I have some I have already purchased from GSA - and I have read several different threads on the subject with confliciting advice. I want to make jewels out of silicone molds (already have them made) What is the best way to melt the isomalt?? Plain - nothing added, adding some water, adding some corn syrup???? (there are no instructions on the packaging)

Do I melt it on the top of the stove, or in the microwave??

TIA

You cook isomalt on the stove in a heavy duty pan, pref stainless. You can cook isomalt from dry or you can add a little water to wet to the consistency of beach sand. Either will cook fine but adding water tends to make the cooking take slightly longer. You need to cook it until it reaches between 160-170 degrees celcius. The temp depends on the strength you want your sugar to have which would depend on what you are doing with it such as blown sugar, pulled sugar, or poured sugar. It is best to use a candy thermometer forprecise measurement. It will seem like the temp takes forever to increase then all of a sudden it will start increasing very quickly. Make sure to watch it closely and once your granules have melted try not to stir it cause it will cause it to crystallize. It is recommended to remove your pan a few degrees short of your goal temp cause the temp continues to rise even off the burner and to plunge the bottom of your pan quickly into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Remove pan from ice bath immediately after dipping it and you can leave your sugar to settle for just a few minutes to lessen the chance of airbubbles. Just make sure you are very careful working with this medium cause it can leave horrible burns if it makes contact with your skin. For additional info just type in how to use isomalt and there are plenty of websites out there that discuss it.hth