Dehydrator For Fondant Like On Food Network's Cake Challenge
Decorating By bjfranco Updated 24 Aug 2006 , 10:25pm by Molly2
My husband and I were watching a cake challenge and my husband noticed that they were putting their smaller pieces of fondant that were cut out in shapes in a food dehydrator. First, I couldn't believe that my husband was even watching the show..... 2nd that he noticed that....and before I even did......and then suggest that I get one! 
So before he changes his mind (or claims amnesia 
), does anyone have one of these, if so, where did you get it? Any suggestions, thoughts, tips? I hate waiting for fondant to dry and I am always coming up with other idea's at the last minute but cannot use them becaue "the fondant will not dry fast enough". I know gumpaste dries faster but some clients want fondant only.
I can remember the one that my mother had back in the early 80's for drying fruit - but I am sure they have something newer/better now?
Anyway.......appreciate and input!
Thanks,
bj
I have one. I've had it for years and bought it to dry fruit for craft projects. I ended up rarely using it and it has sat up in the attic for YEARS! But I saw that cake challenge too and am excited to find a project to practice with it.
If I use it in the meantime, I'll be sure to post my results.
I have one and have used it for a few projects. The main problem I have is it is very limiting on the size an item can be. Because of the way the trays lay on each other the item can only be less than an inch in height and has to fit on a circular tray that has a whole in the middle of it. Does that make since??
It is great when you are making roses though. The toothpick fits down in the wholes and makes a perfect rack.
I dry the centers of roses really quick and have dried some fondant leaves I needed in a hurry.
Well, laneysmom if you use please do post your results I will be interested in hearing how it works and if it is worth it.
And rezzycakes I feel the same way about being if it is worth it. And even more than that if it is worth trying to find a place to store it!
Hopefully someone out there will have the answer! If they were using it on the Cake Challenge it must serve some purpose, huh???!!!! I have to make butterflies for Saturday and I keep thinking if I had that dehydrator I could finish the cake today! 
bj
I have one and have used it for a few projects. The main problem I have is it is very limiting on the size an item can be. Because of the way the trays lay on each other the item can only be less than an inch in height and has to fit on a circular tray that has a whole in the middle of it. Does that make since??
It is great when you are making roses though. The toothpick fits down in the wholes and makes a perfect rack.
I dry the centers of roses really quick and have dried some fondant leaves I needed in a hurry.
Thanks...........and I'm sold! I need it for banners, flat flowers. stars and all those little extra touches that I am not making a week in advance!
Thanks!
bj
Sorry I have a nice bridge you could get for cheap
cool, i have a dydrator (i know its not spelled right, but who cares, right?)
and didnt have the slightest idea as to what to do with it.
coooool!!!! i dont have to wait forever now for my gumpaste rose centers to dry before i start making roses.
thanks
By the way I got mine at Walmart a few years back. It was around $30.00 then, probably cheaper now. You want to make sure it has a low setting or a cool setting for crafts. I also dehydrate jerky (the reason we bought it to begin with) The high setting I think is to hot for fondant and gumpaste. It would soften it and it wouldn't hold its shape. Also if you are putting something directly into it cut a piece of parchment the size of the shape to put it on, or else the down side will have the marks of the rack on it, but the paper can't be to big because you need the air to circulate.
I have one like the ones shown here:
http://www.lucyskitchenshop.com/excalibur.html
I've had it for many years, used to do a lot of dehydrating of food we grew (long before we had kids when we had time for that sort of thing, LOL!). It's very versatile, as the trays can be removed independently of each other.
Typical dehydrators have a heating element in the bottom, and they rely on the warm air rising to reach all the levels. That's fine if you're not putting much into them, but if you're doing a lot, it can take almost forever for the things near the top to dry. As the warm air rises, it's moist from the items on the lower levels, so the lower levels dry faster than the others. They also lack a thermostat, so you have no control over the temperature.
The one I have has the heating element in the rear. It has a thermostat so I can control the temp, and a fan to make sure the warm air circulates evenly around all of the items on all of the trays. I can also check on the items on any tray at any time without dismantling the whole thing!
