Does anyone have a good recipe for salt dough? I need one that I can brown in the oven as I am making little scented pies, and I don't want them white! Thanks!
Debbie from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Just a tip. One year I spent several hundred hours making salt dough bowls and plates decorated with raised elephants, lions, etc. I painted them with craft paints and they were really beautiful. However, salt dough will not last unless you seal the finish. It will absorb moisture from the air and become soft, and even mold. I brushed polyurethane on several items, and was shocked when it completely ruined the painted finish. Spraying items with fast drying clear acrylic, sold along with the craft paints works great every time and the more coats the better (5 is best). Another tip is to paint the baked salt dough with gesso before painting with the craft paints - for a much nicer finish.
2 cups of salt 2/3 cup water 1 cup cornstarch additional 1/3 cup COLD water and acrylic paint or food coloring
Place salt and 2/3 cup water in small saucepan and heat until quite warm. Remove from heat. Mix cornstarch and COLD water together, add to salt mixture stirring constantly. Return pan to heat and keep stirring until mixture forms a smooth mass. Turn out on a plate and cover with damp cloth until cool. work in color as desired or leave natural. Covered (zip bag) & refrigerated, Salt Dough will keep indefinitely.
Shape on foil covered cookie sheet and let dry (Several hours in a warm oven or several days at room temperature). You can sand rough edges with an emery board when dry.
I think what you are looking for is Baker's clay...I used it often for tree decorations...gingerbread men were the children's favorite and they helped make and paint them too:) :
Baker's Clay: INGREDIENTS: 4 c. unsifted flour 1 c. salt 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 c. slight warm water
DIRECTIONS: Combine salt and water in bowl. Stir to dissolve salt. Add flour gradually, mixing with hands. If dough is too stiff, add more water, a little at a time. Remove dough from bowl and knead 4-6 minutes. Dough should be warm, soft, and elastic, with no grimy feel. Shape into desired ornaments or mushroom shapes for plaques, etc. Press dough through strainer or garlic press for strings, grass, hair. To add pieces for eyes, cheeks, hair, moisten with water before putting in place. Remember to make a holes for hanging ornaments or insert 1/2 paper clips or ornament hangers in soft dough. Bake in pre-heated oven 350 degrees for 1/2 to 1 1/2 hours or more, depending on thickness of the piece. It should be hard and brownish when done. Lift from sheets with spatula and cool on racks. Options: Brush with evaporated milk before baking to give a glaze and slighter browner color. Paint with acrylic or water color or poster paints or food coloring. Spray with a clear polyurethane to prevent softening. Decorate with sequins, cloth, buttons, etc. if desired. Hang on tree with string, ribbon or elastic cord. Use dough within 24 hours (keep in refrigerator) or it becomes to hard or sticky.
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Archives:
Tip: Homemade Salt Dough
Archived on 11/29/2008
Making salt dough ornaments can be great fun.
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1-1/2 cups hot tap water
coloring
cookie cutters
plastic utensils
Directions:
Mix the salt and flour in a large bowl.
Gradually add the water* to the dough as you mix until you have soft dough.
* If you want colored dough, add a couple drops of food coloring to the water.
Add extra water or flour if needed to create the consistency necessary for rolling out the dough.
Once the dough is ready, roll it out flat to the desired thickness. 1/4 inch or so seems to work well. You can roll it out thicker but it will take longer to bake.
You can use cookie cutters or plastic knives to cut shapes out of the dough. Carve features onto the shapes using plastic utensils and if you are going to use them as a hanging ornament, poke a hole towards the top before baking. Dip your cookie cutter in flower before using, it will make the ornament easier to remove from the cookie cutter.
Bake the shapes in the oven at 200F until the dough has hardened completely. The cook time will vary depending on how thick the dough is.
Once the shapes have been cooked they can be decorated with paints or markers.
Then coat the shapes with varnish or polyurethane spray if you want to preserve them.
The dough can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container but is best if used within 24 hours.
