Hi! I joined C.C. a while back, but this is my first post. Everyone's creations and talent is really inspiring. *^_^*

I was wondering what your thoughts were about dragees. I have a wedding cake job looming next month and the bride insists on individual beads gracing her cake. In the past I've always made Swiss dots out of fear of someone cracking a tooth on a dragee.

Has anyone ever had a problem with dragrees? I want to be remembered as the lady who made the pretty cake and not the lady who's cake sent someone to the dentist.

I think it's the "silver" one that are not edible!!! All the other colored ones I believe are ok. Most adults I know choose not to eat them, but all of the kids I know would LOVE To eat them and do without any problems. I think they're gorgeous on cakes, I especially love the ones that look like little pearls,very beautiful on wedding cakes. Guess it's a matter of opinion and taste. But if you use the silver ones I would have the cake servers pick them off before serving...supposedly they contain trace amounts of real silver and are not good for you to eat. I can remember eating those as a kid too.......ugh!!

There have been several posts about this subject in the past. The concensus is that the amount of silver in the dragees is so little that it wouldn't harm you to eat. California won't even allow you to sell or have delivered the silver dragees. I think the best thing to do is to warn the bride ahead of time to make sure she understand that you are not liable for any problems. Maybe get something in writing. I use them in almost all of my cakes - it adds such a nice finishing touch and a little bit of color. I ate these all the time when I was a kid - they were very popular back then. I'm not a bit effected from eating them. I just had my third eye removed and the doctor said I would be fine now and it shouldn't grow back anymore!!!!! LOL

I was planning on using the pearl beads. I think I may bite the bullet and just buy the softer variety. Ah well.

Thank you so much for your input!

the pearl ones are fine........use them, they're sooooooo pretty...........gilson...you're killin me!!! hahahahaha

May I ask what dragee's are?

Tabby

You can all ways make edible pearls and then you can color then what ever color you need. Takes some time but make a bunch and store. Here is the link to show you how to make them from Earlene Moore

http://www.earlenescakes.com/prlinstruct.htm

Dragees are small round balls about the size of BBs that are shiny. They come in several different colors. They are hard but personly I like eating them.

I made a wedding cake in February black/white with silver dragees and the bride loved it. My children ate them and they are fine. I noticed at the wedding that most adults just picked them off. If you want to take a look the pic is in my photo's. Keep in mind the flash made them look a little funny but I had black royal icing then the silver dragee on top. Hope this helps.
Vie

Thyat's a beautiful cake Vie. Can you share with me how you stacked your cakes opposite like that w/o them falling apart?
Man.........sometimes I feel really behind. I look at these wonderful cakes and get great ideas but I think most of the time I'm too scared to try it. I need more practice but don't have anything to do with all the leftover cake. My kids can only eat so much. Maybe I'll check into the nursing home down the street and see about donating cakes.
Tabby

I had concern about using dragees on a wedding cake too, but the bride insisted on " little silver pearls". I used them conservatively and attached them with buttercream icing. There were no complaints.
The wedding cake is in my photos if you want to take a look. They did add a little extra sparkle.

Ooo! Thank you so much for the link, leana! I'll have to try making some myself this week!