How to Make Fondant Starfish

*Fondant in the desired colors - Click this link to learn how to make your own!
*A sharp knife or a craft knife
*Toothpicks or bamboo skewers
*Paper towels
*Waxed paper
*Non-stick cooking spray
*Powdered sugar
*Star shaped cookie cutters (optional)

There are several ways to make asterina stars from fondant or gumpaste. The easiest is to cut a five or six-sided star from thickly rolled out fondant then shape the fondant with your well-greased fingertips. Cut out the basic shape with a five or six sided star cookie cutter or with a sharp knife.

Gently push the fondant on the edges of the shape towards the center of each arm and towards the center. Each arm is higher along the center of its length in a ridge and these ridges all meet in the center of the starfish.

In some starfish the ridge is pronounced but in others it is softened so the whole starfish is somewhat pillow-like.

Insert a toothpick into the end of each arm of the starfish to poke a small hole or slit and bend the tip of the arm up gently.

You can either call your fondant starfish done at that point or you can add texture. One way to do that is to moisten a paper towel and wring out the excess moisture then spray it with non-stick cooking spray before gently pressing it against the top of the fondant starfish. Another is to use a moistened toothpick or bamboo skewer (sharp or blunt end, your choice) to prick tiny dents all over the surface of the starfish.

Start with a round ball of fondant in your chosen color. You can roll it out like clay between the palms of your well-greased hands. Gently flatten the fondant ball so it forms a slightly mounded disk. Poke the disk around its edge with your fingertips, making five evenly spaced dents.

Then make five thick "snakes" out of fondant, again molding them like clay with your hands.

Press the arms into the five dents in the starfish body, smoothing them into the fondant using dampened fingers.

You can give your finished linckia star texture with a damp paper towel or by pricking it with a toothpick, bamboo skewer, or fork.

Roll out five skinny "snakes" of fondant to serve as arms.

Lay out the fondant arms with all five touching in the center.

Roll out a small round ball of fondant between your well-oiled palms and flatten in into a disk.

Then press the edges of the disk onto a flat, slick surface to give it five flat sides.

Lay the flattened pentagon on top of junction of the legs.

Serpent stars can be textured the same way as the other types of stars but use great care when using a damp paper towel on them to avoid having the whole starfish stick to it due to the thinness of the legs. A toothpick, blunt knife or bamboo skewer can be used to draw bands on the long legs.