http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/rss/feedsSugar Arts Institute specializes in teaching all aspect of confectionery arts and cake decorating for professionals, hobbyists and childrenSat, 02 May 2026 07:55:43 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/cake-delivery-101-the-check-listhttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/cake-delivery-101-the-check-listI will never forget the first wedding cake I delivered. It was also, the greatest lesson about cake deliveries. My husband usually delivered the cakes with me, but had to work that day. Raul, one of his friends, volunteered to drive me to the reception hall. When Raul arrived to pick me up, he gasped at surprise for the size of the cake. I tried to place the cake in the car but, as Raul’s car was a Sport Spitfire Triumph 1976, a very small two seats car; it was going to be very difficult to find a place for the cake!It was a three tier wedding cake without separators, covered with poured fondant frosting. Poured fondant was very delicate and to prevent it from cracking, I’d placed the cake, decorated with sugar lace and embroidery, on a round mirror. At a top was a bouquet of sugar roses. But, how I was going to get into this midget car with the cake?The process of getting both, the cake and myself in the car was a little complicated. Everything that happens usually has bright side, in this case this was a convertible car, but in order to get into it with a 3 tier wedding cake, the manual retractable rag roof had to be removed. I slid the seat all the way back away from the dash board.After many trials and errors, and Raul guided all my guardian angels, I sat in the sport car with a 3 tier wedding cake on my lap. The cake side was dangerously about 1 inch away from the dash board. Raul was not very happy to go through the trouble of placing the rag top back on the car. But finally we headed on to the banquet hall.The hall was a 2 hours’ drive to a nearby town. We took a side road. When Raul, who had a heavy foot on the gas pedal, reached the dirt road, the little car shook like a small boat on a stormy sea. The cake started to slide from one side to the other.“Raul, please slow down, this thing is falling apart!!” I screamed constantly. But the more I screamed the fastest Raul drove, he could not wait to get to the hall. The sugar lace fell.With the vibration created by the shift changing and the speed, the poured fondant started to crack. I tried to hold the cake in place, but the frosting was sticky, my hands were sweating, and my heart thudded with fear of facing the people at the banquet hall with that disaster cake.When we arrived at the banquet hall, the florist, the banquet manager and the caterer were busy preparing the hall. None of them had any idea how to help and were busy with their own work.“We are two hours away, not enough time to go home, fix the cake and return,” I thought. I asked Raul to find a bakery to fix the disaster. At the bakery, the person in charge could not help. The baker said he did not have the authority to let anybody use the equipment. I was upset and started to blame Raul for the situation. At that moment the bakery owner, Rafael, entered and asked why I was crying. I explained to him my predicament.“I don’t see a way to fix this cake.” Rafael said.“ I know how to fix it, but I need some tools and butter cream,” I said.He called the baker and authorized him to give me the things needed. I asked for a decorating bag, a small tip number one and a star tip number 16. At the bakery they did not use that specialty equipment. Instead, he offered a piece of parchment paper, big star tip number 199 and the butter cream. They also lent a spatula, lots of paper napkins and water to clean the mirror.With the parchment paper I made a decorating bag. To make the parchment paper bag, I folded the paper in an angle and made a triangle, and with it made a cone and secured the top corner where the tips of the triangle met. I cut the tip of the cone to make a very small hole and filled it with butter cream.I separated the three cakes, then repositioned the base tier in the center of the mirror. Once the base was centered, and the mirror thoroughly cleaned, I proceeded to decorate the three cakes with cornelli lace. Cornelli lace is a design that gives the cakes a very delicate look, also known as “the mistake cover”. The cakes were placed in their original positions. With the star tip 199 I made a shell border to dissimulate the ragged edges at the bottom of the cakes. The lace pieces that did not break were placed around the rose bouquet. The bakery owner was amazed at the final product. I was very grateful for the help he’d offered.“Thanks for your help! I will never forget this moment, you are like an angel sent to help me, Rafael.” I said.We got back at the car with the cake balanced on my lap. This time Raul drove carefully. We arrived at the hall just in time to place the cake on the assigned spot. Everybody celebrated the cake.When I told my husband the cake delivery experience, he gave me an unforgettable advice. “For the deliveries, you must have a checklist, the same way an airline pilot has a check list before departure, you need a check list before departing to deliver a cake.”My biggest lesson from this experience was: be organized and pay attention to details.Here is my cake delivery check list:Have the proper transportation.If the cake has more than one tier, insert a wooden dowel through the tiers for them to stay in place.Bring extra pieces of the ornaments used in the decoration.Tool box with butter cream, decorating bags, tips, and the colors used to decorate the cake, a big spatula and a little one, wet napkins to clean the mess, if necessary.When facing the unexpected, look for the solution and not for the guilty.I am responsible for the safe delivery of the cake. Never expect help from people working at the hall. The florist is too busy decorating, the caterer withthe food, the banquet manager with all the things that pertain to the affair. They do not have the