Free Chef Hugo Tutorial

Step 1

Start with creating the lower portion of the chef's body; shoes and legs. To make the shoes, roll out a piece of dark brown fondant to approximately 6-7mm thick and cut out with a five petal flower cutter. You do not have to necessarily use a plunger cutter, any round petal flower cutter will do. Alternatively, you can use a small heart shape cutter.

Step 2

Trim off the sides, leaving only two petals as shown in the photo. Lightly indent the middle with a knife and use your fingers to gently round off the edges. This is a quick and simple way to make a pair of shoes.

Step 3

For the legs, you will need a small grape sized ball of black fondant. Roll into a log shape. The thickness of the log should not be more than the width across the shoes.

Step 4

Use a knife to lightly indent the length of the log. Do this on the reverse side as well. Trim off both ends of the log, leaving the middle portion to approximately 1.5cm long.

Step 5

Brush a small amount of glue on a lock cocktail/satay stick and gently push it down the middle of the legs.

Step 6

Apply some glue at the bottom of the leg and attach to shoes. Check that the legs and shoes are aligned. Insert the satay stick on a piece of foam to help you work.

Step 7

To make the upper body, you will need a lime sized ball of white fondant.

Step 8

Shape into a fat teardrop. Leave the top slightly rounded and not too pointy.

Step 9

Cut off the bigger end of the teardrop, leaving about 2/3 for the body.

Step 10

Use the back of your knife to indent a line slightly to the left. This will be the overlap down the front of the chef coat.

Step 11

Use a toothpick to mark a series of holes in two columns down the chef coat. This is for the buttons. If you can't find black sugar beads, use a black edible marker instead and you can skip the next step.

Step 12

Use a pair of tweezers to attach black sugar beads as buttons on the coat. Apply a tiny dab of glue to secure the beads.

Step 13

Next, you are ready to attach the upper and lower body. To avoid squishing the body, create a hole by gently twisting a toothpick up the centre of the body.

Step 14

Apply some glue at the top of the legs and ease the body down the satay stick. The satay stick should pierce all the way through the top of the body, protruding for about at least 2.5cm. It is important to have this support for when you attach the head later on.

Step 15

The next step is to create the head. You will need a lime sized ball of flesh coloured fondant. Flatten the ball slightly using the fleshy part of your palm. Dust your hands lightly with corn flour to prevent fondant sticking to your hands. Start creating a face shape by using your little finger to gently press a groove across the top half of the head.

Step 16

Use your thumb and index finger to gently squeeze in the sides. Keep the overall face shape round and stubby.

Step 17

Cradle the head in your palm to keep its shape or use a soft foam pad to help you work. Create a double chin using a dresden tool. Gently run the tool in a curved motion, the bottom line should be longer than the top.

Step 18

Press in the dresden tool in the centre, apply some glue and attach a small piece of pink fondant for the mouth.

Step 19

Next, for the nose, you will need a pea sized small ball of flesh fondant. Cut into half and attach above the mouth area.

Step 20

For the moustache, you will need two balls of white fondant, each slightly smaller than a pea.

Step 21

Shape each ball into a teardrop shape and use a veining tool to add some texture.

Step 22

Push up the pointy end of the teardrop, apply some glue below the nose area and attach the moustache.

Step 23

For the eyebrows, you will need two small balls of white fondant. Shape them into logs, taper on one end and flatten. Use a veining tool to score some random lines at an angle towards the tapered end.

Step 24

You can trim to shape with a pair of grooming scissors.

Step 25

Dab some glue on the eye area and attach eyebrows.

Step 26

Next, roll out two tiny balls of flesh coloured fondant for the ears. Use a toothpick to attach the ears.

Step 27

Roll out a log of white fondant for the hair. Taper both ends and flatten. The length of the log should be enough to wrap around the back of the head. Create some texture for the hair using a shell tool. Add some texture on the tapered ends for the reverse side as well.

Step 28

Attach the head to the body. Don't forget to first create a hold at the bottom of the head so that it's easier for you to slide it down the satay stick. Apply some glue at the back of the head and attach the hair.

Step 29

You can use scissors to trim the hair a little to create some movement.

Step 30

For the chef hat, you will need a grape sized ball of white fondant. Hold the ball of fondant using your thumb and index finger. Apply some pressure and keep rolling between your fingers to narrow off the bottom. Keep the top portion bulbous.

Step 31

Use a dresden tool to push in three sections of the top portion.

Step 32

Flatten the top with your finger and trim off the bottom. Create some detail by adding vertical lines all around the hat.

Step 33

Use a toothpick to create a hole on the head where the hat will be attached. Insert a toothpick at the bottom of the hat and attach to the head. Apply some glue around the base to keep the hat securely in place.

Step 34

The next step will be the neckerchief. Roll out a tin strip of blue fondant. Using a foam pad underneath will prevent the fondant from being squished while rolling.

Step 35

Apply some glue and wrap the strip around the neck. Trim off excess using a craft knife.

Step 36

Pinch a small ball of blue fondant to a teardrop shape and push the end upwards.

Step 37

Attach to the neckerchief and repeat for the other side.

Step 38

For the arms, you will need two pea sized balls of white fondant. Start with the left arm. Shape one of the balls into a log shape, tapering at one end. Trim off the bigger end.

Step 39

Cut a short length of armature wire. Apply some glue on the wire and insert into the arm.

Step 40

For the hands, shape a small ball of flesh coloured fondant into a fat teardrop. Push in the bigger end to shape the palm.m

Step 41

Use a craft knife to cut a small V on the side to separate the thumb and fingers. Pinch to soften the edges.

Step 42

Apply some glue and attach the hand to the arm.

Step 43

For the right arm, repeat the earlier steps but this time, insert a longer armature wire.

Step 44

Trim off the bigger end at an angle so that the cake that he's carrying is sitting flat on his hands.

Step 45

Flatten a teardrop of flesh coloured fondant and slide it down the wire. Make sure that the hand has a flat surface as well. Leave both arms to dry.

Step 46

For the cake, roll out a piece of flesh coloured fondant to about 3mm thick. Use a small circle cutter to cut out three discs. Repeat with peach coloured fondant. This will be the icing so keep it slightly thinner than the cake discs.

Step 47

Use your fingers to flatten the edges of the peach coloured discs. Apply some glue and stack the layers, alternating between the colours. Finish the top with peach icing.

Step 48

Roll out a piece of dark brown fondant to about 2mm thick for the cake plate. Use a circle cutter to cut out a disc slightly bigger than the cake size. You can add some details to the cake plate by pressing the edges into a scalloped pattern.

Step 49

Trim off excess armature wire using a wire cutter. The wire should be long enough to go through the cake plate and cake.

Step 50

Use a toothpick/wire to create a hole on the cake plate. Repeat this for the cake. Apply some glue to the hand and slide the cake plate down the wire. Apply some glue on the plate and repeat for the cake. Set aside to dry.

Step 51

Use an armature wire to create a hole for the arms. Apply some glue at the base of the left arm and attach to the body.

Step 52a

Repeat the same for the right arm.

Step 52b

Use a satay/cocktail stick to help support the arm until it dries firmly in place.

Step 53

Fill a piping bag with stiff royal icing and pipe a fat star on the cake.

Step 54a

Bring your creation to life by adding some shading using petal dust.

Step 54b

Lightly brush on flesh coloured petal dust for the face. Concentrate on areas that have cast shadow such as around the base of his nose and the chin area. Use brown petal dust to enhance the cake and shows.