enough to cover one 20 cm round cake with some left over for cut-outs and simple modelling. Always keep the paste tightly wrapped in plastic film inside an airtight container: it dries and crusts very quickly in open air. Stored this way at cool room temperature it keeps for several weeks; do not refrigerate, as condensation will make the surface sticky. If the paste feels soft on a warm day, knead in a little extra sifted icing sugar; if it has gone firm in storage, warm it briefly in your hands or for a few seconds in the microwave and knead it back to a workable state. Dust the bench with icing sugar or cornflour rather than flour when rolling.
Tools & Arrangements
Stand mixer with beater and dough hook attachments, mixing bowl, sieve, spatula, digital scales, plastic film, rolling pin and a smooth non-stick work surface or mat.