knowledge nor the time to help.It is important to keep my work organized, the tool box complete, and don’t forget the Check List.Tue, 12 Dec 2017 06:00:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/how-to-make-gelatin-sequinshttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/how-to-make-gelatin-sequinsSupplies needed:unflavored gelatinwaterairbrush colormeasuring spoonssmall spatula2 hole punchers :1- 1/16 round hole and 1- regular size individual hole punchtoothpickacetate sheet (or something that won't melt or bow from the heat of the gelatin)microwave safe containerThe gelatin to water ratio is 2 parts water to 1 part gelatin.Put the water in the cup first and then add the gelatin. If you don't you will end up with dry bits of gelatin at the bottom of the cup. Let the gelatin bloom.After it blooms, put it in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds. Depending on the wattage of your microwave. Be sure to watch it, especially if you are using a small cup. If it overflows, clean it with hot water!!After it comes from the microwave it will have foam on the top of the gelatin.You are going to let it sit until the foam is thick enough for you to skim it off of the top. Here is where the toothpick comes in (if you don't want to use a toothpick use a disposable spoon). You are going to take your toothpick and pull off the foam from the top and throw it in the trash. Once you do that your gelatin will be clarified.Use airbrush color because of it is liquid characteristics. It blends better into the gelatin. Paste color can be used but it takes a lot more effort to get the color incorporated. Use less color for more transparency and more if you want it more opaque.Stir in your color with a toothpick. After adding the color, put your gelatin back in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds.Pour it out on your acetate sheet (or clear plastic sheet) and use your spatula to spread it out. Don't spend too much time spreading it out because it sets up in less than 2 min.You don't want it too thin (it will be too flimsy to punch out) and you don't want it too thick (it will crack when you punch it out). IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECTLY EVEN!!! You will notice that it will become ripply but that is ok.Set it aside and it usually takes about 5-6 hrs to dry but that depends on your humidity. As it dries it pulls away from the acetate. I let mine sit over night. When it is dry it will pull away from the sheet.Here is the secret to it all...the hole punchers!!!!The hole punchers can be found at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. The ones that I used are the regular hole punch and 1/16 circular punch.Take your small hole puncher and punch a series of holes in a line leaving a space between each small hole so that when you go back to use your "regular" sized puncher you won't overlap wasting your punches.Once you have done your small punches go back and center the small hole against your "regular" sized single hole puncher....Now comes the best part, open up the holder and release the sequins.For these, I added silver airbrush color and silver luster dust. The effect was perfect.Tue, 12 Dec 2017 05:50:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/oriental-rhapsody-gum-paste-flower-sculpturehttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/oriental-rhapsody-gum-paste-flower-sculptureThe oriental rhapsody floral sculpture features chinese lanterns and bamboo formed from gum paste.You will need:Flower Paste: Shades of Bright Orange, Pale Orange, Pale Green, Cream or Pale YellowWires: 24g, 26g White, 18g GreenDusts: Tangerine, Red, Woodland Green(Sugarflair), Sunflower, KiwiVeiners: Reverse side of double sided, Rose Leaf Veiner, Epimedium Leaf Veiner, Rudbeckia Leaf Veiner, Chinese Hat VeinerTools: Nose Plier, Veining Tool, Frilling Tool, Large Calyx Cutter, Craft Knife, Dusting Brushes, Tweezers.Other: Leaf Glaze, Edible Glue, ½ width White floristry tapeChinese Lantern:Make ski sticks with 24g wire. Wrap wire around nose plier, bend the wrapped wire against the main length of wire, holding the spiral with the nose plier bend it at 90 deg. to form a halo.Make a ball the size of a marble out of bright orange FP. Dip ski stick in edible glue and insert into the ball. Make five indents with veining tool and leave to dry overnight. Glaze with leaf glaze. Make a few small green ones.Roll out Pale Orange FP, cut out calyxWiden each sepal with frilling tool.Soften sepals,Vein petals using rose leaf veiner. Turn calyx over with veins facing down. Mark central vein and mark veins in between.Lightly apply glue around the edges of calyx, the centre and the indent in the seedpod.Repeat for green ones.Attach calyx to seedpod. Carefully join the seams and leave to dry. Leave a few open. Any excess folds can be trimmed with scissors.Dust the orange lanterns with Tangerine and go over the veins and ridges with red.Dust the green lanterns with kiwi. Dustall the stalk areas with kiwi.** Here I have used a mix of red and sunflowerChinese Lantern Leaves:Roll out pale green paste with a centre ridge Cut various sized leaves.Insert 28g wire along ridge.Vein the leaves using rudbeckia veiner. Mark a deep central vein.Dry on sloted foam. Dust withYellow and Kiwi.Assemble the sprig, using ½ width white floristry tape. Ensure the flowers are tapes alternating on either side of the stem. The flowers should be made to face down.Dust the stem with green petal dust. Mix of yellow and kiwi.Cut Three varying lengths of 18g Green wireRoll out a sausage shape with a marbled sized ball if green FP.Insert the wire through the centreRoll the paste along the length of the wire. Neaten the Top and bottom with the veining tool.With the Angled tweezer pinch a ridge along the sausage shape. Repeat at equal distance.Glue tiny tear drop shaped FP along the Ridges just created making sure they are alternatedDust the bamboo with a pale shade of yellow, over dust with green, ensuring the ridges get a heavier shade of green. (moss green dust) Slightly dust with aubergine over