Pâte Morte

Pâte morte, or “dead dough,” is a decorative medium that uses no baker’s yeast and offers design possibilities that are limited only by the creative talents of the baker. Whether used to make delicate flowers, subtly browned at the edges from a quick bake; large decorative plaques commemorating an event or simply displayed alluringly in the bakery’s front window; or long-lasting baskets lined with dough “cloth,” pâte morte can be woven, rolled to paper thinness, pressed into molds, cut out into letters or numbers, fashioned into branches, or patterned with overlays of different colors to achieve varying textures—the technical possibilities are varied and offer great potential. The dough is made by first mixing a sugar syrup, which is then cooled and added to sifted flour.