Mastic is an easy-to-use confectionery material designed for decorating baked goods. Whether you're just starting out with store-bought mastic or planning to learn how to make your own, it's worth learning how long mastic lasts and how to properly store the finished confectionery mixture to preserve its properties.

Types of mastic and expiration dates

Depending on the ingredients included in the mass and the method of preparation, in confectionery, the following types of mastic are distinguished:

  • sugar (used for covering cakes, making decorations and three-dimensional figures);
  • gelatin-sugar (good for making small decorations, but not for covering cakes as it dries very quickly and can create a bumpy surface);
  • dairy (universal in use, but has a slightly yellowish tint due to the condensed or dry milk included in the recipe, which can be eliminated by using dyes).
Cake fondant - types and shelf life

Different types of mastic differ not only in composition and scope of application, but also in shelf life:

Type of masticbest before datewhere is it stored
Sugar (homemade)2-3 weeksin the refrigerator
Sugar (store-bought)12-18 months*in the refrigerator (at a temperature of up to +20…+25℃ before opening the package)
Gelatin-sugar2-3 weeksin the refrigerator
Dairy1 weekin the refrigerator

*in sealed packaging

Important! Freezing can disrupt the crystal lattice, causing the mixture to lose its structure and original elasticity.

Industrially produced sugar paste has the longest shelf life. Typically, this confectionery paste is sold in airtight packaging, preventing the access of air and bacteria.

After opening, store-bought mastic must be stored at a temperature of +5…+7℃ (in the refrigerator) and the shelf life is reduced to 2-3 weeks, as for sugar dough prepared at home.

Optimal storage conditions

Often, it's not just the storage time of fondant that matters, but also the conditions under which it's preserved. To prevent sugar paste from drying out or becoming stale, it must be stored properly, following these basic rules:

  • sealed packaging (bag, cling film, sealed container);
  • temperature regime +5…+7℃ (high air temperature accelerates the drying of the mass and also promotes the development of bacteria in the nutrient medium);
  • humidity <75% (upon contact with water, the mastic melts and loses its physical and chemical properties).
Any sudden changes in temperature and humidity can ruin the sugar paste, the cake figures made from it, and the finished coating on the confection!
How to store mastic cakes

Preparing the mastic for use

Regardless of where you store the mastic, in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator, you will need to warm it up a little and knead it until it becomes elastic before using.
Preparing the mastic for use
If store-bought mastic is stored in the freezer, it must be defrosted gradually, naturally.

During long-term storage, the sugar mass may harden significantly and will need to be hardened before starting work. soften the masticYou can do this at home by placing the mastic in a sealed bag in warm water or by heating it in short bursts in the microwave.

For more information on how to prepare mastic for use, watch this video:

How to store fondant figures

Three-dimensional figures, small decorative elements, and fondant toppers can be made in advance. The shelf life of these decorations, when stored properly and the packaging is sealed, is 1-3 weeks, just like the fondant itself.
How to store fondant figures
It's not recommended to store fondant products for long periods of time, as the sweet paste itself, even after drying, is a breeding ground for bacteria. It's not recommended to eat fondant figures that have been stored for more than two weeks (they can be used as non-edible decorations).

The best option is to store the finished decorations in a sealed package in the refrigerator, and decorate the cakes shortly before delivery to the customer or serving.

Storing a cake with a fondant coating

To ensure your holiday cake delivers a vibrant flavor and a beautiful appearance, follow these guidelines:

  1. Shelf life of the finished cake calculated based on the ingredients included in the cream.
  2. The mastic layer, as well as pictures made from sugar or wafer paper, must be isolated with a special layer (most often, a layer of butter cream is used for this).
  3. It is better to decorate the cake with figurines before serving, rather than in advance.
  4. Mastic cakes are stored in the refrigerator and must be in airtight packaging.
  5. The cake should be removed from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before serving, so that the dessert warms up and the mastic elements become softer.

Top questions about mastic

You can, but it's best not to, as the mixture may lose its structure. After freezing, the fondant may tear and spread when rolled out. You can try making decorations with this mixture, but you definitely won't get a beautiful, smooth cake covering.

It can be said that the mastic is unsuitable for use if:

  • the expiration date has expired;
  • storage conditions were violated;
  • the physical and chemical properties of the product have changed (the mastic crumbles and breaks when rolled out).

Roll out the mastic with a clean rolling pin, sprinkling the base with starch or powdered sugar.

To give sugar paste a luxurious shine, it is coated with a honey-vodka solution using a soft brush (the composition is vodka and honey in equal proportions).

It all depends on the sugar dough recipe. The dough with added gelatin dries the fastest—in a few hours. Sugar dough dries for about a day and reaches its maximum hardness after a week.

Even knowing how to properly store fondant doesn't always preserve finished pieces perfectly. While drying, the fondant coating or finished figurines may crack. If the coating does crack, you can decorate the damaged area or cover it with a picture.

The shelf life of any type of mastic significantly exceeds that of any cake cream, so in a stale confection or a dessert that has been stored improperly, it is the cream that poses the primary danger.

However, if stored for long periods of time under improper conditions, mastic products can also become a breeding ground for a number of dangerous bacteria. Therefore, when purchasing any confectionery product, especially during the hot summer months, it's essential to first check the manufacturing date and expiration dates.

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