Sugar Sticks In Glue Gun

Sugar Work By Jenn2179 Updated 4 Apr 2010 , 10:43pm by deetmar

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Jenn2179 Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:04am
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Did anyone watch Ultimate Cake Off on Feb 1? They were putting sugar sticks in a glue gun and then it into molds. Did anyone see that?

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Kitagrl Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:12am
post #2 of 23

Yes I thought that was WAY cool and loved those bead strings!!!!

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anmnewlin1 Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:14am
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saw it and hope to try this VERY soon. I have a wedding cake coming up in March and need to make some very small jewels. I will let you know how it works.

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sugarandslice Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:24am
post #4 of 23

Forgive my ignorance but what are sugar sticks?

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Jenn2179 Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:26am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anmnewlin1

saw it and hope to try this VERY soon. I have a wedding cake coming up in March and need to make some very small jewels. I will let you know how it works.




Yes let us know your results.

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mamawrobin Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:31am
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Can someone give me a little more information on these sugar sticks? I would love to try this, sounds interesting.

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helsbels Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:39am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mamawrobin

Can someone give me a little more information on these sugar sticks? I would love to try this, sounds interesting.



One of the sugar artist on Ultimate cake made sugar sticks to put in a hot glue gun to make jewels. It was pretty cool. icon_biggrin.gif

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MORSELSBYMARK Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:44am
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Looked really cool - definitely deed to find those silicon moulds and learn how to work sugar icon_smile.gif

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all4cake Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:46am
post #9 of 23

I thought that was awesome! Didn't he first form the poured sugar into the sticks then inserted the set up sticks into the glue gun? sugarandslice and mamawrobin, I think that is how it was done.

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mamawrobin Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:49am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by all4cake

I thought that was awesome! Didn't he first form the poured sugar into the sticks then inserted the set up sticks into the glue gun? sugarandslice and mamawrobin, I think that is how it was done.




Do you know what ratio of sugar to water he used?

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all4cake Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 2:53am
post #11 of 23

no, I don't. It may have even been isomalt. I was noticing the steps. I don't recall them divulging formulas. I imagine it would be the same as for pulled sugar though which can be melted and remelted and remelted....

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mamawrobin Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 3:00am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by all4cake

no, I don't. It may have even been . I was noticing the steps. I don't recall them divulging formulas. I imagine it would be the same as for pulled sugar though which can be melted and remelted and remelted....





I realized after I posted my question that I shoud have ask IF he shared that info or not. LOL I think I'm going to try and see if I can come up with a formula that will work. I just cannot wait to try this.

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deetmar Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 5:02am
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I also thought it was amazing and would love to learn how to make them. Maybe someone could write a tutorial

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ilikeitdark Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 3:53pm
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The sugar sticks in the glue gun were very impressive--they actually showed that technique at the Pastry Team Championships some years back. But, the sugar beads have already been done before by Marina Sousa (Just Cake, Capitola) on the FN's Miley Cyrus competition. I am pretty positive she is the very first cake designer brilliant enough to design this concept and use it in challenge. I believe she even posted responses on CC after that show aired because so many were curious about the beads. She has truly amazing work!!

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ilikeitdark Posted 3 Feb 2010 , 4:14pm
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This reply was written by Marina Sousa, Just Cake, in March 2009, in a Q & A thread about the Miley Cyrus competition...


Q: How did you make the beads?
A: the beads were made from isolmalt (a sugar substitute that is less temperamental than sugar) The sugar was melted down and tinted with liquid airbrush food coloring.

Isolmalt- once cooked can be re-heated in the microwave to keep it in a liquid state, which is what is required to pour it into the molds. The best part of microwaving it (as opposed to re-heating it over the stove top) is that it does not caramelize- so there is no color change. If you have ever worked with sugar before you know what a plus that is!

Q: Where did you get the molds?
A: the molds were such an issue! Ultimately we ended up making our own molds but that was after several attempts by a mold making company that just didnt work quite right. We used Silicone Plastique from: http://www.culinart.net/silicone.html
There are really good step-by-step instructions on the website.

