Patisserie MASTERCLASS: The Art of pulled and blown sugar
Recipe by Willie Pike
www.schoolofpulledsugar.com
Basic Pulled Sugar Recipe
Ingredients
1kg Granulated Sugar (Tate and Lyle)
500mls Water
200g Glucose
*10 drops approximately tartaric acid solution*
* Tartaric Acid Solution: take 50g tartaric acid crystals and add to 50g of previously boiled water, shake and leave to dissolve overnight, place in a pipette bottle for use.
Process Steps Reasons, Effects & Watch Points
1. Place water, then sugar into suitable pan.
2. Place on low heat stirring occasionally.
3. Remove all scum as it rises to the surface with a strainer.
4. When the solution begins to boil, skim any scum and brush down the sides of the pan with a wet brush.
5. Add glucose and re-boil.
6. Remove any scum and brush down sides.
7. Turn heat up full and place in sugar thermometer.
The slow heat allows maximum dissolvement of the sugar crystals. If scum is not removed it will boil through the syrup promoting re-crystallisation and a poor quality result.
Glucose is an invert sugar and therefore promotes inversion and helps prevent re-crystallisation.
Brushing down the sides of the pan: is very important as any crystals, which adhere to the inside of the pan, may drop into the syrup and re-crystallise the whole syrup (like a car wind-screen shattering). This brushing down exercise must be carried out periodically as the syrup continues to boil.
Process Steps, Reasons, Effects & Watch Points
1. Boil the sugar to 280OF/138C (small crack).
2. Add the ten drops of tartaric acid solution.
3. Continue boiling until the sugar reaches hard crack
310OF/156C
4. Place the base of the pan immediately into cold water to
stop the cooking.
5. Dry the bottom of the pan to prevent drips.
6. Pour onto lightly oiled marble slab or silpat mat.
When acid is added to the sugar solution it acts as a catalyst and speeds up inversion. The amount of inversion is responsible for the setting temperature and over all elasticity of the finished sugar. Too little acid will result in a very hot and hard to handle sugar whereas too much will result in a soft sticky mass. The balance of acid is the most important factor.
Using a palette knife or Large Scraper, fold the edges of the sugar into the centre and continue this process until the sugar mass is cooled enough to handle.
Fold the cooling sugar into the centre of the mass in order that all the sugar is at approximately the same temperature. If this is not carried out the corners of the sugar will harden and when pulled the sugar mass will have lumps of hard sugar through it.
Using the tips of the fingers of both hands, pull the sugar into a length of approximately 3 feet long, fold the sugar into the centre and repeat the pulling/stretching process until the sugar begins to become firm and develops a beautiful satin gloss: satinisation
The sugar may now be cut into even size pieces allowed to fully cool, wrapped in cling film and stored in an airtight container with Silica Gel until required.
Moisture is the greatest enemy of pulled, blown or poured sugar and is abundant in the atmosphere especially on a rainy day.
In order to prevent fingerprinting the finished sugar, I prefer to wear either surgical or specialist sugar pulling gloves, the use of gloves also prevents any moisture from your hands getting on the sugar and therefore keeps a better shine.
When working with sugar it is most important to place the completed parts immediately into an airtight container with Silica Gel as to prevent the sugar from becoming sticky and losing its satin gloss.
Silica Gel is a humectant and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, it is available from specialist (Info Below)
It comes either natural or Self Indicating which is coloured orange (the Blue Silica Gel is not suitable for food use)
When using the coloured Silica Gel, it becomes apparent when it has used up its moisture absorbing properties as it changes colour to white/pink and can be reconstituted by placing on a tray and drying out in a hot oven, during this process the Silica Gel will return to its original colour.
As the sugar is pulled/stretched, it is continually cooling and develops minute light reflecting crystals especially at the point of setting, it is these minute crystals that gives the sugar its satin gloss. It usually takes around 15-20 pulls to satinise the sugar. Over pulling the sugar promotes re-crystallisation which is undesirable, giving the sugar a greying and dull appearance. Over manipulation should be avoided.