the green at the ridges.Chinese Hat:Insert a pea sized ball of paste onto a hooked 26g white wire, work the paste down the wire into a tear drop shape, mark a cross at the top end of the paste. Leave to dry. These form the unopened flower, make a few in varying sizes.For the open flowers, follow the steps as before, but instead of the cross insert a frilling tool or cocktail stick is used to open up the tear drop. Insert three commercial stamens which have been moistened with edible glue. Leave to dry.Add the hats, roll out a pea sized ball of yellow paste working between your fore finger and thumb So that the paste looks like a Mexican hat.Place the cup over the Chinese hat veiner and work the sides downward using a small rolling pin.Dampen the centre and insert the open flower. Pinch the back of the flower, and work it down the wire about 1/8th of the way, leave to dry.Dust the flowers starting with yellow and graduating the edges with a deeper yellow. Finally dust with red around the edges.Cut out heart shaped leaves. Insert 26g green wire, softened the edges. Vein them using epimedium leaf veiner. Dust the leaves using woodland and moss green. Highlight the veins using aubergine dust.Tie flowers in threes and fives.Assemble flowers and leaves on a 24 gauge wire using 1/2 wide florist tape.Arrange all the Chinese Lantern, Chinese Hat Flower and and the Bamboo on a vase of your choice. Here I have used a banana boat dish.Tue, 12 Dec 2017 05:44:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/how-to-make-an-isomalt-monogram-cake-topperhttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/how-to-make-an-isomalt-monogram-cake-topperIn this tutorial you will learn how to create a simple and elegant monogram cake using Icing Images edible paper to create unique detailed patterns suspended inside a beautiful isomalt cake topper.Tools needed for this project:Fondant covered cake (I used a 6" for this cake)Clear and Black Isomalt (I used the GetSassie! Brand)Small Chef's BlowtorchSmall Silicone BowlSilicone MatCooking SprayIcing Images edible paper in the design of your choice (I choose a black and grey design from their iiDesigns program to match my theme)Monogram or letter moldLarge metal cookie cutter or cake pan (for the base of the topper. For my 6" cake I used a 4 ¾" cookie cutter)ToothpicksMicrowave (not shown)First, I am going to make the swirl decorations to put onto the cake. Melt the isomalt in the microwave (30 seconds and then 15 second intervals until melted) in your silicone bowl. (I use silicone bowls because the isomalt won't stick to the bowl and I will be able to re melt any left over isomalt). Pour the isomalt into the silicone mold, no need to grease or powder the mold since it's made of silicone. It will take about 3 minutes to cool completely, but before it completely cools yet still holds its shape (about 2 minutes), take it out of the silicone mold and bend it around the side of the cake to make sure it will lay flat on the cake when you attach the swirls.Next we will need a base for the cake topper. Melt the black isomalt in the microwave and pour it into a greased cookie cutter or cake pan. If you are using a cookie cutter lay it on a silicone mat to make sure the bottom will release. Be careful because once you pour it the metal will conduct heat and the cutter will be VERY HOT.Cast your letter/monogram in clear isomalt. To attach it to the Icing Images first peel the backing off the paper. Flip over the paper and the monogram so they are front-down. Trace the monogram onto the paper to get the exact shape. If you were to trace monogram on the front of the paper you wouldn't be able to see the line on such a dark pattern.Cut along your trace line with an exacto knife.To attach the paper to the isomalt heat up the back of the isomalt monogram with a blow torch. Then lay in onto the papeYou can now trim any edges with an exacto knife that doesn't match up perfectly if needed.To attach the monogram dip the back of the piece in liquid isomalt and push it down onto the finished base. Do the same with the black swirls and attach them to the cake.Attach the base to the cake using more liquid isomalt.Here is another example of what you can do with Icing Images and isomalt to make letters look fun and intricate!Mon, 11 Dec 2017 06:22:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/getting-to-the-nittygritty-of-your-businesshttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/getting-to-the-nittygritty-of-your-businessIt is absolutely essential that as a business owner, you track your finances and operation costs. Do not avoid the mathematics. Keep them up to date! You cannot determine if your business is successful unless you are fully aware of all the costs and revenues. It is not difficult to calculate your profit margin and your average profit margin percentages, with some basic, straightforward arithmetic. What are the costs? All the expenses spent to run your business are your costs. These include, ingredients, materials, salaries, postage, rent, taxes, salaries, cleaning materials and costs, electricity, trash collection, telephone bills, paper and inks, vehicle expenses, pens and office supplies, and don’t forget to allow a percentage for “wastage”. Staled items that are discarded have cost money. If they are not sold, then take into account all the incurring expenses. If your business is home based the average percentage of total costs is approximately 30% of your overall home expenses. The percentage of water and electricity used, may exceed 30%. Pay attention to your utility bills. Keep a log of your business mileage. Pre-printed mileage logs can be purchased for a nominal fee at any office supply store. Pay yourself. If you are a sole owner and wear many different hats to get the work done, calculate the salary for the relevant job. Obviously this will differ from state to state and based on location. If you are well experienced and skilled in your art, do not undersell your professionalism. Find the hourly rate paid to a plumber, an electrician, and a lawyer in