Hi All,

I am trying to replicate the above leaf like shape with a typical hard candy recipe heated to soft crack stage. Currently I have tried drizzling a line of liquid candy onto a silicone mat and covering it with oiled plastic sheeting. I then roll over the plastic with a rolling pin. I have also tried drizzling a triangle shape and rolling. What I end up with is random, blob shapes. About 1 out of 5 looks ok.

Any suggestions on how this can be done? Thanks

I'd use some kind of  a mold or silicone strips to form the outline of the shape and just pour it into that. Rolling it will be too chancey since you're going to get a lot of fails.

i know i've piped with it -- poured it into double parchment and used pot holders to pipe it -- and why don't you try pulling some of it -- knead it a bit and cut off bits and pull it -- i hope it doesn't happen but be prepared to get burnt  -- and i can't remember what temp to boil it to but that is critical

n. b. no tip in the piping bag just a cut tip

I've considered laying an silicone cutout onto a silicone sheet and pouring. But the originals are as thin as 2 sheets of paper. I pour at 250 degrees to keep my citric from burning. If I pour at 250 it doesn't spread to paper thin by itself. 

I considered pulling it. When you get to this thin you have seconds until its no longer workable.

*sigh*

last night was pouring, rolling and then trimming with a knife. Time consuming and too clean cut... I like the natural look of the originals.

get 'em as good as you can and blow torch the edges

and you don't need to spend a fortune but you need one of the heat lamps -- just go to Lowe's and get the bulb i know you need the red one because it's easier on the eyes -- and get the socket for it -- just a few bucks and this stretches your couple seconds into a nice workable amount of time -- you can get it paper thin no worries except watch out for getting burned

you can cut your shape out with scissors -- sugar kept warm is very pliable

http://m.lowes.com/pd/SYLVANIA-250-Watt-BR40-Medium-Base-(E-26)-Red-Dimmable-Incandescent-Heat-Lamp-Light-Bulb/1158791

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/Woods-Clamp-Light-with-8.5-In.-Reflector/0000000037119?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping%2Bsearch&utm_campaign=google%2Bproduct%20search&gslfah&gclid=CjwKEAjw9dWuBRDFs9mHv-C9_FkSJADo58iMItdM4khFFj9CrF5HeY649vttTlILjyObkLPqMvHn9xoC7wLw_wcB

they sell both of those at Lowes -- that's your missing link to success -- keeping your sugar pliable so you can work it -- 

Sounds like its worth a try. I had a thought today... if I had a material that was about the size of the shape that I wanted and I dipped one side into my pot and pulled it out, I would have a very thinly coated leaf. Might need to roll it, but maybe not. 

If it was silicone, easy as cake to remove once it cools a bit. but will it stick to silicone when I dip it?

If it was a piece of stainless steel I wonder if freezing it a few seconds would make it hard enough to remove easily.

Scissors would definitely work, but I need to make several hundred for an event. So it might take a while with scissors.

are these going to be laying down unwrapped or standing up? because time chance and humidity happens to all --

yes you can dip silicone but you want to be careful to only get it only on one side -- otherwise it won't release -- dipping foil might buckle with the weight --

no you definitely need the lamp and you need to consider a little more thickness for durability although durability is a over sized word for pulled sugar

you might want to adjust your plan to your capabilities and circumstances -- can you make several hunded suckers sure -- can you make them paper thin like that -- probably -- can you make them stand up to the climate to be a viable part of an event -- i don't know -- i try to be helpful and positive -- but this doesn't seem especially feasible esp for a novice as it seems to be presented here --

you will need a dessicant to keep them climate controlled and containerscontainers

i wish that brilliant sugar guy would get on here and advise you -- i've worked with it made my own heat box etc but i think chocolate is worlds easier and it doesn't second/third degree burn you

what I mean is -- what plans do you have for holding and packaging because that thin they are either gonna crack wrapped up or wilt in the air