Ingredients and Supplies Needed:

One lb. melted white, chocolate or dark coating

24 mini pretzels (plus extra to allow for breakage)

Sucker sticks

Toothpicks

Candy Eyes

Waxed or Parchment Paper

Red Candy Beads

Instructions

On waxed or parchment paper, pair up mini pretzels in a “wing” shape. Select a dozen marshmallows. Don’t worry too much about how symmetrical they are – if the shapes are a bit off, it will add to each pop’s “personality”. (I realized this after finding that most of my bag of marshmallows was lopsided!)

Dip ½” of sucker stick into melted candy and insert into the side of marshmallows. You can allow them to rest on their sides as the chocolate sets up.

Peel pairs of eyes of backing paper.

Place some of the red candy beads within reach.

Melted Candy needs to be in bowl or container which makes it deep enough to dip the marshmallows; Dip a marshmallow, making sure it is completely covered. Holding it sideways, gently “swirl” over melted candy for a full 5 seconds to allow excess to drip back into the bowl. Use a toothpick to break any air bubbles that remain.

Place the marshmallow on top of a pair of pretzels. Place a red candy bead on top of the marshmallow to make the reindeer’s nose. Allow to dry.

Once all the reindeers have dried, place upright in Styrofoam or lollypop stand. With a toothpick, place two dots of melted candy on each reindeer and attach 2 eyes.

Yield:

12 Reindeer Pops

You will have candy left over to make additional reindeer or other treats.

There are a number of different types of candy molds available for purchase, but most can be divided into two categories:

• Chocolate Candy Coating Molds

Chocolate Molds are available in the largest variety. Usually you can tell these molds from other type of plastic used to make them. Generally it is a translucent, somewhat flexible plastic.

• Hard Candy Molds

Hard candy molds almost always are made of a white opaque plastic and are less flexible. While both hard and chocolate candy molds can be used to mold chocolate or candy coating, only the white hard candy molds can be used for the hot liquid for hard candy.

Cleaning Your Candy Molds

Both hard and chocolate molds may be washed with hot soapy water as needed. They must be washed by hand. Never soak your chocolate candy molds in soapy water because they are porous enough to possibly absorb the soap, the taste of which would transfer to you candies!

DO NOT wash your molds in the dishwasher. None of your candy molds should ever be washed in the dishwasher. While the hard candy molds might survive the heat, the dishwashing detergent may etch them. Chocolate candy molds would only be useful as interesting centerpieces after a drying cycle in your machine.

Where to Keep Your Candy Molds

Chocolate and hard candy molds are best stored flat in a clean, dry place, out of the sun and protected from dust.

Using Molds & Prepping

For molding chocolate or candy coating, no preparation is needed beyond a light buffing with a paper towel or soft cloth. Hard candy molds must be prepped with non-stick cooking spray before adding the hard candy.

Chocolate candy molds can be used for a number of different uses besides chocolate. They can be used to mold soaps, gelatin, fondant, candy clay, and gum paste. If you use them for soap, it might be best to use them solely for that purpose as opposed to edible items.

Using Candy Molds for Fondant

When using the molds for fondant, you may coat the cavities with non stick cooking spray but you will have to be certain all of this is removed before attempting to use them with chocolate. Sometimes cornstarch or powdered sugar is used to keep fondant or gum paste from sticking in the molds. These molds probably won’t be good candidates for chocolate afterwards, as the powdered ingredients have been known to etch the cavities, making it more likely your chocolate would not come away cleanly.

Flexible Plastic Molds

These molds are made specifically for soft candies, such as cream cheese mints, caramel, marzipan, jellies and can also be used for candy coating and chocolate. They are not heat resistant.

The flexibility allows you to make softer candies and twist the mold to release them without deforming your sweet treats.

These molds are washed with hot soapy water, rinsed and allowed to dry flat. They can be washed in your dishwasher but it is best to remove them to dry flat before the drying cycle begins. Dishwasher soap will likely leave a permanent residue, so we would advise you to wash them by hand. You can also rinse these with hot water to clean them, rather than using soap.. Whichever washing method you choose, be sure that all water and moisture had been removed before storing these molds as it may make removable of candies more difficult at the next use.

If Candy Molds Have Had Proper Care, They Will Last For Years.

When properly used and cared for, all of your molds will provide you with years and years of enjoyable candy making. We have molds that are still in great shape and have been used regularly for over 20 years!

This guide shows how to cut popular shaped wedding tiers into pieces approximately 1 in. x 2 in. by two layers high (about 4 in.). Even if a larger serving size is desired, the order of cutting is still the same. The first step in cutting is to remove the top tier, and then begin the cutting with the 2nd tier followed by the 3rd, 4th and so on. The top tier is usually saved for the first anniversary, so it is not calculated into the serving amount.

The number of servings listed are intended as a guide only and offer a small portion of wedding cake. If cake is the only dessert and/or portions larger than 1”x2” are served, then you will have less servings than the chart indicates.

Square Tiers:Move in 2 in. from the outer edge and cut across. Then slice 1 in. pieces of cake. Now move in another 2 in. and slice again until the entire tier is cut.

Hexagon Tiers:Move in 2 in. from the outer edge and cut across. Then slice 1 in. pieces of cake. Now move in another 2 in. and slice again until the entire tier is cut.

Round Tiers: Move in two inches from the tier’s outer edge; cut a circle and then slice 1 in. pieces within the circle. Now move in another 2 in., cut another circle, slice 1 in. pieces and so on until the tier is completely cut. The center core of each tier and the small top tier can be cut into 3rds, 4ths, and 6ths, depending on size.

Oval Tiers:Move in 2 in. from the outer edge and cut across. Then slice 1 in. pieces of cake. Now move in another 2 in. and slice again until the entire tier is cut.

Heart Tiers: Divide the tiers vertically into 1/2ths, 4ths, 6ths and 8ths. Within rows, slice 1 in. pieces of cake.

