Christmas Lights- SWEET! by Jen Dontz

 

This  tutorial is a step by step on making the isomalt Christmas lights.  Super easy to do and very, very pretty!  These lights can be strung on a cake or used individually on cupcakes.  Either way, they are sure to please!
 

ISOMALT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

1.  I'm using our large Christmas lights mold (we also have a tiny one, too).  Also, the small silicone cup and clear isomalt sticks.  We also carry clear isomalt nibs if you prefer. If you click on a picture on our website, it will take you to the information/order page where you will see measurements for the molds.





2.  ALWAYS ALWAYS use protective gloves.  Hot sugar STICKS to skin and will continue to burn.  You can peel a glove off quickly, but not your skin.  We have some wonderful protective gloves by Cake Play.  See here.   We carry these gloves in three sizes, small, medium and large.  

Melt your isomalt in the microwave.  I use 50% power and check it every 30 seconds or so.  This is sugar so it can burn, don't over nuke :-)  I run a stick through it JUST to make sure all is melted.  I should be bubbling. 

 

 I did color this clear mix by adding a drop of Americolor to it.  Gel coloring is recommended, not liquid or powder.  Shake your Americolors up well before using.  Add the color once it comes out of the microwave and is bubbling.  You will hear the color sizzle on top of the bubbling sugar.  Wait until it stops sizzling and the water is burned out of it, then gently stir into the isomalt.

 

  You also can add disco dust at this point if you want a glittery finished piece.  We have a nice variety of discos available. Let the mix sit on the counter a few minutes until most of the bubbles have come to the top and popped. 

 

 Gently pour into your molds.  I take a toothpick and make sure all the sugar is stuck to all the nooks and crevices.  

 

~One helpful tip~

 If you find your sugar is hardening faster than you can get it to all the nooks, you can warm your mold in the microwave at 50% power for about 20 seconds.  Starting with a warm mold will give you a longer "work" time to spread the sugar.  

 

Another thing you can do is put the mold on a heating pad and warm it that way.  That will give you even more work time.  No need to add anything to the mold like a grease.  Leave the mold as is.




3.  Unmold the lights.  You usually can tell when they are ready to be unmolded if the mold is no longer warm to touch on the backside.

4.  Now it's time to torch them if you want them crystal clear.  Any food grade silicone mold will "gas" and create a ever so soft texture on your piece.  By taking a creme brulee type torch and gently torching the surface, it will clarify it.  This is the torch I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond (don't forget your coupon :-)  You also can use a grill lighting type Aim N Flame but those are harder to use because they can burn the sugar easier.  At least that is my experience. 

 

 Hold the sugar piece with a pair of tweezers and move it closer and closer to the flame until you can see it clarify.  Be careful not to burn it.  Safety is first and foremost here friends...PLEASE read the instructions for your torch!!



5.  Next, I took my sugarcraft gun with the small string disk and piped out two lines of fondant.  I colored this using avocado Americolor.  You also can use gumpaste as well.




6.  Let the strings dry just a little and then twist them together like a real light string would be.


7. I like to paint the socket part with silver hi-liter dust.  Simply mix some dust with vodka, I do this in the lid.  Mix to the consistency of maple syrup.  Then paint the socket part.  Let the dust completely dry in the cap before putting the cap back on your container.  In doing this, no dust is wasted.  You can see the difference of the torched lights, two on left, and the not torched, on right.




8.  Here they are!!  As always when using isomalt, we recommend you place your pieces on the cake the day of the party.  

 

 

You can make them far in advance, but you need to store them in an airtight container with desiccant packets.  These will keep your pieces crystal clear.  Humidity can affect your pieces so that's why we recommend placing the day of the party and using the desiccant packets.

Tutorial by Jennifer Dontz

owner of SugarDelites

all rights reserved 2012

This material may not be reproduced in any form with 

expressed permission from the author.

Building a Gingerbread house

After designing and baking your gingerbread house, it is time to assemble and decorate. Here are a few tips for assembly, followed by suggestions for decoration. Ultimately, it is your creation, so you can keep it simple or make your house as elaborate as you desire

Supplies

• Gingerbread pieces
• ½” foam core
• ¼” foam core for small houses
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Xacto Knife
• Royal Icing **
• at least 4 unopened cans to use as weights to stabilize while drying
• small embroidery scissors
• gelatine sheets

Lay out your gingerbread pieces out flat with house corners touching on a sheet of paper.

Move two facing sides inside the corner by exactly the width of your gingerbread. If your baked pieces are ¼” thick, then move two sides inward by ¼” each side.

With a pencil, trace the inside space. Straighten lines and shore up the corners to be a perfect right angle (90 degrees,) then cut the pattern for your foundation.

Lay the pattern over ¼- ½” foam core. Trace the pattern and cut the foamcore. If you are adding additions to your house, cut the addition to your pattern. The additions will be built on separate foundations and secured together later.

Run a bead of royal icing around the edge of the foam corn and set up two corner walls, securing with royal icing.

At this point, it is easier to secure your windows. Using embroidery scissors, just cut a square of gelatine sheets and secure with royal icing.

 You can also use poured sugar windows made ahead of time, then glue in with royal icing. It is easier to affix the windows while flat, but you can also place inside before you place your roof, if you like.

Set cans against the two walls to secure.

Repeat the process with the two remaining walls.

Pipe an extra line around each corner and allow to set for a few minutes until secure.

Pipe a line of royal icing around the top edge of your walls.

Place the roof. Depending on how large your house is and how heavy the roof, it may be necessary to secure with reinforcement (extra cans).

Pipe royal icing at the seam where roof meets on top.

Allow to set until dry.

Steeples and Chimneys can be constructed at this point, securing with royal icing.

Allow to dry before attaching to roof.

*If you have additions on your house, construct separately and allow to dry, then attach to the rest of your structure. At that point, you can add the roof.

Let the house completely dry before moving to the next step…the fun part! Decorating the house!

When the icing securing the roof has completely hardened, your house can be decorated with Fondant, Pretzels, Cereals, Candies ( gum drops, mints, pastilles, skittles, hard candies ect) Shredded wheat, Pastas, bitesized crackers, lentils, or beans!
 Just use your royal icing to secure the decorations.
 When dry the icing will act as a glue and hold the decoration firmly in place. For my houses, I cut fondant strips and overlaid them on the exterior.

For one house's roof, I textured a rectangle of fondant to make a shingled roof,

but pastilles can be used to make a wonderful shingled roof or siding too.

For a fast and easy shingled roof, just pipe scallops directly onto your gingerbread roof!

 You can also spread a layer of "snow" made of royal icing.

There are no rules now. Anything goes as long as it is edible.
Wilton makes a product called Sparkle Gel.
I used it to make icicles, but you can also pipe icicles using royal icing.

Just be creative and have loads of fun. That's what it is all about!

**Royal Icing Recipe

6 Tbsp meringue powder

12 Tbsp water

2 lbs powered sugar

Mix all ingredient until moist, them beat at a low speed for 7 minutes. Keep icing covered with a moist cloth when not in use to prevent hardening.

On the final gingerbread tutorial, a few ideas for accessorizing your landscape, and adding life to your edible abode!

Copyright - All rights reserved   Jacque Benson 2012
Material from this website cannot be republished or reproduced in any form without permission from the author.