In this video, we delve into the art of creating lifelike poppy flowers for cake decorating using flower and modelling paste. The process involves crafting the poppy centre, petals, buds, and seed heads, each with their unique characteristics. The poppy flower, with its vibrant red petals and distinctive centre, is a favourite among many, and learning to recreate it in sugar art can be a rewarding experience.

Start by making the flower centre. Make a tape bud and brush with egg white. Insert into no.6 size ball of green paste. Press into the large flower centre mould cavity. Flex to remove the poppy head and leave to dry for 2 hours. For the stamen, wrap black sewing thread loosely around three fingers 80 times. Take one end of the thread loop and wrap a wire tightly around the loop, leaving half the length of the wire unwound. Repeat at the opposite end of your thread bunch then cut in two. Trim the thread to about 20mm from the wire. Fan out the thread with your Companion Tool and then push the poppy head wire through the centre of the stamens.

To make small poppy petals, measure a ball of red paste. Roll into a sausage a press into the bottom half of the small poppy petal mould cavity. Use a cosmetic sponge to then press into the rest of the mould. With your Companion Tool press a raised ridge in the centre of the petal. Dip a wire end in egg white or edible glue and slide it into the raised ridge. Line up the Flower Pro Fan Veiner and press into the paste. Flex gently to release from the mould. Once you have made three more small petals, slot each into the foil former to dry.

In the next video, we will explore how to create the poppy buds and seed heads, adding more realism to your sugar poppy creations.