Paisley Tiers:Move in 2 in. from the outer edge and cut across. Slice and serve 1 in. pieces of cake, similar to oval tiers as diagram shows. Now move in another 2 in., repeat process until the entire tier is cut.

Petal Tiers:Cut similar to round tiers as diagram shows.

Quantities given are approximate and are given for covering the cakes only.

Additional fondant will be for decorations. The weights given are for "standard" fondant. Specialty fondants, such as ChocoPan require less. If copied, please use www.cakeart.com as your source.

Coloring Buttercream Icing

Here are some tips for repeated success when coloring your icing.

You’ll find Decorating Icing Recipes in our Recipes Section.

The food colors available at the grocery stores are not suitable for coloring decorating icing. These 4 basic colors are much diluted and will make your icing very runny if you try to get any deep color with them.

Different Types of Coloring

Decorating colors come in different mediums and are specially formulated for your icing. They are very concentrated and a small amount will color your icing without changing the consistency.

Paste color, gel paste and liquid colors... all of these would be applied to your icing with a clean toothpick. Dip the toothpick in the icing color and swipe it through your icing, immediately throw the toothpick in the trash. Never double dip your toothpick, as this will contaminate your coloring. If you can keep from contaminating your colors and keep them tightly capped between uses, you colors will last for years. If you don’t use some of them very often and they start to dry out, stirring in a drop or two of edible glycerine. Available at Cake Art, glycerine will make them soft again. These types of color are available in a huge array of colors. It is rare that we actually have to mix our colors these days, unless you choose to do so. We have a Color Chart on the website.

Cake and Candy Powders can be added by 1/8 teaspoons, or until the desired color is achieved. The advantage of using the powdered colors is that none of them have an aftertaste, but you have to stir longer to make sure the powder is completely dissolved. There are fewer color options available in powder. These powders have no noticeable aftertaste.

A small amount of color usually goes a long way .

When working with a fat based icing like butter cream, the colors will continue to deepen in the icing (but it can’t get deeper than the color dot on the packaging). For this reason, always try to color your icing two to three hours before you’ll use it, so it has reached its final color when you decorate your cake.

Once you’ve added your coloring to your icing, the best way to incorporate it is to “paddle” the icing with your spatula. This means stir the icing with a “figure eight” motion. This way you stir the color into the icing without adding air. You also “stir out” air bubbles that might already be in the icing.

You’ll want to be sure to make as much of any one color as you will need for an individual project, so you don’t find yourself coming up short and having to try to match the shades you’re using in the middle of your project.

When working with cake decorating colors, usually a small amount of coloring will give you the shades of color you desire.

There are three colors that require a little more attention.

How do I make Red Icing?

This is one of the questions we get most often. “I keep adding toothpicks of red but the icing just seems to get pinker and pinker!”

When making red icing, add 1 teaspoon of color per cup of icing . This will give you a true color of whichever shade of red you choose.

There are a variety of red shades available. Red-Red, Holiday Red, and Tulip Red, to name a few. These are deep red colors but they do have an aftertaste. This is an aftertaste that children wouldn’t notice but adults would detect a remaining taste on their palates after eating.

There is only one shade of red in the paste, gel and liquid mediums that has no aftertaste, and that is No Taste Red. If your design contains a large amount of red icing, such as a fire truck or an apple would use, you would probably want to achieve your red shade using the No Taste Red. You could “true- up” you shade with a small amount of one of the other red shades, or using the Cake and Candy Red Powder. . However, if your design is one where red is an accent color and you will only be using a small amount of red icing, you might choose to go with one of the various true red shades.

How Do I Make Black Icing?

For black icing, you will also need 1 teaspoon of coloring per cup of icing. Most of the black colors available have an aftertaste. If there is no allergy or dislike for chocolate, why not start with chocolate icing and add your black coloring to it? You will still need to add just as much coloring but the chocolate icing will become black a bit faster and the chocolate will mask the aftertaste. Or use the Black Cake and Candy Powder for no after taste.

 One More Thing…

You do have the option of purchasing ready-made black and red decorating icing icings at Cake Art that has no aftertaste. Sometimes I don’t feel like taking the time to make it or I just need a small amount so I’ll pick some up for a cake project. So easy! We have decorating icing available in other colors also.

How Do I Make Brown Icing?

Brown has no aftertaste, but will also require one teaspoon per cup of icing to achieve a strong color.

If chocolate is not an allergy issue or disliked, why not use chocolate icing? You can adjust the color by the amount of chocolate used. When using cocoa in your chocolate icing, for a truly deep brown color, try using a bit of the European processed chocolate(imported or Hershey’s Special Dark), which has a deeper color and richer flavor.

You do want to use the traditional American cocoa such as Hershey’s or Nestlé’s) as your primary cocoa, as this brings the warm brown shades to your icing.

Once you have all your icings colored and ready for your cake design, the real fun begins!

A stencil can provide a quick and easy way to decorate your cupcakes and cookies. Available for every season and holiday as well as various design themes, you can use stencils to wow your guests and family. Stencils made for cupcakes and cookies are plastic, making them flexible and washable. If stored flat in a cool, dry place they can provide years of decorating fun. They are made with a little handle to make it easy to hold them on your treats and remove them without ruining your design.

Cupcakes

Bake your favorite cupcakes according to your recipe and allow to cool. For most designs, you will want a flat surface to work on, so, if necessary, level the tops of your cooled cupcakes using a serrated knife. Ice the cupcakes with a buttercream that will crust. Allow to dry.

Another option would be to top your frosted cupcake with a circle of rolled fondant. Apply a very thin coat of piping gel or apricot glaze to the underside of the fondant. Place on top of the cupcake and smooth with the palm of your hand or a fondant smoother. Don’t use too much pressure or you will displace the buttercream on the cupcake. Allow fondant to set up for an hour so it will be less likely to dent or dimple while stenciling.

Cookies

Cut-out cookies will work better for stenciling as they will have a flat surface. Most often cookies that are to be stenciled are first covered with an icing that will dry hard, such as a poured cookie icing or a royal icing. They can also be covered with rolled fondant that was cut out with the same cutter you used for your cookies. You could also use buttercream icing and allow it to crust and smooth.

