They can be made real far ahead in advance. I have some that I made a year ago and keep in a cool , dark , tin round. don't put plastic with them and make a tent in the tin. Use Butcher paper from the grocery store or etc. Plastic is a ememy to isomalt, as I have been told? Also if they get cloudy just use a little vetegable oil or cooking spray lightly and that will restore them. Also I have been told but haven't tried it yet, is you can put a hair dryer heat on them . It helps put the shine back on them also as I understand. Not much heat, just a little . Also handle with cotton gloves , so you don't leave prints on them. Hope this helps, Happy Cake Decorating.

Great info--thanks!

I have used isomalt alone before and it was slightly cloudy, so I am hoping the addition of corn syrup will help!

I just used isomalt for the first time today and have some questions. Does using water make them sticky? Is it better in the microwave or stovetop? Also, I poured the melted sugar over ice to make a natural looking piece of coral. Is there a better way to do that? Any info on this stuff would be awesome!

I also meant to ask about storage? Does putting it in the freezer do anything for it? And when doing it in the microwave, use a glass container, correct?

I'm totally green with this stuff and really want to master it. It's awesome....from what I see.

Great tips - thanks everyone for sharing.

Hi danf161 -- to store your sugar pieces, you just put them in an air-tight box preferably with some of those silica gel packets (the kind that sometimes come with new shoes or vitamins) to keep the humidity away. I always heard NOT to store them in the fridge or freezer because they'll start to disintegrate (heard that on Cake Boss), but I put one piece in the fridge one week for an experiment and nothing happened...maybe it depends on how fragile the piece is? Don't know...

You can also make free-form ice by pouring the sugar onto non-stick aluminum foil. Crumple of the foil, then UN-crumple it so it's bumpy and then fold up the edges so to keep the sugar from running all over. Make sure to use the NON-STICK foil or else it won't come off. Works great!

When you asked about using water, do you mean mixing water with the isomalt in the beginning of the process? As far as I know that does not make it sticky. Some recipes call for water and it's fine. I was taught not to bother using water but I'm not sure what the reason was.

Hope that helps!

Diane that helps a lot. I used water merely because the recipe I found called for it. Any tips on how to NOT make it so sticky or do I need to accept the fact that it's candy? Also, what's the best method to cook it with WITHOUT using water? Microwave or stovetop? Do I have to use white corn syrup to cut it, so-to-speak, or can I try to melt the crystals by themselves?

Sorry for all these questions at once. I'm trying to get this right. Ever since I saw Buddy use it for his Aquarium cake (Cake Boss) I've been wanting to try it for myself. I played a little bit using the water method on the stove top in the saucepan and it came out nice. The red color paste took really nicely. I'll get a picture on here. I lost a drinking glass in the process but I guess it's all in the name of experimenting. Too bad my wife doesn't agree with that. lol.

Here's my first attempt at isomalt colored with red gel. This was in the freezer overnight. It's pretty damn sticky.

Your coral looks awesome! Great job!!!

I would suggest definitely trying your next batch with just the isomalt alone--no water. And I'm guessing that putting it in the freezer attributed to the sticky-ness. I'm curious as to why you feel you need to put it in the freezer? Everything I've heard says not to refrigerate or freeze--you must keep the humidity away from it. Keep it out of the freezer.

Personally I prefer the stovetop method and then keeping it warm in the oven in between pouring (while I'm waiting for the first mold to set up so I can use it again) What kind of drinking glass were you using that you ruined? If you use glass, it should be clean-able--put it in the dishwasher

Thanks. I'm gonna try it right now before work to see what turns up.

I used a regular old drinking glass. The problem was I couldn't release it from the sides of the glass and I was getting frustrated....also, I cracked the glass from banging it on the counter trying to get it to release from the sides. Oh well. Any suggestions for it NOT to stick to sides? Stainless steel?

Do you mean you couldn't get it to release from the glass when you were cleaning it or when you were pouring it into the mold/ice? If you were trying to clean it, just put it in the dishwasher--The hot water will clean it. Or just keep running hot water into it--it melts off

Kinda. I was trying to get it out of the glass so it was in it's form, by itself. Make sense? I was using the glass as a holder for the ice which was my "mold".

Good tip about the cleaning though. That will make my life MUCH easier next time.

Ahhhh....I see. Well I would suggest lining the class with the non-stick aluminum foil next time--I think that would work well...

Wow. You probably could have heard me call myself an idiot for something THAT simple. lol. I will never forget that step now.

LOL!

Glad it work, its a easy way to do small amounts and the oven method keeps is so you can work longer and not have it hardening up on you before your ready.. Happy Decorating

I've been practing a bit too. Had pretty good results so far. I'm going to be makimg about 100 clear hearts for my daughter's wedding this June.

Could someone suggest the best way to store these and could I do them now?

Thanks for the great tips.

Melissa

Yes you can do them now. Store in an airtight container with some of those little desiccant packets. Humidity is the enemy. If it's rainy/humid where the reception is be prepared with a little paint brush and some vegetable oil to bring back the shine if they cloud.

Thanks

What kind of contaner would you recommend?

Thanks!

Anything except thin plastic. The important thing is the tight-fitting lid.

You can use regular ziplock bags as well, but you should double bag them, since plastic is a bit porous. I double bag my isomalt and place a food-safe dessicant in it, and they don't seem to cloud.

Another option is to use Confectioner's Glaze to glaze them. Once coated with that, they won't cloud.

i know these are old posts but i need help... i cannot find isomalt anywhere in my town. Ordering on-line isnt an option as i need to make my clear ice candy by friday, we are now wednesday... is there any other sugar or substitute that i can use to get the clear sugar candy?

i know these are old posts but i need help... i cannot find isomalt anywhere in my town. Ordering on-line isnt an option as i need to make my clear ice candy by friday, we are now wednesday... is there any other sugar or substitute that i can use to get the clear sugar candy?

I haven't been able to get Isomalt locally, only online. Not sure what kind of sugar candy you are referring to. Maybe you should try sugar glass, it tends to turn out yellow but will take well to coloring.

Let us know what you are trying to achieve.

Thanks....Jewels

im trying to make clear ice... but cannot get the isomalt

You can try to do sugar glass. Here is the recipe. It tends to start to turn yellow when trying to get to the correct temperature. You need a candy thermometer.

1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup light corn syrup

Microwave @ 50% for 6 minutes and mix, then full power for 2-3 minutes intervals until temperature gets to 300 degrees.

Add coloring when sugar/corn syrup reaches 265 degrees.

If you have to, try cooking the sugar just before it turns yellow (right before correct temp.) and take off stove. I did this once in desperation of NO yellow ice. The ice stayed a tad soft, but it still looked great.

You can also cook sugar like you do isomalt. One of the reasons that the sugar/corn syrup has a problem is because granulated sugar has impurities in it. When you cook sugar with some water, like Isomalt, you are able to skim the impurities off the top and keep your sugar a lot clearer.