Mat FAQs

® Confectioners’ Mats Instructions

How do I clean and store the Confectioners’ Mat?

Soak in warm water to clean and dissolve SugarVeil Icing. Rinse, and hang to dry. Store flat or rolled, and do not place heavy weights atop mat.

Do I have to first dust the mats with starch?

Dusting with starch is optional, but when beating SugarVeil at the medium speed required for oven-setting, the starch allows for easier removal of SugarVeil from the mat.

How do I apply gold or silver to the mat?

Mix edible gold or silver dust with enough grain alcohol to make a painting consistency, then paint onto mat and allow to dry before spreading.

How do I get the irregular-colored burlap look for the Woven Mat?

Dust the Woven Mat with cocoa powder before spreading with white SugarVeil. The top of the SugarVeil may be dusted, too, after it has a few minutes to set.

Do I need to grease the back of the mat when making SugarVeil ‘fabric’?

SugarVeil mats do not need to be greased. If using any other type of mat, grease first with solid fat before spreading with SugarVeil.

Why do I need to clear a path along the borders when making SugarVeil fabric on the back (or the front after I’ve spread the design) of the Confectioners’ Mat?

Using the ‘Fin’ tool or your thumbnail to scrape clean borders around the spread SugarVeil makes a good ‘handle’ to grip the edge and cleanly remove the fabric sheet.

What mat shall I begin with if I am first learning to use SugarVeil?

The Lace Mat is our best-selling and most popular mat. It is designed to be versatile in use for cake tops, borders, sides, as well as for cupcakes and cookies. This mat is a little deeper than the others, which allows you to practice proper spreading techniques.

When do I remove SugarVeil from the mat?

When SugarVeil is dry to the touch, bending a corner readily separates SugarVeil from the mat, and SugarVeil is not at all stretchy when removing from mat. If so, give it a little more time to set.

What if SugarVeil is set, but I am not yet ready to remove it from the mat?

Place the mat face down onto parchment, or place mat in an air-tight container to suspend the setting process and keep the SugarVeil from continuing to lose moisture.

How do I remove SugarVeil from the mat?

You remove the mat from SugarVeil, not SugarVeil from the mat. Place the mat face down onto parchment paper. Peel the mat back an inch or two, then hold SugarVeil in place with the Confectioners’ Spreader as you continue to peel the mat back a few more inches, pin down the SugarVeil again with the Spreader, etc. until mat is completely peeled from the decoration.

How do I remove the more delicate laces from the Mats?

When using a mat unfamiliar to you, or one of the especially delicate mats, such as the Circle Bouquets, Rose Mantilla, Mesh, or Flower Net, best is to spread a second series of strokes after the mat is partially set. When oven setting, place in oven a minute or two (until you can lightly touch without removing icing), cool, then spread an entire second series of strokes so that all the tiny lines have sufficient SugarVeil spread into them. Keep the angle of the Spreader low and down toward the mat. Place your fingertips wide and deep on the Spreader, so that you are repeatedly pushing SugarVeil into the lines with lengthwise, crosswise, and diagonal strokes rather than scraping it out of the lines (by holding the Spreader upright).

What if, out of the oven, SugarVeil is not yet set in the middle, but it dry on the edges?

You may need to increase your oven time by 30 seconds or so. When you are using the moist towel to polish the mat when directly taken out of the oven, use more moisture on the outer edges, and a lighter polishing (less moisture) in the center. Alternately, allow the mat to set the remaining time necessary at room temperature.

Are the oven times for a convection (fan) oven?

No. If using a convection oven, either turn off the fan, or decrease the time.

What if SugarVeil is dry and brittle when removed from the oven?

Immediately wipe SugarVeil well with a wet towel while on the baking sheet, let set 15 seconds or so, remove from baking sheet, and directly remove from mat. Omit the 10 extra minutes step to cool in the instructions. Next time, lessen your oven time by 1 minute.

What if SugarVeil is sticky when removed from the oven?

Return it to the oven for 1 minute more baking time. Touch the center. If still sticky to the touch, return for one minute more,

I am drying SugarVeil at room temperature to set and it’s taking a long time.

Pick the mat up from the surface and rearrange position. Place a fan nearby to speed the setting, or simply turn on a nearby oven. Next time, follow the instructions for oven-setting. [also see ‘Humid Conditions’]

I am drying SugarVeil at room temperature to set and it’s drying too quickly.

Place wet towels (rolled) at borders of setting area and (flat) under mat to delay setting. Next time, follow the instructions for oven-setting. [also see ‘Dry Conditions’]

Can I use a non-SugarVeil mold with SugarVeil?

We design the SugarVeil Mats with much thought and care that each line will perform satisfactorily (there’s more than 23,000 lines in the Rose Mantilla Mat), and use the highest grade food-grade silicone available, with properties specific to SugarVeil. In the Confectioners’ Mat instructions, each mat is listed with correct oven-setting time and temperature for both regular SugarVeil as well as Extra Dark Chocolate SugarVeil. For any other mats, be sure to test first for quality, if it’s possible to place the mat in the oven, what temperature, and correct oven time, etc.