Brownies

Brownies can be iced and stenciled or, without frosting, a confectioners’ sugar stencil can be applied.

Stenciling Instructions

Once your cupcake or cookies are ready to be stenciled, there are more options. Center your stencil on top of the frosted cupcake, cookie or brownie:

• While holding the stencil steady with one hand, take an offset and/or tapered spatula and spread an even layer of thinned buttercream or royal icing over the stencil, taking care to be sure that the coat of icing is just thick enough that you can’t see through it. Gently lift the stencil straight up, so as not to disturb your design.

• Another idea: Hold the stencil steady and apply aerosol coloring or airbrush color, taking care to hold the stencil flush with the cupcake/cookie and spray straight down as much as possible. Take care not to allow the spray to go under the stencil and blur your design. Lift stencil straight up to remove. Wipe clean with a paper towel before going on to the next cake or cookie.

• You can also place stencil on a frosted cookie or cupcake and sprinkle edible glitter or fine sanding sugar over the stencil. While holding the stencil steady with one hand, gently press on the glitter or sugar to imbed it in the icing. Carefully remove stencil so design is not disturbed.

• For Brownies or plain chocolate cupcakes with a flat top, hold stencil flush on top of the cake and gently sift confectioners’ sugar on top. A shaker jar is a great tool to use for this. Allow the quantity of sugar to build gradually to avoid clumps and don’t overdo it! Carefully lift the stencil to avoid disturbing the design.

Great for school parties, holiday occasions or just for fun!!

An airbrush can be a wonderful asset as you decorate cakes. It will allow you to come up with fantastic and beautiful results while using less of your valuable time. You can use it to color the icing on the cake itself, instead of coloring all that icing or fondant. You can also draw images on the cake, color your flowers, spray on some clouds, grass, etc. using stencils and other techniques.

There are different types of airbrush guns.

First, let’s explain how the airbrush works. Air from your compressor is carried to your airbrush through an air line. The force of the air pushes your color out the nozzle of the airbrush gun and onto your cake.

The airbrushes we sell at Cake Art use what is referred to as gravity feed. The color is placed in a bowl located on the top of the airbrush gun. As you pull back on the trigger, the color goes into the airflow and the airbrush forces the color out of the nozzle.

The two different types of airbrushes are known as single action and dual action airbrushes. We sell both kinds.

In the single action gun, you pull back on the trigger to release the color and the air. The further back you pull, the more color is dispensed. You control the width of your spray by how close you hold it to the cake: the closer the airbrush gun is to the cake, the smaller or narrower the spray – the further away you hold it, the wider the color spray.

A basic airbrush kit uses a simple compressor with the single action airbrush gun. You control the amount of color with your airbrush trigger and the distance from the cake that you choose to use.

A more deluxe model uses the same single action airbrush gun, but the air compressor comes with a knob to adjust the air flow. This gives you much more control over the how strongly the color is directed towards your cake. It also makes detail work easier to do as you airbrush with a softer air flow.

We also carry an airbrush kit that includes a dual action airbrush gun. While pulling back on the trigger releases the color on this type also, pushing down on the trigger releases the air. The compressor on this airbrush kit also has a knob to regulate the air flow. This airbrush compressor will cycle on and off as you continue to work, in order to maintain the pressure setting you’ve chosen.  This one also has a moisture trap that will remove any moisture than builds up in the airline.

Airbrush machines require special airbrush color that is just the right consistency to pass through the airbrush gun without clogging. The airbrush colors available these days are remarkable, including pearlized airbrush color to give those iridescent looks to butter cream iced and fondant cakes. These colors and commercial airbrush cleaner are available online and in our shop, as are stencils, some books and a video or two.

Hopefully this information will help you to purchase the airbrush that is right for you. While many people are perfectly happy with the least expensive airbrush, others start with the least expensive and upgrade later. Some people make the investment in the more deluxe airbrush from the start. Should you decide to do the latter, you could always choose to sell your original machine to offset the cost of the new one.

If you are thinking of purchasing an airbrush in the near future, watch Cake Art’s website for our Airbrush Demonstrations. This is a 2 hour demonstration in which the instructor covers how to disassemble, reassemble and clean the airbrush and shows some the ways you can use the machine. Time is dedicated to letting students try their hands at airbrushing. Cake Art offer a great discount on those class days to those who wish to purchase airbrushes.

I just checked on the internet and you can buy “Designer Barks” in a cute tin online for as much as $35.00 per pound! Design your own barks with supplies here at Cake Art at fraction of that cost! 

Barks are amazing wonderful candies that are so easy to make, as versatile as you want them to be and wonderful presents for any time of year!

Peppermint Crunch Bark is the most popular bark late in the year, but the basic recipe applies to all barks.

Base Recipe

• 1 lb white, milk or dark Chocolate Candy Coating
• ½ cup of Candy Crunch

Instructions

Cover half sheet board, large jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with waxed paper.

Melt candy coating in top of double boiler. If candy coating is too hot, it can melt your crunch. This would still taste amazing, but may not be quite as attractive. Test the candy by touching some to the inside of your wrist, like you would a baby bottle. Stir in crunch. Once evenly distributed, pour out onto waxed paper. Spread as much as you can with your spatula, then lift on end of the board or cookie sheet and tap on the table to level the candy further. Using this method, you can make the candy quite thin. If you prefer the bark to be thicker, skip this step.

If desired, sprinkle a little more of your candy crunch on top of the bark.

Place in the freezer for 7 to 9 minutes or in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bark has completely hardened. Allow to come to room temperature. Break into small pieces.

Packaging your bark will take a small amount of calculation. If you are packaging 1 lb of bark, you will need a box or tin that will hold 1 ½ lbs of candy. A half lb. of bark will display nicely in a 1 lb. bag, with room to tie off the bag nicely, etc., etc..

The Peppermint Crunch we sell is wonderful!! You’ll find many recipes that suggest you just used candy canes or peppermint sticks for your bark. The thing is, these candies are only colorful on the outside and are plain white on the inside. Our Peppermint Crunch is beautiful holiday red and green through and through. 

