Rcrewof10: You get your high-ratio at a place called Gordon's in Rockford, IL? So the general public can just walk into this place and buy it? Or do you have to be a business? I'm from Beloit and I've made the drive down to a place called "I think" Sweetpans...or something like that ...takes me about 45-50 minutes...ugh! Now..I just ordered (3) 4-lb tubs of sweetex online, which by the way after shipping was $35. Can Gordons beat that?

Where did you order it from travmand? that is a good price if it includes the shipping.

I talked to the guy at Gordon's (GFS), and it is not Sweetex brand. It is from Holsum foods and it is called "icing shortening". They'll order it for you-no shipping or anything, and its a pretty good price, but you have to order a 50lb block of it. From what this guy told me it was in 1-50lb. block-not packaged separately. At this point it may be worth it, but I know that I won't use all 50 lbs. It seems a shame to waste it, but it may just be cheaper. Someone here said something about freezing it. If anyone knows, could you go into detail about how you wrap it, defrost it, etc?

Okay.. went to hobby lobby today.. NO isomalt ..no tylose no dowel rods.. NOTHING that i needed. They didnt even sell my cut floral stem wire. Now I have to drive an hour away..and that is one way.. to try michaels.

We almost needed a clean up on aisle 4 !! I almost peed myself. I asked the lady if they carried isomalt and she asked me what it was.. i told her... she said she would find someone who might know.. she took three steps away from me, turned around and asked what it was again.. then another three steps.. turned around and asked again. She did this five times total !!! Did she think the answer was going to change??? My friend was with me, she looked at me and said, "Do you think she got it that time. or is Cinco the magic number." LOL

Oh, tesso-I feel your pain. My HL doesn't carry it either, but they did carry Lorann hard candy mix. Then I looked at the ingredients and it said sugar, corn syrup and solids. So I looked on the back of other Lorann products and wouldn't you know it-a recipe!! Here it is:

Old Fashioned Hard Candy:
2c. granulated sugar
2/3c. light corn syrup
3/4 c. water
1 dram Lorann gourmet flavoring
1/4 tsp. Lorann food coloring
Powdered sugar (opt)

https://www.lorannoils.com/p-8752-stove-top-hard-candy.aspx
(Mod edited to provide link w/directions.)

Maybe that can assuage any Isomalt angst. Tylose, you're SOL. You have to order that online. Michael's doesn't carry it. You can get dowel rods there (if they're in stock), but my Michael's doesn't carry cut floral stem wire. It is all in long pcs, and you have to cut it yourself.
Good luck! HTH.

AKS our walmart used to carry the 18" cut stem wire.. but they remodeled or as i like to call it.. got rid of all the good stuff.. and now they dont even have a craft section.. one aisle does not a craft section make !!! They no longer carry material either!! I hate to hear that michaels may not have it either.. guess i will drive a little further and find.. garden ridge...sigh...

Gordon Food Service is open to the public with no membership or membership fee required.

If ordering from Gordons, the item # for Sweetex is: 1080220.
(For some reason my Gordon's couldn't find it without that number, which puzzlegut was kind enough to provide.)

And hi-ratio freezes beautifully...

HTH

Thanks for the Sweetex #!

You're very welcome.

It's from 2009, so I hope it hasn't changed (for any reason).

The Gordon's here in Jackson Mi gives me Sweetex brand (the box says Sweetex on it) / 50 lbs for $71.99

Ok, --try this. There has got to be a small mom and pop or independent restaurant in your area. Walk in and ask if they'll order you a 50 pound cube--the places they order from will carry it and I can't see a reason they wouldn't do it for you, specially if you offer them $20 or so to do it.

You'll be surprised how CHEAP it is that way---

Can we amend this to add fondant as well? OTHER than Wilton's disgusting excuse? I bought my hi-ratio shortening (sweetex) from a cake shop in Houston, 50# for $70.99. Lucky to have found it to be only 5 miles from my job. Fondant though........ I ordered it online after realizing that the cake shop 3 miles from my home in Pasadena sold 20 lbs (Satin Ice) for $90!! WTH! I ordered it from "Into the Oven" and the shipping and handling was more than reasonable. Only $11.. The 20# of fondant was $47.99, so a much better deal that way.

Not sure if anyone has posted this (I am short on time for reading) but if you have a Gordons Food Service, they can order Sweetex 50# (takes two days to come in to the store) for $74.99 no shipping charges. They are mainly in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and a couple in Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Florida. Just do a Google for Gordons Food Service.

I ordered mine from thebakerskitchen dot net . They have 4-lbs tubs of high ratio (which I've heard is Sweetex repackaged). I just looked at my bill again and I paid $8.99 each and $9 shipping for the whole thing. I figured it would cost me $10 to drive down to the near supply store and buy it and that would take me 45 minutes one way And....I ordered it on the 13th and it came yesterday. So...I'm very pleased with that company.

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the GFS # for Sweetex. I'm a-going tomorrow!

I got an account with Sysco here, just to order Sweetex. Saves the $20 or $25 shipping charges from ordering it online.

I just picked up some shortening at Smart and Final.
It's made by First Street and says on the back:
Saturated Fat 3g
Trans Fat 2.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.5g

Is this hi-ratio shortening?

Hi Ratio is:
It is one hundred percent fat with added emulsifiers, white in color and does not contain any added salt or water. The difference between high ratio shortening and regular shortening is that it contains microemulsifiers that allows your mixture to hold more sugar and liquid. It also gives a finer and smoother texture to cakes and helps keep them moist, as well as keeps icings more stable with a less greasy mouth feel. This is a quote from Lady Cakes

Okay, so it's not hi-ratio shortening but did I waste my money buying this shortening or do you think it's still better than Crisco because of the added trans fat...sort of an in between?

I tried some Kroger brand and a Country Market brand with trans fats and they ARE NOT the same as Sweetex. It was off white and tasted like grease.

Kitagirl: do you have to have a business ID # to get an account with Sysco?

It would be nice if cake decorating stores that do carry HiRatio would stop price gouging.

There is a store in the Green Bay, WI area that sells Sweetex and the cost per pound is absurd. It was cheaper for me to order the 12 pound box from Global Sugar and pay for shipping than it was to buy from this store and that includes my gas and travel time. They also sold Satin Ice and a 2 lb. bucket was the same price as a 5 lb. bucket when ordering it from some of the places on the internet even with shipping.

I divided the 12 pounds into the exact measurements that I need for a batch of BC and wrapped it in plastic wrap, froze it and then sealed it into Food Saver bags. Keeps and freezes beautifully.

There is a place in Wausau, WI that is called U-Bake that carries Bettercreme (hallelujah) and I have asked them many times if they would please check on carrying Sweetex and it has been over a year and every time I ask them to check or ask what they have found out I get one excuse after another.

OK- went to GFS today and used the #. Got my 50lbs. of Sweetex and a lot of Gladware to break it down into for freezing! Wish me luck.