sugar sculpture

Sugar sculpture, the art of producing artistic centerpieces entirely composed of sugar and sugar derivatives, is an art that is rapidly garnering support.Sugar showpieces can be composed of several different types of sugar elements. All begin with cooking sugar, and possibly an acidic agent and/or non-sucrose sugar product to avoid unwanted crystallization, to the hard crack stage, around 300 °F(149 °C).When all components are completed, they are welded together using a gas torch. The sugar is melted, and then joined together.

Pulled sugar

Once the sugar has been cooked, the now-liquid sugar is poured onto a silicone rubber mat (e.g., Silpat). Any coloring is now added. The sugar is then folded repeatedly into itself, until the sugar is, while still flexible, cool enough to handle. The sugar is then stretched out and then folded on itself repeatedly. This process incorporates air into the sugar, and gives it a bright lustery sheen. The sugar can then be sculpted by hand into various shapes, made into ribbons, or blown.

Blown sugar

In blown sugar, a portion of pulled sugar is placed on a rubber pump which is tipped with either wood or metal. Pumps are most commonly hand pumps. While being blown, the sugar can be shaped, often into animals or flowers. Blown sugar cannot be quickly cooled by dipping it in water, so chefs must use fans to cool the sugar, all the while rotating it, so that it does not come out of shape. This technique is very useful in making balloons for wedding cakes

Cast sugar

In this technique, sugar is poured into molds. This technique produces more sturdy pieces than pulled and blown sugar, and is almost always used for the base and structural elements of showpieces.

Recipe

tartaric acid 3 drops

sugar 1kg

liquid glucose 250gm

water 400ml

coloring 2 drops

Steps 

1. heat up the sugar and water until the sugar melts.

2. at the same time heat up the tartaric acid until its is fully dissolved.

3. then add the tartaric acid to the sugar mixture and stir.

4. then add in the glucose and heat it until it thickens. add the coloring and stir properly

5. then pour the mixture on to a silpat and wait for it to cool for a moment.

6. then fold in the sugar and work the mixture until it is semi solid where it is easy to stretch and can form into a ball or log at the same time.

7. stretch the mixture then roll it up again. repeat until the color is glistening and almost like transparent.

8. the dough now can be stretch to make into shapes, petals, leaves, and other things.

9. you can also pour the mixture after taking it off from the stove and pour to make into certain shapes or maybe pour into a mold.
10. when all the pieces have been completed, assemble them using a blow torch to make them stick.