Caramel Tendrils????

Decorating By sunlover00 Updated 19 Sep 2005 , 11:45pm by sunlover00

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sunlover00 Posted 18 Sep 2005 , 3:14am
post #1 of 14

I am doing this cake for a wedding on Sat. The description says that there are caramel coated cherries with caramel tentrils. ???huh???

I know they are those spiral thingys.....but how in the world do I make them?

Please help soon! I'm stressing enough over the leaves as it is! icon_surprised.gif
LL

13 replies
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tanyascakes Posted 18 Sep 2005 , 6:10am
post #2 of 14

I am wondering if you could oil a dowel rod and take a spoon of melted caramel and kind of wrap it around the rod? Let it dry hard and then slide it off the rod. Does that make sense? I can see it in my head but I don't know if I am getting it out right. Or maybe you just do it on parchment paper and make squilly lines, let harden and then insert them where you want them to be. I don't think I am making sense. But maybe it gives you the idea.

Tanya

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adven68 Posted 18 Sep 2005 , 2:31pm
post #3 of 14

You can make caramel-colored tendrils very easily. Somehow I don't think caramel will hold up this shape very well. These might have been done with caramelized sugar wrapped around a dowel but that is very invloved.

To make the caramel-colored tendrils, just take some fondant....roll it out like a long fat spaghetti and wrap it around some rolled up parchment....better yet...shape the parchment into a long, skinny cone-shape and then your tendrils will be more tapered...if that's what you want. Let them dry. You can add food color before you shape them...or paint them afterwards....or use lustre dust for a really nice highlight!

The cake is really pretty...I'm sure you'll do a great job

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ThePastryDiva Posted 18 Sep 2005 , 5:26pm
post #4 of 14

Well, what you need is sugar cooked to the hard ball stage, dip a utencil into it and quickly spin it around the handle of a wooden spoon or dowel, as soon as it's cool to the touch and still flexible you slide it off.

an FYI, and a Head's up. Anytime a bride would bring me a picture of a cake and there was a technique that I was NOT familiar with, I would let them know and there were 3 things that could happen if the bride could NOT live without that element of the design....eighter:
1. she contacted the person who made the original cake to make it for her.

2. She had someone else make the cake that knows how to do all the elements of the cake.

3. We would redesign the cake and eighter adapt or eliminate the element that I was not familiar with.

These may not be welcomed words to hear, but I hate to have someone set themselves up for failure and with sugar there is just so much that can happen!

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IHATEFONDANT Posted 18 Sep 2005 , 8:53pm
post #5 of 14

I happen to have the magazine that cake is in ...I checked and there are no directions how to make those tendrils..... icon_sad.gif

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ThePastryDiva Posted 18 Sep 2005 , 9:14pm
post #6 of 14

Does the magazine tell you the name of the person that made the cake? Usually in the back of the magazines they give you contact information...maybe you can call them??

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sunlover00 Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 12:46am
post #7 of 14

The cake is a "Martha Stewart" cake. So no chance on finding out from the actual baker! icon_surprised.gif(

I had discussed the entire cake and when the customer was walking out the door, she told me that they were white chocolate leaves and caramel tendrils. The whole time I thought they were silk leaves and vines.

My chin dropped to the floor. I should have been stronger and told them right there that we need to discuss more. They'd already been here for over an hour.

I have a lot of work to do this week. The cakes will be 18-14-10-6. Lots of hours in baking alone. Then the leaves....and dreaded tendrils. I wonder if she would be disappointed if I bought some pretty glittery or gold wires and twisted them... but I"ll try the edible sort first.

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TamiAZ Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 12:58am
post #8 of 14

I would probably try to make them out of gumpaste instead of wire... The glitter could fall onto the cake. It wouldn't kill anyone, but it's not exactly edible. I would roll the fondant into very thin (as thin as I could) snakes and then wrap them around a dowel...Let them sit overnight and then slide the dowel out.

The only problem with this would be the color of the cherries wouldn't match the tendrils... You might consider contacting the bride and discuss a different option.

Good luck!!

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debsuewoo Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 1:14am
post #9 of 14

Seems to me that instead of caramel the tendrils are more like toffee, which is actually hard caramel. What about pulled sugar? Done in short quick moves I can see tendrils that size happening.

Debbi

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ThePastryDiva Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 10:23am
post #10 of 14

TamiAz has a point, call the bride and discuss other options..

BUT please do not put that gaudy metalic looking glitter wire on your cake!

Some glitter is actually made out of glass, I don't know if they still do it but do not take the chance of putting someting not edible on your cake.

After this experience, maybe next time you will be able to find your strenght to say NO I CANT DO THAT

But look into the magazine, there is always a how to section in Martha's magazines.

PS: Maybe the bride dosn't have her heart set on that particular design..it sounds like the mother is..lol

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IHATEFONDANT Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 11:31am
post #11 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePastryDiva

Does the magazine tell you the name of the person that made the cake? Usually in the back of the magazines they give you contact information...maybe you can call them??




Good thinking Diva...the cake was made by Wendy Kromer...if the OP wants to PM me I can give her the contact phone number.

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ThePastryDiva Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 9:08pm
post #12 of 14

Well there you go IHATEFONDANT! a very, very nice solution to the problem at hand!!!

The back of the magazine is the first place I look for info...then the front...

You can always call the magazine also and get info on the cake decorator.

There is NOTHING wrong with calling, emailing or writing for information as long as you approach the person with respect.

Happy Decorating!

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IHATEFONDANT Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 11:09pm
post #13 of 14

Sunlover....thanks to Diva the pm with the contact number is on it's way!!!

Good luck!!

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sunlover00 Posted 19 Sep 2005 , 11:45pm
post #14 of 14

I called the number and it turns out that she is in the same state as I live! How much of a miracle is that! icon_surprised.gif

I have to call back tomorrow during business hrs, but lets all pray that maybe she can make a few for me and ship them! Wouldn't that be awsome!?!?!!

I'm such a procrastinator! Shame on me...its my own fault. I should have been practicing...

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