a small law firm. Total the three and divide by three. Your skilled labor hourly rate should be close to this number. Don’t undersell yourself, this is the price for the excellent work you do. If you are new to the game and still very much learning the trade, then determine your worth accordingly. What would an apprentice mechanic get based on his years of experience? Find out! So, if you are the chief bottle washer, baker and cake decorator, price each job accordingly. Determine the average rate for a cleaning service (you may be pleasantly surprised) and the hours doing this specific work, the hours and rate of a baker, and the hours and rate of a skilled artisan of your caliber. Calculate the amount of hours and pay, doing each job, as each job has its own value. Knowing these figures will help you when determining your art charges for decorating custom designed cakes. Let me give you a generic example. A skilled artisan’s work is charged at $60 per hour. That breaks down to $1.00 per minute (keep this figure in your head, don’t verbalize it to your customers). We call this proprietary information, which should be kept private. If your basic price for the cake is $30, which includes 10 minutes of decorating time, any time over and above the 10 minutes should be charged out at $1 per minute. The estimated decorating time for the cake will be 65 minutes. Deduct the 10 minutes allowed in the base price and add an additional art fee of $45. The total cost of the cake is $30 + art fee $45 = $75.00 Be confident in the quality of your product, and don't be afraid to set a price that you think truly reflects the time, effort, and expertise that goes into its creation. What are your revenues? The amount of money your business takes in from sales of products or services. These business finances are called revenues. What is your profit? Profit is the amount of business revenue that exceeds your costs. These are usually calculated for a standardized time period, such as each quarter, six months and/or annually. If your business accrues costs of $10,000 per annum and the sales for the same period is $15,000, your profit is $15,000 - $10,000 = $5,000 for the year. It is prudent for new businesses to watch their costs and revenues on a monthly basis, eventually extending that to per quarter. I personally think that assessing these values annually is not satisfactory. You need to keep your finger on the pulse and to change your mode of operation based on necessity. What is your profit margin? Your profit margin is your profit calculated as a percentage of your costs. For example, a business with profits of $5,000 and the costs being $10,000 gives an annual profit margin of $5,000 divided by $10,000, which is 50%. What is your average profit margin? Your average profit margin is calculated as a percentage, which is your business’s profit margin over a long term, usually several years of business activity. Calculate this by totaling all your costs and all your profits, and determining your overall average profit margin. Example: A business with costs over a three-year period of $10,000 in first year, $5,000 in the second year and $20,000 in the third, has total three-year costs of $35,000. If profits are $5,000 in the first year, $2,000 in the second year and $4,000 in the third year, then the total three-year profits are $11,000. The average profit margin for the three years is $11,000 divided by $35,000, or 31 percent. So be diligent, and disciplined; and focused on your numbers. What should I charge for my cakes? This is the most frequently asked question by cake artist when they begin to sell their cakes. As with real estate, the price of cakes varies widely by location and is largely determined by your local market. Finding the right price point requires research of your competitors' prices, and a solid understanding of your own costs. It is natural, when you are starting your cake business, to feel unsure of yourself and your skills, and hesitant about charging appropriately for your cakes. Cake artists are their own worst critics. If you value your cakes and price them appropriately, your customers will too. Do not fall into the trap of doubling or tripling the cost of your ingredients. This method of pricing is arbitrary and not rooted in any kind of business theory. More often than not, it results in grossly underpricing your cakes. The expense of custom-made cakes is not in the ingredients, but in the time and labor invested. Know your market! Call other custom bakeries in your area and ask them how much they charge per slice for wedding cakes, and their pricing for party and sheet cakes. Set your prices close to theirs, or maybe just slightly lower if you are still developing your skill level. Do NOT undercut them – this causes resentment and dissention to other decorators and businesses in your area and community. Commercial bakeries have higher overheads therefore, may need to sell at higher prices to cover their expenses and to make a profit. Your overheads may be lower, however, home decorators generally spend much more time on their cakes. Remember, time is money, and your time is valuable. Charge accordingly; maintain the value of your goods. Do not significantly undercut their prices, you are not only lowering the value of your own cakes, but you could indirectly effect their business so detrimentally that they may have to lay off employees, or even close. There is no honor or pride in being the "cheap cake baker". Don’t run the risk of antagonizing them. Professional networking is a powerful business tool. Build good relationships with your competitors. Professional relationships will enhance your business reputation and increase your bottom line through referrals. Should I charge by the cake or by the serving? Cakes are generally charged per serving in the cake baking industry. The more people the cake serves, the larger the cake must be, and therefore, the larger cake will involve more work and take longer to decorate. Just like bread is sold by the loaf and milk is sold by the gallon - cake is sold