I bought plastic beads from a craft store and used those to form the mold. We ended up using pretty basic ribbed round beads however, we tried several different shapes and sizes. We really liked some of the more typical chandelier shapes but consistency & weight was an issue.

Once the molds set we took a very sharp exacto blade and made a very shallow slice down the center to create a space for the string to sink into. Once secured the isolmalt was poured into the molds and removed once they were set.

It was definitely a trial and error process that Dawn spent a lot of time perfecting. Patience is key ☺

Q: What kind of string did you use for the beads?
A: we used beading string which I got in a craft store in the beading section. Any type of plastic or fishing line will melt when the sugar is poured into the mold. Any type of metal, wire thread etc. will kink up and wont hang straight.

Q: How were the strings attached?
A: the strings are individually attached to foamcore rings. Little slits were cut into the foamcore and the string was secured into the slits. Varying sized rings created the depth.

Q: Was this the same way you did the beads that we saw on Keegans wedding cake?
A: No. For Keegan & Lisas cake I made all of those beads by hand from fondant and pushed a pin through to create a hole in each bead. The beads were then individually strung on clear-stretchy beading string by knotting the string to secure each beads place.

This was a much more time consuming process that is why I really wanted to come up with an alternative way to do it for the competition. I think I spent 20+ hours making the beads and stringing them for the wedding cake- so clearly not the best competition technique!

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deetmar Posted 4 Feb 2010 , 9:04pm
post #16 of 23

I would love to try this! I saw it too, and was just amazed. I am trying to build my own warming box to start working with sugar, it's just so hard to find any information or even books to learn from.

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all4cake Posted 4 Feb 2010 , 10:48pm
post #17 of 23

deetmar, here's some info that may be helpful

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6503408.html

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mrsmudrash Posted 5 Feb 2010 , 9:44pm
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Does anyone know how to make sugar sticks? Is there a mold out there?

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deetmar Posted 9 Feb 2010 , 9:57am
post #19 of 23

I had baughten the stuff to make the box and had over $80 into it. Then I contacted Laurie from Amazing Wedding Cakes, and she uses a heat lamp. So I found this, and took the box stuff back. I just ordered last night so I don't have it yet, but I am excited that it will work!

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/avantco-free-standing-2-bulb-food-warmer/177W62.html

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nefgaby Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 8:44pm
post #20 of 23

Isomalt on a glue gun is a fantastic way to work with sugar if you are just starting. It has to be a multi-temp gun, though. Marina Sousa was one of the first ones to use it in the cake world but a team of Japanese Sugar Artists were the first ones to do it and actually the ones that introduced it to Americans in a Sugar and Pastry Competition in Las Vegas back in 2005 (or so ...)!

Another way to do it, so one does not have to make little isomalt sticks, is to cook the isomalt accoding to directions and use paper cones (like the ones on water dispensers), clip the bottom and use as a disposable funnel to pour into your silicone molds. Always be super careful when working with isomalt.

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msulli10 Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 8:59pm
post #21 of 23

My husband keeps telling me that someone should come up with chocolate sticks to put in a glue gun. I guess we should try to make the chocolate sticks ourselves and see if it works!!

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jenng1482 Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 9:31pm
post #22 of 23

Does anyone recall the artist that used it most recently on TLC??

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deetmar Posted 4 Apr 2010 , 10:43pm
post #23 of 23

I have to tell everyone that I found a fantastic site to purchase different sugar molds. They also offer classes that are very expensive, $1,050 per class, and the molds aren't cheap either, around $65 per mold, but it's alot better then trying to blow sugar balls that break all the time. Do a search for Chicago School of Mold Making

I got burned really bad two weeks ago by pour hot sugar across my hand, gloves don't protect against that, lesson learned.

We are still trying to blow the bubbles just because we want to learn, but in a hurry we use the molds.

We have also completed our martini glass mold which is fantastic, and thanks to Dominic at make your own molds, and plan on posting pictures and the tape as soon as we make another one. We forgot to take a final picture until after we delivered the cake.

We are going to let Dominic at Create your own molds, edit and post the information. We learned so much through the process that we are making our own sphere molds now.

Just thought I would let you guys know. We are still in the beginner stages with sugar, but still haven't given up!

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