If you're looking to take your pastry skills to the next level, learn how to churn out bouquets of beautiful sugar roses in no time.

Instructions

• Step 1: Overlap the layers to create a natural looking rose. Use a modeling stick to widen and elongate each petal before they dry.
• Step 2: Apply the sugar roses to the cake or pastry, being sure to remove the toothpick beforehand. Vary the sizes of the roses to create a natural-looking bouquet or grouping.
• FACT: Botanists believe there are 400,000 to 500,000 species of plants in the world, only half of which have been identified.
• Step 3: Add more petals to your cone using the same process. Keep the next row a little looser so they open away from the cone.
• Step 4: Wait for each layer of petals to dry before adding more. Build several roses at once to avoid having to stop. By the time you finish with a few, the others will be dry.
• Step 5: Roll out the remaining gum paste to 1/16 of an inch -- any thicker and your sugar rose will lose its delicate appearance.
• Step 6: Cut your rose petals using a rose petal cutter and thin the edges carefully with your fingers or ball tool. Attach tightly to your cone using tylose glue.
• TIP: Tylose glue is edible.
• Step 7: Create a cone or teardrop shape about 1 1/4 inches high out of a small ball of gum paste and place on a toothpick. Allow the cone to dry for 48 hours standing up in a Styrofoam block.