Another option is to melt one kind of chocolate, like dark chocolate, for instance; spread it on your parchment or waxed paper and allow it to set up at room temperature. Then pour your white chocolate-peppermint crunch mixture over top of this and spread. Put this in the freezer or fridge to set up- again for 7 to 9 minutes. Chocolate and peppermint? Yum!!!!!

You can always choose to add more than ½ cup of crunch to your pound of melted candy. If you do decide to stick to the base recipe, remember that 5 lbs of white candy coating and 1 1lb. bag of Peppermint Crunch will leave you with 6 lbs. of finished product. Plus, are you ready for the cost? You can make 6 lbs. of delicious, beautiful bark for $5.00 per pound!!!

The possibilities are endless!

Some other Bark combinations:

• White or milk chocolate with Lemon Crunch.
• Dark Chocolate with Tangerine Crunch
• Milk Chocolate with Toffee or Butter Crunch
• White chocolate with pistachios and dried cranberries
• Butterscotch candy with crushed pretzels
• Milk Chocolate with Caramel Bits and Toasted Pecans
• Any Flavor Chocolate with your Favorite Nuts (Toast nuts in the oven at 325˚ for 8 to 10 minutes and cool)

Just to name a few. Make it the way you are your favorite person like it!

You can line the inside of your box or tin with waxed paper, tissue paper or a pretty doily before filling it with candy. Pick up some cute boxes at Cake Art – we have some beautiful ones!- or some tins at a dollar store and Wow your friends and family with Custom Hand-Made Designer gifts for the holidays. Great gifts for teachers, neighbors, co-workers.. and don’t forget to make some for yourself to enjoy!

When selecting a turntable to purchase for cake decorating, you are faced with quite a few choices. 

Flat ones, raised ones, locking ones and more are there to make your choice more confusing.

I’m going to go through the options available and hope to make your selection a bit easier.

You can spend a little or invest more. I have several different turntables and use them in different situations. 

Height

First of all, most cake designers feel that at elevated turntable make decorating easier from an ergonomic standpoint. It’s just plain easier to work on the bottom and sides of the cake if they aren’t so close to the table or counter surface. Most of the turntables we sell at Cake Art are elevated.

Turntables With Ball Bearings

I love ball bearings!!! Turntables with ball bearings turn easier and make less noise. Some mechanisms will allow you access to add a little 3 in 1 oil every once in a blue moon, but one turntable I’ve owned for 20 years is still going strong without any extra oil.

Locking Turntables

Wilton has come out with a raised turntable that will lock. What a great feature! It allows you to keep the cake steady for things like adding another layer without having to worry about the cake shifting or about having to remove the whole thing to the counter. This feature adds some cost, but personally I find it well worth it.

Tilting Turntables

These turntables are wonderful if you do many cakes with intricate side designs. The turntable can be used in the tilted position or as a level turntable. These turntables are the raised type and can provide you with the best of both worlds. Wilton’s newest turntable (I just got mine this week!) can be locked into different angles and will also lock in the flat, level position. It offers the all the options, I can’t wait to use it later today!

Dual Side Turntables

These turntables are used in many commercial bakeries. One side is rectangular shaped; the other is round. You simply flip the turn table to the size that suits the shape of your cake. I always feel more secure with my larger cakes on this very sturdy stand. A three tier stacked cake can be decorated on this stand without concern. The rectangular side is great for square cakes or sheet cakes. The unit is covered in white Formica. Cleans up beautifully. (note: if you use a Clorox solution to clean your equipment, be sure to follow up with a water rinse, to be sure not to alter your surface finish.)

Commercial Turntable

We offer two turntables of this type, by both Fat Daddio’s and Wilton.

This is a very sturdy metal stand. The decorating surface is held on the base by a large metal pin. The actual table measures approximately 12” in diameter. Very durable; will last forever.

You will want to choose the turntable or turntables that best suit your needs and the storage space you have available.

What is Wafer Paper?

Wafer paper is an edible paper, usually made of rice or potato flour.

It is available at Cake Art, in 8 ½” x 11” white sheets. You can purchase individual sheets or a 100 count package. This paper has no real taste and if you place a small piece of it on your tongue, it will taste like and dissolve the way a Communion wafer would.

When you are purchasing wafer paper.

Always look for smooth, unblemished sheets that are uniform in color. Store them flat in a cool place (room temperature is fine) away from heat and sunlight. 

The sheets have a smooth side and a rough side. There are several different techniques in cake decorating where wafer paper is used. Wafer paper may be used to make prepared decorations for cake tops, as well as formed into flowers, or as support pieces for sculpted cakes, such as bunny ears, fingernails and more...

Cake Top Preparation

• Decide upon the shape you want the wafer paper piece to have – square for a square cake, round for a round, or an oval for a sheet cake. Cut the wafer paper to that shape with a crafting knife or scissors.Unless you are a freehand artist, you will need a design to copy. There are many sources for these. Is your cake based on a party pattern? Party patterns are a great source for designs. Coloring books, online coloring pages, etc. are all most useful also.

• First acquire a mirror image (by flipping the image on your computer/copy machine or tracing). Trace your image onto the rough side of the paper, using edible food pens or paste color and paint brush. Apply a thin coating of clear piping gel using an offset spatula, then use the spatula for one single stroke so the wafer paper image is smooth. The wafer paper may curl a bit initially but the weight of the piping gel should cause it to flatten out.

• Move image to waxed paper. For an image you plan to lay on a cake, you can color the image with edible food markers, with a craft brush and decorating colors thinned with a little water or with an airbrush.

• Another option for coloring your piece is to brush petal dusts on it to color it, or color it with edible markers. For really dark colors, color and area and allow it to dry completely before re-applying color. You may also cut out individual items, such as flower petals, and assemble them after coloring, on your cake top. 

• If you own an edible printer, depending on the type you have, you may print a picture, design or pattern on your wafer paper and cut it out to add to your cake, cupcakes or frosted cookies.

