Hi

First timer in sugar work here. I have been trying to find a frozen castle mould (mold) to pour hot sugar candy or melted isomalt into, to use as a decoration on my daughter's cake. I cannot find one anywhere. So I thought of making a silicone mould (mold). Unfortunately that is an insanely expensive way to go (due to the cost of a toy frozen castle and the cost of a silicone mold kit (plus postage)).

So I youtubed a few sugar work videos and came across this site, where a suggestion of using aluminium foil was given to a person to use as a mould (mold) but that is where the thread stopped.

So do I just get a princess castle, crush aluminium foil around it, take it off and (hopefully) that is a good mold that will hold hot sugar candy?

Is it that simple or do I need a degree in sugar work to do this?

Please help: b'day is only weeks away (which is pretty good for me, normally I am cooking days out)

Thanks

i wrote out a whole answer with links and my computer ate it -- let's try this again--

so foil is used as a former more than as a mold for example to lay çut out leaves on so they dry in a natural looking leaf-y way -- foil would make a nubbly castle due to the wrinkles it would have kwim --

yes it's pricey but Chicago mold school would have the kit you want or custom make you a mold or might already have one for a castle -- I'll post links in a following reply --

so pop for a mold or change mediums -- on amazon you can get molds to make ice castles for about ten bucks and you could do the ice or use uncooked sugar like for a panorama egg -- also there are many chocolate molds for castles

http://store.chicagomoldschool.com/mobile/Category.aspx?id=

^^^ to make your own silicone mold for hot sugar

http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Education-Company-MTC171-Castle/dp/B000WBGAX8/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1442144716&sr=1-1&keywords=Marvel+Education+Company+MTC171+Sand+Castle+MoldsMolds

^^^ to fill with moistened sugar to make a sparkley castle that dries hard could be cake topper -- or make ice castles and float them in the punch

gazillions of chocolate molds for castles just google

whew glad i got those on there -- wow I was surprised to see there are so many 'frozen'themed items for sale on etsy -- may be true of all the copyrighted çharacter things but wow I was surprised  --

and last but not least best to you -- i'd love to try & help with any other questions that might arise -- also would love to see a picture of your creation, no pressure

oh one more idea ran through my brain-- what about starting out small with your foray into the world of hot sugar for your frozen theme -- how's that for a contrast -- well anyway lorann oils has a nice tutorial where you could make icicles out of hot sugar I'll find it -- brb...

http://www.lorannoils.com/node/72

and get your first aid kit for burns ready also because unfortunately getting burnt is almost a given -- please be careful with that stuff!!

Hi

Thanks for your reply and sorry you lost the first attempt. Thx for the tips re getting burned. What do you mean by "pop for a mold or change mediums"? Come up with the money? or Change from sugar? Is that what you mean? I didnt see any frozen molds on Amazon but will look again if you say you saw heaps - I'm in Australia & postage is the killer from USA & UK ($50 upwards even for tiny things so was trying to find something in Australia.) Even overseas/Australia googling I only found castles (like Cinderella's not frozen) when I was looking for molds - even the chocolate ones.  I didn't find any frozen ones. What are you searching on if you found heaps?

I wasn't sure if I could use a chocolate mold for hot sugar - can you?

By the way, I'm just a mum, not a professional cake maker - I'm not looking to spend $100's on a cake - that's why I'm making it myself (so spending 100's on a mold kit isnt feasible - if that's what "pop" for a mold means).  I had an idea if it cant be done (because I don't have the $ or the experience)  I'll just do something different. Just disappointed as I had a great creative idea but cant find what I had in my mind to work with.

Yes I saw the "sand castle ones" on Amazon too, not very "frozen icy queen looking" - sorry not what I have in mind. I cant believe its so hard to find a "frozen castle" mold - obviously a hole in the cake supplies business waiting to be filled.

The lorann oils tutorial looks good - I will take a look at that. (thanks)

If I do create the cake - with sugar decorations - I will post a pic & let you know the number of burns I survived....

If I cant find what Im looking for plan B is to use broken sugar glass plus icicles. To a 6 yr old it will still be impressive. To me the perfectionist - well I'll have to be close but not perfect. :)

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

yes exactly what you said -- i meant come up with the money or use a different method/ingredient -- wait i  found generic castle molds that you can freeze water in -- i wasn't looking for specific frozen brand castles -- my bad --

ouch on that postage --

one other caution -- be careful the kidlettes can't/don't cut themselves on the sugar shards  (as an aside i think it's so cool that when they break though windows on movies  and on tv that that is cooked sugar not glass) 

anyway -- thank you too for the nice response -- can't wait to hear how you never needed the first aid kit and how much your little girl loved the cake  her momma made and how you're gonna catch up on the sleep  you lost while in 'the zone' making cake magic

best to you

You could always try a more organic approach, like this one:   http://www.chicaandjo.com/2014/10/04/frozen-cake-topper-with-candy-ice-castle/

Good advice from K8memphis re the first aid kit. I wear cotton gloves (from pharmacy or supermarket) and new washing up gloves over those when working with isomalt. Works really well, except for the time I subconsciously rubbed the itchy tip of my nose with the back of my wrist, ending up with a tiny red toffee dot on my nose and a blister that lasted 2 or 3 days.

Good luck with your castle - would love to see a photo.

Hi

I replied yesterday but doesn't look like it was saved.

Cher2309b & k8memphis - thanks for the safety tips

Magda_MI - that's exactly what my plan B looked like in my head so yes nice to have something to follow to create it.

Thanks for your help ladies - definitely if its not a flop I will post back here. Plan C is just an edible image of frozen (as per normal - boring)

Hi

My photos are under review (I think - as I received an email), so hopefully they will display soon.

Thanks for all your help in creating my daughter's cake. She had her party at a Kid's Disco and many other children were coming up to admire the cake and my daughter loved it - so that's made me very happy. Wasn't as good as some professionals would do but it was enough and made with loads of love.

I had a few practice runs at the sugar candy.  I couldn't get the candy thermometer to register 300 degrees on any attempts. I think due to an old electric stove. Most it got to was 250. The microwave recipe burnt and so did attempting to put it in the oven at 300 degrees. So I made it again on the stove and went with a softer version.

For molds I attempted Plasticine wrapped in foil, and another time wrapped in cooking paper. But the third attempt worked best which was to pour it and while warm mold it into shape. I may not have been able to do that if it was harder.

Having softer candy though meant it was drooping by the next morning & the party was still 12 hrs away.

Any way it held up and the kids loved it.

As for sugar burns - I didn't get any (yay).

Thanks for all your advice. Hopefully the pics will be up soon.

Sue