How to Sculpt With Sugar

Sculpting sugar began in Zurich, Switzerland.

Ewald Notter, a recognized master of sugar shaping, opened the International School for Confectionary Arts in 1982 in Zurich, Switzerland, considered the birthplace of sugar arts. Twenty years later, Notter moved his school to Miami, where he currently teaches professional pastry chefs. They learn, among other things, that the biggest challenge when working with sugar is to keep it from hardening, otherwise known as crystallization. No matter what you are sculpting, the key to shaping sugar is keeping it warm and pliable.

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. plus 10 oz. white sugar
• 8 oz. filtered water
• Pastry brush
• Candy thermometer
• 10 oz. light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• Silicone baking mat or marble slab
• Infrared heat lamp
• Spatulas
• Pastry knife or blow torch (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the sugar and water in a glass or stainless steel pot over a low flame. Stir slowly until the sugar completely dissolves. Once the sugar dissolves, bring it to a boil. If crystals begin to form, use a damp pastry brush to remove them from the boiling line. Be sure to rinse the brush completely each time before brushing again.

2. Add the corn syrup and cream of tartar once the mixture reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir gently a few times and turn the flame to high. Once the mixture has reached 300 degrees, remove it from the heat and put it in a large ice-filled water bowl for 30 seconds to stop it from cooking.

3. Pour the syrup mixture onto the marble slab or silicone mat, such as that made by Silpat, keeping it under the heat lamp. Let it the mixture sit for a minute; it will begin to thicken. Use spatulas to scoop the edges of the mixture into the center of the mat and continue to scoop the mixture over and over to keep it pliable. Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, hold one end down with your hand and begin to stretch it until you start to see opaque streaks. It will start to have a "satiny" appearance. Continue to pull the mixture until all of it has the same satiny look, always keeping it under the heat lamp to keep it pliable.

4. Allow the mixture to remain under the heat lamp for about five minutes. At this point, you can start to sculpt the sugar mass. Depending on what you want to sculpt, you can cut off pieces of the mixture to shape them or use a blow torch to mold the sugar into whatever shape you want. A pre-heated mold also can be used if you are unable to get the desired shape using your hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping your sugar mixture warm and pliable will enable you to sculpt it into any shape you want. A blow torch can be helpful in melting it once it starts to harden.

• Lightly sprayed tinfoil can be shaped into a mold for use in sculpting the sugar.

• Be patient when sculpting sugar. It's a very delicate process that takes practice.

References

• The Fine Art of Confectionary: Blowing and Sculpting Sugar
• Chef Eats: Sugar Sculpting 101