SALTILLAGE
Basic Salt Dough for Sculptures
1 cup cold water
1 cup corn starch
2 cups warm popcorn salt.
Combine the water and cornstarch. Mix well over medium heat, stirring constantly, to a very thick paste. Knead 2 cups of salt into hot cornstarch mixture (for best results use a mixing machine). For brown colour, add some Soya sauce to the water. To make brown point, brown cornstarch to various shades of light and dark brown and mix with water and some gin. When sculpture is finished, use a brush to paint it with the cornstarch mixture.
To create successful sculptures
- For large salt-dough sculptures, a good solid metal armature is needed to support the weight of the sculpture.
- Cover the armature with aluminum foil to create desired shape.
- Cover aluminum foil with thin sheets of salt dough. Dry. Repeat and dry again.
- Finish details on the third layer of salt dough. Dry and paint with brown cornstarch color or dust with herbs and spices.
WILLY SPRY’S SALTILLAGE
Yield: 5 1b
Ingredients
Cornstarch 3 lb
Salt (table) 1 lb
Plain powdered gelatin 6 oz
Boiling water 1 ¼ pt
Colorings: turmeric, paprika, vegetable or confectioner’s color spices, dried herbs poppy or caraway seeds, finely chopped nuts.
METHOD
Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water; make sure it is well dissolved. Use extra heat if necessary, but do not boil. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth or filter paper and let cool.
Place cornstarch and salt in mixing bowl and stir in liquid gelatin a little at a time until you get a smooth paste. When you notice that the saltillage clears the sides of the mixing bowl, it is ready. Add desired colorings. Roll into clear plastic and store in an airtight container.
Saltillage has the same appearance and texture as pastillage. It dries quickly and for some reason tends to crack easily. Do not make large pieces out of this paste unless you have a base; a Styrofoam sculpture that you may wish to cover will do. Any small animals or birds, flowers, mushrooms umbrellas, wheel-barrows, Chef’s hats or other decorations that you already have made out of marzipan or pastillage can also be made of saltillage. The rest is left to the imagination
