What You Need to Know
Involves heating sucrose to 160-170°C to create an amorphous melt, then manipulating it to form small, uniform crystals (fondant stage) while incorporating air through stretching. The process depends on controlling sucrose inversion and preventing premature crystallization.
Essential for creating decorative sugar elements like ribbons, flowers, and blown sugar sculptures with high shine and structural integrity.
Key Parameters
Temperature
165°C
160°C - 170°C
Time
5 minutes
3 minutes - 8 minutes
Equipment
Copper sugar potMarble slabHeat-resistant glovesSilicon brushes
Steps
- 1.
Sugar ribbons (French patisserie): Creates delicate decorations
- 2.
Blown sugar spheres (Italian confectionery): Forms hollow structures
The Science
Primary Reaction
Controlled sucrose crystallization