Rolling Fondant and Gum Paste

• To use the Cricut, you must feed rolled fondant and gum paste into the machine to be cut. The materials must be rolled out to a specific thickness to be cut properly. Otherwise, you may get uncut portions and risk jamming the machine. The thickest the fondant should be is one-eighth of an inch. The optimum thickness is one-sixteenth of an inch. Gum paste should be rolled to one-sixth of an inch.
  
  

Using the Right Pressure

• Adjust the pressure settings for the blades on the Cricut machine depending on the thickness of the fondant or gum paste you are cutting. The mat under the fondant or gum paste will be cut into slightly no matter what, but if you find that the blade is cutting through the mat, you may need to reduce the pressure. Replace the mat periodically.
  
  

Prepping Frosting Sheets

• If you are using the Cricut machine to cut a frosting sheet, properly prepare the frosting sheet and mat before starting. Using a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of shortening to one side of the frosting sheet. The shortening should be clear and glossy, not white; white shortening indicates you are using too much. Apply shortening to the mat as well. Lay the frosting sheet on the mat, and seal the shortening sides together. This ensures the frosting sheet will not slip around when the machine is cutting it.
  
  

Speed

• The Cricut machine also has different speed settings that should be adjusted to best suit the medium you are cutting. Medium speed is optimal when cutting frosting sheets and gum paste. Using the proper speed ensures that you end up with a clean cut and the best finished product. The speed required for rolled fondant depends on the thickness of the fondant you are trying to cut.