by the serving. Research the cakes sizes and relevant portions it serves. How should I determine the difference between party cakes and wedding cakes? In my bakery, the wedding cakes were baked higher. They were cut into four, with three layers of filling in between the layers. The wedding cake should be tall and impressive. Therefore, the extra layer of cake and filling gives the wedding cake additional height. Wedding cakes are generally sold by portion. Party cakes on the other hand are only cut into two or three with one or two layers of filling. They are not baked as high as a wedding cake. Party cakes are usually sold by the price of the cake dependent on the size, and then the additional artwork is charged for separately. If a customer wants a party cake to be tiered, charge for a stacking fee, based on the cost of the materials and the additional time it takes to do the stacking. Here is a word of advice from Buddy, The Cake Boss, “Here's a real-world example: If your home was paid off, and the time came to sell, you put your home on the market for much less than your neighbors' homes just because you didn't "need" the full market value, you would lower the value of everyone's homes on your street and make your neighbors angry” the same reasoning applies to the baking industry” so, always keep this thought in the back of your mind "Wow! Look what my custom cakes are worth!" Don’t compare your prices to those of an in-store supermarket bakery! Never compare your prices to Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Costco, or a supermarket bakery. People can't get the same quality of cake in these stores that they get from you. Their cakes were made months previously, flash-frozen, and shipped in. The employee is given only a few minutes to decorate a cake, with ready-made icing from a bucket. That employee also probably had 50 other cakes to decorate in the same shift. The difference between your cake and a supermarket in-store bakery cake can be likened to the difference between inexpensive off-the-rack clothes and a hand made, tailored outfit. You would not expect to pay the same price for the huge difference in quality. You'll be surprised at the amount of customers who realize and appreciate that you are providing the kind of cake that would match an invitation, fabric swatches of bridesmaids' dresses or a specific theme to ensure a perfectly color coordinated wedding cake or themed celebration cake. Custom designed cakes and cookies are edible works of art that require skill and artistry, and often take days to complete. Therefore, don’t be afraid of losing a sale because you charge accordingly. What is the point of making a sale when you are working for less than minimum wage and possibly losing money? How do I charge friends and family? This is always difficult! Here are some options to consider: Have standing rules: If you offer to do the cake, it is free.If they request the cake, they pay for it (either full price or discounted some percentage).If the person wanting the cake lets you have free reign of the design, then this is a great way to practice, so reduce the price.Start as you mean to continue; don’t do cakes for free. Once you have given a cake for free, it is so much more difficult to request payment at a later date.Friends and family should pay full price like everyone else. 
Don’t feel obligated to make a cake for every family function, or every family/friend who wants one. There are only so many hours in the day! It's ok to say to say NO you're too busy, especially if it's a last-minute request.However, it is also acceptable to offer friends and family a standard discount off your regular prices (15%, 25%, 50% - whatever you are comfortable with and depending on the closeness of your relationship.)To recap, here are four important matters to consider when pricing cakes: Ingredients and supplies: 
In order to know what to charge, you must understand how much you are spending. Take the time to calculate your ingredient costs, and overheads. Don't forget the cost of the boards, boxes, foil, paper towels and dowels. Time: 
Don’t only consider the time you spend on a cake, remember the time consulting with the customer, planning a custom design, shopping, baking, cooling, making fillings, frostings, fondant, and sometimes custom art work like flowers and edible decorations. You deserve to be compensated a fair hourly rate for the time you spend creating a cake masterpiece. Don't forget to include the cleanup time! This can be a huge job if it has been a big cake. Overheads: 
Gas or electricity used for your oven; your utilities, your cake pans, your mixer, your dishwasher, and soap etc. Adding a nominal fee for their use should be added to the cost of the cake. We refer to it as “wear and tear.” Delivery: Calculate the distance for the round trip. Determine the national AAA rate for the type of vehicle you are using. Add in the labor costs of the driver in hours, to include delivery, set-up and return. Add an extra hour to every trip to allow for traffic jams, bad weather, etc.Mon, 11 Dec 2017 06:18:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/lace-mold-tutorialhttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/lace-mold-tutorialUse thick lace with good detail usually called a lace applique. Apply Seal-Dit generously to both sides of the lace. Sandwich Seal-Dit covered lace between two double sheets of paper towels. Place covered lace into warm oven set at 200 degrees F. (93 Celsius) for about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove lace from oven and move and press lace between paper towels until no imprint is left by the melted Seal-Dit. Sheet Safe-D- Clay to the thick- ness you want your lace mold to be. Apply very thin coat of Seal-Dit. Lay sealed lace pat-tern onto sheeted Safe-D-Clay and press downward to get full contact between lace and clay surface. Using a needle tool held straight upward, make passes around the edge of the lace into the clay until the clay has been cut through. Lift and remove excess Safe-D-Clay on outside of lace