Nesco FD-75A Recipes & Instructions page 39

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Precoloring Dough
Before baking, raw dough can be precolored by adding drops of food coloring, watercolors,
inks, and fabric dyes. Powdered colors should be mixed with the flour and salt before adding
water. Liquid shoe polish or leather dye can also be brushed on lightly during the first 15
minutes of baking.
Baking and Drying Dough
Dough should be baked for 2 hours at 300°F (150°C) in your oven. Then transfer to your
dehydrator. Dry for an additional 4 to 12 hours until completely dry (until you become more
experienced with drying dough-art in your Nesco ® /American Harvest ® dehydrator, it is wise to
place a piece of dough, the same size as the largest /thickest piece of your ornament, to use
as a test piece. To test for dryness, break apart the test piece. It is done when it is completely
dry inside). Remove ornaments when totally dry and cool prior to applying paint.
Painting Dough
Acrylic paints are the most popular and easily applied. They are available in jars, spray cans,
and tubes. They mix easily and dry quickly. If you are adding different colored layers over one
another, use a coat of sealer between them to prevent them from running or smearing. When
painting is complete, dry in your dehydrator for 1 to 2 hours until thoroughly dry.
Sealing
It is extremely important to seal salt dough ornaments to prevent moisture from reentering and
causing mold and disintegration. There is a wide variety of final coatings which can be used,
but they should be transparent and non-penetrating so surface of dough-art is strengthened
with a hard protective coating. The best choice is a polyurethane varnish. Be sure to remove
ornaments from dehydrator and place in a well ventilated area (preferably out-of-doors) before
applying varnish. Carefully place objects (on aluminum foil making sure that no foil covers the
center hole or outer ring vents) in dehydrator to dry.
CAUTION: Make sure your dehydrator is placed in a room with adequate ventilation or an
open window. Place ornaments in dehydrator. Most varnishes will dry in an hour or so in
dehydrator. Repeat varnishing process until a minimum of 4 complete coats (both sides of
object) have been applied, allowing ornament to dry thoroughly between coats. Again, it is
handy to use dehydrator for this process to speed drying time.
Potpourri
Pick flowers when they are about three-quarters open – when they are fully open, they lose
fragrance. Gather about twice the amount you believe you'll need, since they shrink as they
dry. Remove petals from flower heads and pull herb leaves from their stems. Spread in a
single layer on a Clean-A-Screen ® accessory and place in dehydrator.
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