The sugar is now ready to be manipulated to form leaves, petals, feathers, flowers, birds, figures, the list is endless.
Specialist sugar gloves are obtainable from Specialist suppliers.
Most rubber gloves will do the trick with smooth Latex Gloves are best. When blowing lots of sugar good idea to wear cotton waiters gloves underneath the latex glove.
Silica Gel – Gee Jay Chemicals 01767682774 Orange 3-6 mm mesh size
Tartaric acid crystals can be purchased through the internet, used extensively in home beer /Wine making.
I tend to use only two sugars one plain white as above and the other Caramel – I colour the white sugar when required with Sugar Flair paste Colours to suit – for green I tend to use a little Mint Green and a little spruce green. Using this technique allows you to colour and tint as required.
Tartaric Acid Crystals - Normally comes in 50g tubs – Brand name Young’s
Poured Sugar (Clear Coloured)
Ingredients (Base Recipe):
1 kg Granulated Sugar
500 mls Water
200 grms Glucose
Paste* or powered food colour.
*{I use Sugarflair Paste Colour] Found in most Cake supply shops or online
Equipment:
Pan with pouring lip
Marble Slab or flat surface
Measuring Jug with water
Thermometer
Small Sieve (Tea Strainer)
Pastry Brush
Latex Gloves
Tin Foil
Scissors
Silica Gel for Storage
Method:
1. Place water in the pan and add the sugar. Whisk to disperse the sugar through the water.
2. Place pan on a moderate heat and bring to the boil.
3. Remove any scum that rises from the sugar and brush down the sides of the pan with water.
4. Add the glucose and bring back to the boil. Brush down sides of pan.
5. Turn up heat to full.
6. Mix the colour with a little water and add to the sugar mixture. Temp approximately 118°C or 240°F.
7. Continue to boil until 156°C or 310°F and immediately immerse the base of the pan in cold water to stop the cooking.
8. Allow the sugar to sit for 2-3 minutes to further cool and thicken.
9. Pour the sugar onto the tin foil, which has been crinkled up and laid out flat on the marble slab or flat surface. [ensure that the bottom of the pan is dry before pouring].
10. When the sugar is cold, cut around the tinfoil with scissors wearing plastic/latex gloves to prevent finger printing.
11. Keep in an airtight container until required preferably with silica gel.
For Colouring the poured sugar, I again use Sugar Flair pastes with a little water added although others prefer power colours – for Blue Water Base I use Ice Blue and for reddish Brown base I use Chestnut
When pouring the sugar, especially into a pre-laid out shape, the use of a pan with a pouring lip is useful to accurately direct the molten sugar.
Caramel Sugar for Pulling
(Used to create a wood effect for trees and branches)
Excellent for Caramel Band / Ribbon for refresher, garnish and pre dessert – Excellent for Coils / dessert Garnish
Basic Recipe:
1kg Granulated Sugar
500mls Water
200gms Glucose
Method:
1. Place the water in the pan and add the sugar. Whisk to disperse.
2. Place pan on moderate heat and bring to the boil, removing any scum as it rises.
3. Add glucose and re-boil, again removing any scum and brush down the side of the pan.
4. Turn up the heat to full and cook the sugar until it becomes just beyond golden caramel and begins to smoke and immediately pour onto a lightly oiled marble slab or silpat mat. As the sugar cools, it can be pulled and cut into even size pieces, wrapped in cling film and stored for further use.
NOTE:
There is no tartaric acid drops in this recipe but the caramel sugar is still pliable enough to work. This is due to the overcooking (smoking) of the sugar. When the sugar is overcooked, it begins to breakdown (De-Naturalise). This creates inversion resulting in a malleable, workable golden sugar.
Spraying of Sugar
Water Colours are best I use Food safe Ecoline Colours Readily available in good art shops or online.
Best to use hobby / cake airbrush which comes complete with small plug-in electric compressor circa £60 cost