A wonderful book to have that gives great information on the various uses of wafer paper has been written by Marsha Winbeckler, entitled Wafer Paper Uses, Item# 60-385. We have it in stock, just waiting for you! Click Here To Order

Rolled fondant icing is one of the most popular icing mediums being used these days. Its beautiful, smooth surface can almost be achieved in butter cream, but not quite! It is called Rolled Fondant to distinguish it from Poured Fondant Icing (as in Petit Fours) or Candy Fondant. You begin with the sugary dough-which you roll out to cover your cakes after kneading it to its proper texture.

There are many nice recipes available for making your own... but I NEVER do... It’s too much work!! You have to knead all the successful recipes I’ve found by hand and the bigger the cake, the more to knead. I’d rather have strength left in my arms when I get to the fun part!

There are quite a few “RTR” (ready to roll) fondants available. At Cake Art, we carry a number of them. I’m going to describe the different types and will list the brands we sell with them.

Standard rolled fondant (Bakels, Satin Ice and Wilton). The primary ingredients in this icing are confectioner’s sugar, gelatin, glucose and flavorings. Different decorators have difference preferences among these three brands. You might want to try all of them to form your own opinion, keeping taste and ease of use in mind. The Bakels and Satin Ice are available in Vanilla and Chocolate flavors. Wilton and Satin Ice are available in a variety of colors, in addition to White. Satin Ice alone now offers a “butter cream” flavored fondant. These fondants are available in different quantities.

Americans are crazy about the beautiful look of fondant, but many are not a fan of the taste or texture of this icing once it is applied to the cake. Although satiny smooth as we cover the cakes, the texture becomes more “chewy” as it sets up and dries. Putting a regular thickness of butter cream icing on the cake before applying the fondant will help to keep the fondant soft from the inside. Also, whenever possible, cover your cakes with the fondant as close as feasible to the time it will be eaten. A very intricately decorated cake might make it necessary to cover the cakes earlier – whenever possible, you can make your decorations in advance and have them ready to put on your freshly covered cakes.

FondX is another brand and type of fondant that we carry. It has a marshmallow-like flavor and texture. It is more expensive than the “standard” fondants, but some designers feel it is well worth it. This fondant is available in White and Ivory in 10 lb. containers.

Choco-Pan, is actually a specially formulated fondant with the combined tastes and characteristics of candy clay and fondant. It has a creamier white chocolate or chocolate flavor. It is available in Wedding White, Bright White, Blanc (Ivory) and Noire (Chocolate). Choco-Pan’s higher per-ounce price is offset by the fact that you will actually need less of it. Because its different make-up, it can be rolled thinner.

General tips for Rolled Fondant:

• Fondant can be tinted by kneading colored fondant into white fondant to achieve the desired shade or by using the various decorating colors to get the color you’re looking for. When doing a project, be sure to color as much fondant as you will need for your project. You don’t want to have to worry about matching shades halfway through your masterpiece!

• You can add flavored oils to your fondant before kneading to heighten the flavor. LorAnn Oils are perfect for this purpose. Several drops of oil will not change the consistency of your icing. Keep in mind that the colors of the oils will change the color of your fondant

• When calculating how much fondant to purchase keep in mind that you will need more fondant than will actually be used on the cake. When doing multiple tiers, if you will cover the cakes from largest to smallest, you can take the fondant trimmings from each tier and knead those into the fondant for the next tier. Just be sure it is free of crumbs. Any butter cream that may be on the fondant can just be kneaded right in.

• Be sure you have sufficient butter cream icing on your cake so that the layer separation won’t show through the fondant.

• Allow the butter cream icing to set up by refrigerating it or allowing it to crust at room temperature. You will need to “attach” the fondant to the cake. So, if you butter cream has crusted you may spray a fine mist of water on it or spread a very thin coat of apricot glaze or piping gel.

• Ideal thickness of the standard fondant on your cake is somewhere between 1/8 and ¼ inch thick. Too thin and any flaws in your cake will show. Too thick and the fondant can be too heavy, causing tearing during application. Too thick a coat of fondant can also weigh heavily on your cake, causing your edges to round, ect.

There are a variety of factors that can affect how level your cake layers are when they come out of the oven.The first consideration might be whether your oven or oven racks are level. If your oven is a free standing range and the appliance itself isn’t level, resolution of this problem can be pretty straightforward. Most stoves have adjustable legs. Using these and a level, or shims, if necessary, can straighten the situation right up.If you have a drop in range or wall oven, it’s a bit more complicated. You will have to address the issue on the racks in the oven. You may want to use something like a metal skewer, strategically placed under the lower side of your cake pans to raise it up to give your batter a level start.

Is your oven thermostat accurate? Even the newest stove can have an inaccurate thermostat. This can affect how your cake bakes and how much your cake does or doesn’t rise. An oven thermometer can help you assure that the cake is baking at the appropriate temperature.

Hot spots? Often there are hotspots in an oven that can result in uneven baking. Your oven thermometer can also help you to determine if one or more areas of your oven bake hotter than others and you can adjust your baking temperature accordingly.Once you have determined that the cake pans are able to rest levelly in the oven and the temperature is accurate, your oven is ready for you to bake your cakes according to your recipes.

By weighing your cake pans with the batter in them, you can determine over time just the right amount of batter to use with each recipe in various size pans. This is just one great reason to invest in a good kitchen scale. Keep a book with all your formulas and quantity data. This will allow you to fine tune the amount of batter you use to get the tallest layers with the least amount of waste.

Another great tool to use is Bake Even Strips or Magic Strips. Have you found that your cakes “dome” when they bake? This happens because the sides and bottom of the cake batter bake faster as they touch the hot pan surface. These strips are wrapped around your pans after a brief soak in water and are pinned with the T-Pin included. They insulate the sides of the pan, slowing down that baking process. Your cake layers are sure to come out more level! Bake Even Strips come in different sizes – you can pin them together to accommodate your different pan sizes.