pattern. Mix parts A and B of Silicone Plas- tique until a uniform blue color has been achieved. Apply a thin coat of Silicone Plastique to lace making sure that every detail has been captured. Ap- ply more Silicone Plastique to create a mold thickness of about ¼ inch. Allow Silicone Plastique to cure at 70 degrees F. (22 degrees Celcius) for about 1 1/2 hours. Peel cured Silicone Plastique off of Safe-D-Clay base. The lace will remain in the mold - this is normal. Carefully grab and pull lace out of the cured Silicone Plastique mold. Much of the detail is embedded into the silicone so there will be a little resistance- this is normal. Once the lace has been removed from the mold, Wash the mold in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. This mold is dish- washer safe. Mon, 11 Dec 2017 06:10:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/french-macaroonshttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/french-macaroonsIn America, the macaroon is known more as a chewy mound of shredded coconut which is lightly sweetened and held together by whipped egg whites, but there is another version, the French Macaroon. This is a dainty French cream filled sandwich cookie, which has a smooth outer appearance, is slightly chewy and absolutely chewy.Serving macaroons in place of wedding cake is becoming the latest trend. They can be made in a variety of colors and flavors and look deliciously decadent on a dessert buffet table. Some brides even go so far as to stack them tall, so that they cake the place of a wedding cake.It was a Parisian pastry chef, Pierre Desfontaines from café Laduree, who decided to take two humble, ordinary almond based cookies, filling them with chocolate ganache, thereby turning them into a tastefully textured thin, light crusty cookie filled with a silky smooth ganache or fruit gel. This cookie needed a new name worthy of it’s new birth, and is now known as the French Macaroon.A delicious recipe follows.BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM MACAROONS9 oz. 250 g Almond flour14 oz. 400 g Confectioner’s sugar1 oz. 10 g Egg whites7 oz. 200 g Egg whites (whipped)4 oz. 80 g Granulated sugarSift the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar together.Whip the 200 g egg whites to medium peaks. Slowly add the 80 g sugar and whip for about 10 minutes.Fold the almond flour, confectioner’s sugar into the whipped egg whites. Add the other 10 grams of egg whites. Mix gently until shiny.Pipe the mix with a plain tip 10 on a parchment line baking sheet. Bake on a double sheet pan in a 350 degree oven.Bailey’s Filling:4 oz. 125 g Heavy cream4 oz. 125 g Bailey’s Irish Cream11 oz. 300 g White Chocolate3 oz. 100 g Butter1 oz. or 1 sheet gelatin, bloomed in 1 oz. 36 g cold water (sheet gelatin is used because there is a lot of liquid in this filling)Boil the cream and incorporate the drained gelatin.Pour in the white chocolate and the butter. Blend to get a smooth and shiny texture.Add in the Bailey’s Irish Cream. Refrigerate until firm.Tips:It is best to let the egg whites age in the refrigerator at least 1 day before use. This means leaving the egg whites uncovered in the refrigerator so as to allow moisture to evaporate. Before making the macaroons, let the aged egg whites come to room temperature.Once the macaroons are piped, let them sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking. This will also allow moisture to evaporate.Once the macaroons come out of the oven, spritz water between the parchment paper and the sheet pan. This will facilitate loosening the macaroons.See how the macaroons should look and what to avoid.The top left macaroon does not have enough filling and the bottom left macaroon is too chunky.The Perfect MacaroonThe cookie-to-filling ratio should be between 1:1 and 2:1.The filling should be smooth, firm (like ganache), light, and not sticky.Filling should not squish out of the cookie nor should it leave much residue on your teeth.The texture and surface of the cookie should be very smooth. Bumps show that the almond wasn't ground finely enough or wasn't sifted to take out the chunks. A chunky, lumpy macaroon does not have a smooth and silky mouth appeal.The crust of the cookie should be thin to provide protection against the soft cookie layer underneath. Biting through the crust should be effortless.The cookie's texture beneath the crust should be light, just a little chewy, and soft, but not so soft that it's mushy. It's okay if the cookie looks slightly "uncooked."Make sure that the filling is not too sweet, as the cooking shell itself is very sweet. The filling should complement the sweetness of the shell.Make the macaroons in a variety of attractive, eye appealing colors.Sun, 10 Dec 2017 06:29:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/ladys-summertime-embossed-hat-cakehttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/ladys-summertime-embossed-hat-cakeThe lady's hat cake a simple, but impressive cake created with an embossing mat and lustre dust. It's a great idea for Mother's Day or for a birthday. 1. Prepare 8" cake with a full coat of buttercream as though one was selling a buttercream cake. No cake should be seen through the buttercream. Refrigerate.2. Prepare the fondant embossing mat by lightly greasing with shortening then dabbing off all the excess so that the shortening is not visible.3. Position the cake on the back third of the cake board, ensuring that there is enough room for the back part of the hat brim.4. Roll out purple fondant on a lightly greased (with shortening) Ateco fondant work mat until the fondant is approximately 16th inch "thin".5. Lightly dust with cornstarch, then wipe excess cornstarch off the fondant being sure that none is visible. Cornstarch remaining on the surface of the fondant will cause it to dry and crack.6. Flip the fondant over onto another mat so that the cornstarched side is down. This is to ensure that the fondant does not stick too firmly to the mat therefore, preventing the embossed design from stretching out of shape when peeled from away from the