{"id":25956,"date":"2019-02-05T11:55:02","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T17:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cupcakeproject.com\/?p=25956"},"modified":"2020-10-27T06:37:05","modified_gmt":"2020-10-27T11:37:05","slug":"isomalt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cupcakeproject.com\/isomalt\/","title":{"rendered":"Isomalt Basics for Home Bakers – All About Isomalt"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bakers of all skill levels can create impressive-looking sugar art using isomalt, a sugar alcohol that can be colored and flavored. This post discusses what it is, where to buy it, and how to use it to make sugar curls and blown sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love teaching home bakers about simple tricks that professional pastry chefs use to make cakes look amazing (like decorating cakes with edible flowers<\/strong><\/a>). Using isomalt, you can create dazzling decorations for your desserts.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Pastry Chef Tyler Davis, formerly of The Chocolate Pig<\/a> in St. Louis, worked with me on a Q&A to get you started using this super fun sugar alcohol to create decorations that will be sure to impress your friends and family. The information in this post is based on my interview with him. (You can also watch the full video interview toward the end of the post.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

What is Isomalt?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Isomalt is an extremely stable sugar substitute used for sugar art cake decorations. <\/strong>It’s a sugar alcohol that acts structurally just like a sugar would. You get all of the cool properties of working with table sugar without the negatives!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you heat normal sugar to work with it, it can crystallize in the pan. At that point, you need to throw it out; it can’t be saved. Isomalt is very forgiving. As long as you don’t burn it, you can melt it down and reuse it again and again<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sugar absorbs moisture in the air and loses its crispness. You can leave isomalt sitting out for a month or more and it will still be beautiful and crisp!<\/strong> It’s best to not refrigerate it due to the humidity in a refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you can use it to decorate super fancy cakes, creations made with it also look amazing on top of cupcakes<\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can You Eat It?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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If you eat isomalt in large quantities, it will make you sick.<\/strong> Do not replace the sugar in a dessert recipe with isomalt!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, it is totally fine to eat small qualities. <\/strong>For example, you would not get sick from pulling one of the pieces of a decoration off of the top of the financier above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It tastes sweet with a nice crunch<\/strong> – picture an unflavored lollipop. Just like a lollipop, you can add flavorings using extracts and candy oils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to Buy Isomalt<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Isomalt is easy to find. You can find it at candy supply stores, Michael’s sometimes carries it, or you can buy it on Amazon [paid link]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes in a variety of forms – crystals, slabs, and powder. The powder format is the easiest to melt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some companies like Evil Cake Genius even sell it in small pillow format<\/a> that is pre-colored and microwaveable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety Precautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because it’s over 200 F when melted, always wear three or four pairs of rubber gloves to protect your hands from the heat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also a good idea to wear long sleeves (Ty didn’t, but remember that he is a pro).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warning:<\/span><\/strong> If you get hot isomalt on your skin, it will cause burns that will take your skin off.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Melt It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unless the product you buy tells you otherwise, use a nonstick pan to melt isomalt<\/strong>. Make sure that none of the surface of the pan is peeling off or the melted sugar alcohol can get stuck in those crevices and under the non-stick surface, ruining both the pan and the sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melt it on medium heat until it turns completely clear<\/strong>. If you are using the powder, this should take about four minutes (it will take a little longer with crystals).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Adding Color<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isomalt sugar is really easy to color. You can use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n