Once the cake tests done according to your recipe... with skewer or cake tester, for example, you will want to cool the layer – again, according to your cake recipe. Your average cake will cool in the pans for 8 to 10 minutes, or longer depending on cake size and depth of the pans.While the cake pan is still warm, for most cakes you will “dump” the cake. Place a cooling rack over top of the cake pan and then turn both the cake and the pan over. Carefully remove the cake pan. If you used a parchment circle or sheet when baking the pan, peel this off the layer, allowing the steam to escape. Then take a second rack and turn over again so the layer is now in an upright position.

We know the bottom of our cake layers are even. By cooling them right-side up, we maintain that level surface.

Once the layers have been baked and cooled, you can check them again for level. Some cake recipes will tear if you try to level them before they have cooled completely. If they still aren’t quite level you can:

• Trim them with a serrated knife, using your turntable to help with even turning.

• Use one of the Cake Levelers available. This helpful tool will allow you to cut all of your layers, to the exact same height. There are smaller levelers for smaller cakes and bigger levelers that will work with most any size layer.

Once your layers are cooled and level, they will be ready to fill, frost and decorate with the design of your choice.

Isomalt is a sugar product used as replacement of regular granulated sugar in many sugar projects where humidity and/or moisture become an issue.

We have Isomalt granules are available for purchase in 1 lb bags or larger quantities. You can also buy Isomalt sticks, which can be melted in your microwave and used with fewer steps from start to finish.

While a wonderful replacement for design pieces, it is not recommended that sugar pieces made with Isomalt be eaten. The types of sugar have been known to cause stomach upsets when consumed.

As with most candy created at high temperatures, you’ll have the best success in a low humidity environment. Rainy days should be avoided.While Isomalt can be used for pulled or blown sugar, these crafts are very sensitive to humidity.Isomalt is used most often to make the sugar gems that are so popular at present.

To begin, you will need:

• Fairly heavy saucepan,

• Candy thermometer

• Food coloring (optional)

• Pan or bowl larger than cooking pan with cold water (ice cubes may be added)

• Nonstick cooking spray

• Water (filtered or distilled water will result in the clearest finished product.

• Heat tolerant candy mold (such as White  Molds)

1.Following recipe on the package, combine Isomalt granules with water in heavy saucepan. Whisk until combined. Over low to medium heat, continue tocook, without stirring.

2.When mixture becomes clear, skim off any foam present. Periodically, brush down the sides of the pan with water to prevent crystallization...Continueskimming and washing pan sides until sugar mixture is totally clear. When syrup is completely clear and foam free, place your candy thermometer in the pan, careful that is does not touch the bottom...Add coloring, if desired, when syrup reaches 250˚F. Continue cooking at a medium setting until temperature of 340˚F is reached.

3.Remove the pan from the stove and carefully place bottom of hot pan into ice water to stop cooking. At this point you can pour into hard candy molds that have been prepared with non stick cooking spray or pour into “puddles” on parchment paper. If necessary, “stir” hot liquid with a toothpick to remove any air bubbles.

4.Once the molds have cooled, candy may be released with a gentle tap or by twisting slightly.

Isomalt Sticks

Isomalt sticks are pre-cooked Isomalt that can be melted in your microwave. It is recommended that you use silicone containers to melt the Isomalt. It is super sticky, so do any stirring with disposable wood skewers or toothpicks and once cool, the Isomalt will just pop right out of your silicone cups or bowls. This will make clean-up a breeze!

Once melted it is ready to pour into your mold. You can color the clear sticks or buy them in a number of popular colors. Any left over after you’ve completed your project can be cooled and stored to add to your next batch. Shelf life of Isomalt sticks kept airtight is up to 2 years.

Store molded Isomalt pieces in an airtight container for several days. Beyond this period, the candy may become sticky and or cloudy. Place packets of silica or other desiccant in the storage container, using "no skid" shelf liner or similar product to separate candy from desiccant to keep humidity to a minimum. This will extend the shelf life of your pieces.

Candy clay, also known as modeling chocolate or chocolate plastique, is a wonderful and delicious addition to your Sugar Art repertoire.

While it can be purchased ready-made (Choco Pan), it’s also quite easy to make with just 2 ingredients and a few supplies.

Ingredients needed:

1 lb high quality candy coating (Merckens or Peters) or real chocolate (not chocolate chips)

1/3 to ½ cup white corn syrup

Melt candy coating – the safest way is in a double boiler over water that has been brought to a simmer and removed from the heat. While candy coating is cooling slightly, measure out your corn syrup – the Wonder Cup is an excellent tool for this purpose.

At this point, you may flavor the candy clay with oil based flavorings, such as LorAnn oils. Anywhere from 6 to 12 drops per lb can be used... Start with 6 drops and add more to suit your taste.

Making sure the candy coating is not too hot (I use the baby bottle testing method of placing a tiny bit on the inside of my wrist), add the corn syrup to the candy coating and stir slowly with a rubber spatula.

You’ll want to stir until there is no longer “shiny” evidence of the corn syrup, but do not over-stir.

Once the corn syrup is fully incorporated into the candy, pour out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and cover completely, making an airtight package.

Allow the candy clay to form. This will likely take several hours. Do not refrigerate.

You can make candy clay with the dark, milk and white chocolate flavored candy coating as well as all the colors available.

The clay can become quite hard. When ready to use, break off pieces and knead them until malleable. Be sure there are no lumps, kneading until smooth.

If, in this process, the clay you’re kneading becomes shiny, put it down and work on another piece. What is happening is that the oils in the candy are being released. By letting it rest, the oil will be re-absorbed and you will be able to work it again.

Once kneaded, the candy clay is ready to be used in a variety of ways:

*Use candy clay to make beautiful roses, flowers and leaves.

* Use with lace appliqués to decorate your cakes.

*Make a bow for your cake.

*Can be used to model animals, fruits and characters.

*Perfect for covering copper tubing or PVC pipe for cake sculptures, where rice krispy treats or

icing will not cling to the hard surfaces.