If you plan to use it a lot, I'd recommend getting a better one (and it makes good fruit leather, dried apples, etc also, and does a better job with all of those things than the little ones also!)
Laura.
My KA oven is 8 years old. It has a dehydrator cycle and also a bread rising cycle. If you have one you might check your manuel. Otherwise leave your light on and put your fondant in.
Mine is a cheap one, but does have a thermostat and the heating element and fan are in the top. The trays stack up ontop of each other and are very easily checked on or rearranged if something is getting dry on the top before the bottom. And yes I use to make all my sons fruit roll ups and dried apples, ect then I found cake decorating and who has time for that!!!
Sorry I have a nice bridge you could get for cheap
covered?????
In all seriousness, if you buy yourself a dehydrator, American Harvest is one of thebetter ones on the market. It actually has a fan built into it so the air actually circulates. Also, it is expandable, meaning you can buy expansion rings to dry the taller peices with.
My husband suggested the hydrator when he saw me setting gumpaste items out in the sun. (doesn't take very long to dry an item in the Texas summer sun)
Then I saw them using one on the FN Challenge, and thought I should probably rescue mine from the attic before winter comes.
I noticed that Sears has one they sell for around 35.00
Here is the link:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@0075506782.1156433015@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgcaddijfegfelcefecemldffidflk.0&vertical=SEARS&sid=I0093600010003900085&pid=00849499000
You also might check with overstock.com
Damn, now my "capital investments" list is even longer...
This is the one I have
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1120727
This thread is too funny. A week ago my son decided he wanted to make beef jerky, and looked all over for a dehydrator. After considering shipping costs, he found the best deal at our local Walmart. He got the "American Harvest" with the fans built in. He didn't check Sears, but now I am wishing he did. He paid $48.00 something with tax, and later regreted spending so much on it, but lost the receipt, so he couldn't return it. I told him I would go in half so I could dry my fondant pieces in it, but I didn't know how to use it.
I have a question, the American Harvest one he has has multiple heat settings with the lowest being 95 degrees. Is that too hot for fondant?? And if not, how long would I leave it in there for???
Thanks for the post. I have one that I bought a few years ago. Think that I will give it a try.
Well........just got back from the local WalMart and no luck. I had to get cakes in the oven so I will go later tonight or tomorrow to Sears to see what I can find. I will try Home Depot/Lowes too.
After looking all over (on the internet and CC) I like the ones that has the individual trays in it but I am not sure I want to come out of pocket cost on that just yet. May try the inexpensive ones to make sure this is something I want to invest in. (My husband would be so proud of me )
FYI: While I was Wal Mart I went by the Wilton supplies and they had the little battery operated lights I used as headlights on my VW cake in the cake section! I was so excited! I bought 4 sets! Now I need some car cake orders...............
FYI: We have Hudson's Treasure Hunt Store in Mississippi and they get items from stores closing down, fire damage, etc. Well right now they have received items from a "major discount store". I assumed they were probably talking about Wal Mart so I went over there and did I hit the jack pot! Tons of Wilton stuff there in perfect condition priced lower than Walmart and 40% off! WooHoo! I think I bought everthing they had on the first trip and then I went back and they had more! So I am going back tomorrow and see if they have put out more stuff. Everything from cupcake papers to spatulas to favor stuff to invitations to cake toppers to cupcake stands to tips........well you get the point... EVERTHING! I just got an order for a 50th wedding cake and they had the new gold metal number 50 w/crystals. I paid $2.50 for it! I love it!
OK......I am way off subject now........
Will post what I find at Sears on the dehydrator!
bj
I to saw the dehydrator used on the food network and the person that used it is a CC member so I PM her and asked her how she used hers she said she uses hers for gum paste and that it was an old one that she found in her mothers garage sale, her mother was going to sale it and she rescued it from her and from then on she has used it for her gum paste she said hers is so old it does even keep temp anymore she just turns it on and uses it. 
Molly2
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