Branches

Branches are easily fashioned with pâte morte. Roll a piece of dough with a slight taper. The thicker end will be the base of the branch. With a sharp knife, cut through the dough to create smaller branches coming off the main stem. Carefully roll the cut edges to soften them; otherwise, the sharp line from the cut will give the branches an unnatural appearance. Depending on the size of the dough piece, a few or several smaller branches might be cut from the main stem. Make a few shallow snips with fine scissors to simulate thorns, if appropriate. Once the cutting and rolling is complete, place the branches on crinkled aluminum foil to set up. They are then baked on the aluminum foil and, once baked, they can be brushed with coffee extract while still hot. Flowers and leaves can be applied with cooked sugar or a glue gun once the branches are cool.