*Because the chocolate is the primary ingredient in candy clay, pieces must be stored in a

relatively cool environment, out of the sun. The pieces will harden over time and can

be painted with

Confectionary Glaze

if you choose in order to preserve them.

It is always a good thing to feel confident that each every cake you bake will be moist, and delicious for your family or clients. Here are some things to bear in mind as you prepare to bake.

Your Oven.

You want to be sure your oven temperature is accurate. Even a 5 degree variance can make a big difference in your cakes and other goodies. Invest in an oven thermometer , always refer to the thermometer to make sure the oven is completely pre-heated before placing your cakes in the oven and make sure it is actually heated to the temperature your recipe calls for.

Pan Preparations.

Make sure you have prepared your pans according to your recipe. While most recipes will call for you to grease and flour your pan, some have other requirements. Pan grease, baking sprays or cake release can all be substituted for greasing and flouring. This will make your life a little easier! If your recipe calls for greasing the bottom only or not greasing at all, be sure to follow those directions.

Measuring Ingredients.

While cooking could be considered an art with a dash of this and a splash of that, baking involves careful accuracy in your ingredient measurements.You can use measuring tools and/or a reliable kitchen scale for your ingredients.

Kitchen Scales.

A good kitchen scale can be an investment but it is an invaluable tool with so many uses in baking. Weighing ingredients, and weighing batter in your pans, just to name a couple.

There are two basic types of scales:

• Spring-loaded scales with a needle and numbers on it show weight in ounces, pounds and/or grams.

• Digital scales offer the same information, plus a tare option, which will deduct the weight of your pan or bowl if it is placed on the scale, then hitting the tare button before adding ingredients or batter.

Look for a scale with a nice level surface that is designed so that you can see the face when you have a large pan on it. If you choose a digital scale, consider purchasing a power adapter for it so low batteries is never a concern.

Measuring Cups and Spoon.

• Make sure you use dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid measures for wet ones. While the volume is the same (they take up the same amount of space), you can’t level off dry ingredients in a liquid measuring cup.

• Make sure to buy liquid measures that show accurate markings. Cooks Illustrated Magazine named the Wilton liquid measuring cups as one of the brands they found with accurate markings.If you have a kitchen scale, you can check for accuracy of your liquid measure.

• Weight the empty measuring cup. Then add water to the 1 cup mark and weigh again. 1 cup of water should weigh 8.3454 ounces, although most scales won” give this precise a weight. So, let’s say that the weight of one volume cup of water weighs approximately 8 1/3 ounces.

• When you are baking, even a Tablespoon more or less than your recipe calls for can affect your final product – and if we are talking about the leavening or the salt, just imagine how small variances can change things!

If you are using traditional dry measuring cups, you want to always fill your measuring cups in the same way. For example, you can spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level the cup with a straight edge OR you can dip the cup into the ingredients and sweep the cup with a straight edge. If you were to weigh the flour from both these techniques, you would likely find different weights.

• Another factor is, does the recipe say “4 cups of sifted flour” or “4 cups of flour, sifted”? These are 2 different quantities. Flour that is measured straight from the bin is more compacted than flour that has been sifted. Make not of how your recipe reads. Even how long the flour has been sitting in the bag or your flour bin can affect how much flour you end up in your recipe. If working from a cookbook, read the forward in the book and see if your author makes recommendations as to which method to use.

Ingredient Temperatures.

Be sure your eggs are at room temperature if called for, or your butter is softened... Eggs that are cold can change the consistency of your batter. Butter that is cold is almost impossible to cream. Have all ingredients at the temperature called for in your recipe.

Egg size

This is important, too. Most recipes call for the use of large eggs, but not always! Be sure to use the size your recipe or cookbook dictates. More or less liquid can change batter consistency. Eggs also act to bind your ingredients, hold moisture and affect the richness of your cakes.Once you have assembled your batter, bake for amount of time given in the recipe and test for doneness according to that recipe.

When the cake tests done, remove it from the oven and cool - you guessed it!- according to your recipe! Most cakes will be cooled in the pan for 10 minutes or more, depending on size and then removed from the pan, by placing a cooling rack over top of the cake and then flipping it right-side-up on another cooling rack. There are exceptions, though, so be sure to do as your instructions dictate.

So, in summary, if you have your oven at the correct temperature, measure you ingredients accurately, prepare your pans according to the recipe and assemble the recipe as instructed and bake and cool the cake the same way each and every time you bake, you can dependent on a moist and delicious result each time you bake!

Click Here To Shop For Clasen or Merckens brand candy coating.

The main difference between candy coating* and real chocolate is cocoa butter. Real chocolate contains cocoa butter, while candy coating contains other natural oils such as palm kernel oil. Real chocolate requires tempering before it can be used. While real chocolate requires tempering, candy coating may be melted, molded and allowed to set, it’s that easy. Making beautiful professional chocolates is easy to do in your own kitchen with a few simple tools.

Candy coating is much less expensive than, real chocolate, and most people cannot tell the difference between real chocolate and good quality candy coating. Candy Coating is available at Cake Art in Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate flavors, as well as Peanut Butter and Butterscotch flavors.

We carry Merckens®, Classen®, and Peters®, brand candy coatings. We also have available Peters® brand real chocolate. There are many more colors available to you in candy coating than you will find in real chocolate. We carry an array of colored candy coatings, most of which have a vanilla flavor. Mint flavored candy coatings are also available. If we don't have the color or flavor you desire Candy Coating can be colored and flavored using a wide variety of candy colors and flavors available at Cake Art.

Want to make a unique gift for someone special? Cake Art carries thousands of different candy molds that you can mold Candy Coating into just about anything you can imagine. We also carry a wide variety of candy boxes, candy foils, candy bags to give your creation a finishing touch.

At Cake Art, we teach a basic Candy Making Class several times a year. In this class, we explain the basics of candy coating and chocolate, and different candy making techniques. We teach how to make candy crunches, truffles, chocolate covered cherries, molded chocolates and much more. We always have plenty of samples and it's just plain fun!  Check our class schedule for the next scheduled class. 