mat.7. Place the greased side of the embossing mat down on the fondant.Roll firmly over the top of the design until the fondant peeks through the holes. Do not press too hard so that the fondant comes above the surface of the mat.10. Once the design is even, lightly grease with shortening over the top of the mat making sure that all the exposed areas of the fondant has a light, even covering.11. Use a flat two inch Ateco food grade pastry brush to spread edible luster over the top of the mat. Rub the luster into the fondant using the side of the brush and until the luster comes off the mat and is only on the surface of the fondant.12. Carefully peel the embossing mat away from the fondant.13. Put another mat carefully over the top of the fondant and flip upside down, so that the bottom mat is now on top. Fetch cake out of the refrigerator.14. Gently peel the top mat away from the fondant.15. Slip your arm under the center of the mat and lift carefully so that the fondant does not move or smudge.16. Flip fondant and mat over the cake then carefully remove the mat.17. The design side is now on top of the cake.18. Use a soft dry sponge to dab the fondant and mold to the cake. Do not wipe the sponge over the design or it may smudge.19. Trim away the excess fondant using an Ateco pizza wheel, so that the brim is wider than the back.20. Mix 50% pink fondant with 50% gum paste and roll out thinly to 28" X 2".21. This 50/50 mix makes handling the ribbon easier.22. Cut a 2" x 28" ribbon, using a pizza wheel ensuring that the edges are straight.23. Moisten the cake base slightly with water then attach ribbon working from the front to the back. The ribbon should be long enough to overlap the tails.24. Roll out another piece of purple ribbon the same width and length. Place water on one edge of the ribbon then fold from top to bottom leaving a rounded edge.25. Moisten flat edge of ribbon with water. Tuck sides down to form a cone shape.26. Carefully gather and pleat from the bottom of the ribbon only, squashing the base as you wind the ribbon around. Be careful not to squash the top.27. Trim off the end and place the ribbon rose in the center of the ribbon tails where they cross over.28. Gather the front of the brim slightly to give a soft hat fabric effect.29. Attach a bouquet of flowers to the left side of the hat, above the brim, at the base of the ribbon.30. Pipe message on a small dried plaque.31. Pipe a small snails trail of buttercream around the outer edge of the brim. (Pictured above)This is a great gift for any occasion!Sat, 09 Dec 2017 08:25:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/how-to-create-a-braided-coffee-ringhttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/how-to-create-a-braided-coffee-ringBraiding the coffee ring dough creates a nice presentation and is simple to do. Here, the technique is demonstrated with green fondant to make it easier to see. Equal lengths and weights (usually about 4 to 5 oz. each Braid bottom half of pieces and bring all pieces together at bottom. Flip bottom up and away from you so top half is braided. Braid bottom half and leave 2 ends (tabs) out. Bring both ends together, placing the closed end in the center of the end with tabs. Seal Flip ring over and when proofed, the seal will not show. Fri, 08 Dec 2017 08:28:00 -0700http://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/isomalt--the-secrets-of-success-isomalt--how-to-cook-hold-pour-and-store-isomalthttp://www.sugarartsinstitute.com/blog/post/isomalt--the-secrets-of-success-isomalt--how-to-cook-hold-pour-and-store-isomalt Isomalt is a substitute sugar made from beet sugar and is edible. It is used in the weight loss and diabetic food industries. Isomalt is unique among replacement sugars because it retains almost all of the physical properties of real sugar with added benefits for sugar artists, cake decorators and pastry chefs. These benefits include: 1. Increased resistance to humidity therefore, less sticky to work with and less prone to clouding. 2. Better resistance to crystallization. 3. To keep Isomalt crystal clear use distilled water. Minerals in tap water can cause a yellowing effect when exposed to high temperatures, so avoid using tap or bottled spring waterr. 4. Add only enough water to make the Isomalt look like damp sand, (the consistency of making a sand castle on the beach) approximately five ounces by weight for every three pounds of Isomalt. 5. Use stainless steel pots and utensils or silicone utensils for stirring. Do not use a wooden spoon, which will also cause the Isomalt to yellow. Wood absorbs the yellowing minerals. 6. Do not cook less than three pounds of Isomalt at a time. Cooking small amounts of Isomalt causes hot spots in your mixture and may result in yellowing. 7. Cook Isomalt on an appropriately sized burner. Electric burner should be slightly smaller than bottom of pot. When cooking with gas ensure that the flame does not creep up the side of the pot but remains on the bottom of the pot only. These precautions prevent overheating of the sides of the cooking pot, which can cause premature cooking and yellowing. Using an induction range is the best way to cook Isomalt because it renders heat only to the bottom of the pot. 8. It is not necessary to wash down the side of the pot when cooking Isomalt. Simply keep a lid on the pot or make a tent of foil, which will create an internal steam preventing crystallization on the pot sides. 9. Test your candy thermometer. Many of them read inaccurately. Test by bringing water to a boil and inserting thermometer which should read 212 degrees F. at sea level. 10. Cook Isomalt to 338 degrees F. Take off heat at 333 degrees and place bottom of pot in water to stop the cooking process. Allow the pot to stay in water only until the hissing stops, approx. 5 seconds. 11. Pour the Isomalt into a Pyrex or stainless steel pitcher in a 275 - 300 degree oven and let rest for 15 minutes. You will have no bubbles and pure, clear liquid sugar to pour all day. 12. Allow unused Isomalt to cool, and store in a microwave safe container with a tight fitting lid or allow to cool in blocks and wrap in multiple layers of plastic wrap. Place a silica gel packet on top of Isomalt before closing container. You can store cooked Isomalt for two years, providing the container is well sealed. 