How to use tylose

CMC, Tylose Powder and Gum Tragacanth – they all sound like very serious products but the chances are you’ll use them in many different ways during your time decorating cakes!

The main purpose of these products is to harden your sugarpaste to make flowers or models. Sugarpaste on its own is soft and will not hold it’s shape which is where Tylo/CMC/Gum Tragacanth comes into use.

CMC stands for Carboxymethyl Cellulose and can be used to harden sugarpaste and create a modelling paste or basic flower paste. You can also use it to make your own edible glue with the addition of just a little water! It’s a synthetic version of Gum Tragacanth but can work a little faster. It’s just as easy to use and often cheaper than Gum Tragacanth.

Tylose powder is effectively the same as CMC and works in the same way. Tylose is typically a brand name and you’ll see CMC is the main ingredient in Tylose Powder.

Gum Tragacanth is the natural version of all these gums. It originates from the sap of a plant found in the Middle East. You use it in the came way as CMC but ideally you leave your icing overnight to activate the Gum Tragancath so it can take a little longer to be ready to use than CMC.

How much do I need to use?
We recommend adding 1/2tsp of CMC to 250g of sugarpaste and knead well before use. You will feel the sugarpaste start to firm up slightly and it should be ready to use straight away. You can increase this to 1tsp but if you add too much it can start to dry out your sugarpaste so add a little at a time as there’s no going back! Be sure to wrap your sugarpaste well as it can harden quickly – we recommend wrapping it in film and then storing in an airtight container.

To make edible glue using CMC/Tylose you need to add one part CMC to 30 parts water and leave overnight in an airtight container. It will look lumpy at first but will set clear by the next day!