13. Never store cooked or uncooked Isomalt in a refrigerator or freezer. The high humidity will ruin and even dissolve finished sugar pieces. HOW TO COOK ISOMALT 1. Add distilled water to Isomalt and stir until it is evenly distributed and resembles wet sand. 2. Place a pot of Isomalt on a burner set at high and stir gently ensuring that you do not cause the crystals to stick to the side of the pan. Stir by pulling the crystals from the outside in in order to help the crystalline Isomalt melt and turn into a liquid. 3. When the Isomalt mixture comes to a boil do not stir. Place lid on pot. Check the temperature periodically to make sure the Isomalt does not burn. 4. Fill a sink with 3 inches of cold water. 5. When the temperature reaches 333 degrees F. remove pot from heat and carefully plunge the base of the pot into the cold water to prevent the Isomalt from cooking further. The temperature will rise to approximately 338 degrees F. during this process. 6. Leave the pot in the water just until the hissing sounds stops then return the pot to the burner set in the off position 7. Add gel, powder or liquid food color when Isomalt cools to about 310 degrees. Higher temperatures may change the color and make it less bright and vivid. If using a paste or gel color, drop the color on top of the Isomalt and stir the food coloring slowly with a long handled spatula as it will bubble profusely so keep your face away from the pot and please, wear disposable gloves. Keep stirring color on top of Isomalt until the bubbling stops. It is now safe to stir the food coloring thoroughly to incorporate it throughout the entire Isomalt mixture. Stir until an even color is achieved. HOW TO KEEP ISOMALT AT A WORKING TEMPERATURE 1. Pour the melted Isomalt into a Pyrex or stainless steel pitcher and place in a 275 - 300 degree oven and let rest for a minimum of 15 minutes. Allowing Isomalt to rest in a hot oven enables the air to rise to the surface of your mixture and will result in a bubble free mixture. 2. Isomalt can be held in an oven up to three hours before it begins to turn yellow. 3. The lower the oven holding temperature, the longer it can be held without discoloration. 4. To prevent discoloration, keep the oven at 250 degrees F. The mixture will be thick. Place the pitcher in a microwave oven and melt the Isomalt in 20-second bursts until it is thin enough to be poured. 5. At this stage, the Isomalt may be held in a semi-melted state under a 250-watt heat lamp. HOW TO STORE RAW (UNCOOKED) ISOMALT: 1. Isomalt, in its uncooked form, will absorb moisture from the air and should be kept in a tightly sealed container. 2. Uncooked Isomalt has a shelf life of two years or more if stored correctly. 3. Place a few silica gel packets into the Isomalt storage container, to extend shelf life and to prevent moisture from making the Isomalt sticky. HOW TO STORE COOKED ISOMALT: 1. Cooked Isomalt that is exposed to humid conditions will absorb moisture from the air and become sticky. The sticky surface will eventually dry out as humidity conditions change, but this sticky layer will re-solidify. Once this occurs the Isomalt will lose its shine, then become cloudy and will eventually re- crystallize – which renders it unusable. 2. The success of storing cooked Isomalt is to protect it from humidity. One of the most effective methods to achieve this is to use Food Safe Silica Gel Packets. Silica gel is a powerful de-humidifying chemical that absorbs moisture out of the air. 3. Placing the correct amount of silica gel packets in an airtight container with your cooked Isomalt is the best way to keep your sugar projects bright and shiny. HOW TO RE-MELT ISOMALT: 1. The best way to re-melt cooked Isomalt is in a microwave oven. 2. Place the container of Isomalt in the center of oven cavity and microwave for three to five minute intervals on the MEDIUM setting. As the Isomalt melts, use shorter bursts of microwave cooking. 3. Do not melt Isomalt on a high setting. 4. When you see bubbles rising in the Isomalt mixture from two thirds of the way down, to the top, you are close to 300 degrees F. Remove, stir and place in an oven set at 275 – 300 degrees. INDUCTION RANGES: 1. Induction ranges cook by creating a strong magnetic field that passes through the cooking vessel and directly heats the metal very efficiently. Induction cooking is the very best way to prepare Isomalt because it only heats at the point of contact with the bottom of the pot. This ensures that the sides of your cooking pot do not over heat and you will also be able to cook Isomalt faster since induction is much more efficient than gas or electric burners. 2. Cooking vessels used on induction ranges must be made of a "ferrous" metal like iron and steel. Non-ferrous materials like aluminum, copper and Pyrex are not usable on an induction cooker. 3. If a magnets sticks to the bottom of a pot, it can be used on an induction cooker. PURE ISOMALT IS BETTER THAN A BLEND: 1. The large manufacturers of Isomalt make their products for the confectionery, baking and weight
loss industries. 2. Many Isomalt products are blended with other polyols in order to create mixtures
 that work better in large mechanized operations. 3. Many retailers of Isomalt buy and distribute these mixtures assuming that they are selling 100% Isomalt products. A blended Isomalt mixture is inclined to yellow prematurely and can also be less resistant to humidity. For sugar artists and pastry chefs, pure Isomalt is by far a superior product to use when making artistic sugar displays, gems and sculpture. Sugar Arts Institute sells pure Isomalt in quantities of 3-pound bags (the minimum recommended melting weight). Buy your pure Isomalt from Sugar Arts Institute. We will even cook and color it for you! Call for more information 717 721 5064. Thu, 07 Dec 2017 08:46:00 -0700