*Candy coating is sometimes referred to as Summer Coating, Candy Melts, or Candy Wafers.

1. Place candy coating in the top pan of a double boiler. Place a safe distance from the heat source.

2. Heat water in the bottom of a double boiler just to a simmer.

3. Remove from the heat and place the top portion over the bottom of the double boiler, taking care not to allow any water or steam to get into the candy.

4. Let the candy wafer melt. Stir periodically. Melting time for one pound is approximately 20 minutes.

5. As the water cools chocolate will begin to set up. You may remove the top of the double boiler and reheat the water to re-melt the candy OR you can place the pan of melted candy on your warming tray or in your electric skillet, placed on the very lowest setting with at least one insulating towel between the two.

Candy wafers can also be melted in a chocolate warmer. Add up to a pound of candy wafers to the warmer. Turn on to “Melt”. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Switch setting to “Warm”. You can fill bottles or dip candies directly in the warmer. Once more than half the candy coating has been used, remaining candy can overheat so switch back and forth from “Warm” to “Off” as needed.

Pouring and Molding

You will need:

Melted chocolate
Refrigerator or freezer
Chocolate Candy Mold or Molds
Small Paint Brush
Spoon or Squeeze Bottle 

The coating is ready for molding when it is completely melted.

Test it on the inside of your wrist. Yes, just like you would for a baby bottle. If you can feel it, let it cool for just a minute. Now:

1. Pour into your squeeze bottle if you have one, or if using a spoon, spoon or squeeze a small amount into each cavity of the mold, taking care not to over-fill.

2. Tap the mold on the counter or table to bring any air bubbles to the surface and to level the candy.

3. Place in the freezer for five minutes or in the fridge for, oh, ten minutes. (Thicker candy pieces will take more time)

4. Remove the candy mold from the fridge or freezer and carefully hold it so you can look at the underside. The mold will have a cloudy appearance when the candy is ready. It means the candy has pulled away from the mold.

5. Turn the mold over on a piece of wax paper or parchment and tap gently. 

6. If the candy doesn’t fall out of the mold, return to the freezer for another minute or two.

Making Suckers (Lollipops)

Be sure to have the correct size sucker sticks for your particular mold

1. Fill the mold with chocolate, being careful not of over fill.

2. Place candy stick in the candy and rotate to coat, and lay in the “trough”

3. Place the mold in the freezer for 5 minutes or so.

4. Allow suckers to come to room temperature before placing them in cello bags.

“Painting” Details in a Mold

1. Use a clean art brush to paint any details in the mold in your desired color. 

2. Allow to air dry- make sure it is dry before filling in desired color background coating.

3. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes

Assemble all of your ingredients and tools. Read through the entire recipe before beginning. 

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (an envelope of unflavored gelatin contains 1 Tbsp.)

¼ cup cold water

½ cup glucose* 

2 Tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

1 Tablespoon Glycerin (edible glycerine, from Cake Art)

1 two-pound bag of confectioners’ sugar

Decorating color, if desired

1 teaspoon of clear vanilla, almond or lemon flavoring

*The best way to measure your glucose is to use a Wonder Cup. Spray it or your measuring cup and any other utensil (i.e. spoon) with non-stick cooking spray beforehand. Glucose is the stickiest!

Tools Needed :

2 cup glass measure

Spoon

Pot or small saucepan

Measuring Spoon or Wonder Cup

Large bowl

Wooden Spoon 

Plastic Wrap

Re-sealable food storage bag or container

1. Measure out all of your ingredients before starting. Place water In a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Sprinkle gelatin into the water in a thin stream, trying to avoid “clumps”. After about 3 minutes, the gelatin will have absorbed the water and be thick.

2. Fill a shallow pan with approximately half an inch of water. Place on the stove over low heat. Place the measuring cup of gelatin in the pan. Stir gently over heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add glucose, mixing well. Stir in the shortening. As the shortening melts, remove from the heat. Add the glycerine, flavoring of your choice and any desired coloring, should you choose to color the entire batch. Allow to cool until lukewarm.

3. Place half of your confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the sugar and pour your gelatin mixture into it. Stir with your wooden spoon, stirring all the sugar in the bowl into the gelatin until combined. Add more sugar, little by little until the dough you are making isn’t sticky any more.

4. Lightly dust your work surface with some of your confectioners’ sugar and scrape all of the fondant dough on the surface... After removing any jewelry that might hold the fondant, apply a light coating of shortening to your hands. Knead the fondant, using your best play-dough or bread kneading technique until the dough is smooth and pliable with a satiny finish. You should be able to poke your finger into the dough and pull it away leaving an impression but not sticking to your finger.

5. If the fondant is still too soft, you can knead in more sugar, but be careful; you don’t want to make it too stiff. Once you are happy with the texture, wrap completely in plastic wrap- it must be air tight and allow it to rest for 1 hour.

6. At this point, your fondant is ready to use. If you are coloring only a portion of your fondant, you may do so by dipping your toothpick into the coloring of your choice and swiping it across the fondant. Pull and stretch the fondant until color is completely blended in. Another option is to knead in a portion of colored fondant to create the shade of your choosing.

7. Be sure to keep the fondant covered while waiting to use it to insure it does not dry out. 

8. If not using immediately, very lightly coat with shortening and wrap airtight in plastic wrap. Place this in an airtight container or freezer type re-sealable bag, pressing out all the air possible. If you have a vacuum type food storage system, this would be ideal. If storing for more than a week, store tightly sealed fondant in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before opening or kneading. Do not freeze. Once at room temperature if fondant seems a bit dry, knead in a small amount of vegetable shortening.

If a cake is frosted with creamy smooth icing, a smoothly frosted cake can usually be achieved by using only a spatula or icing tool held at a slight angle so just one side skims the surface of the icing. Smooth the sides first, then the top, working from the outside edge towards the center. Use long, smooth strokes that feather off just past the center. Clear the spatula after each stroke. This technique works beautifully with the right thin consistency icing, but practice makes perfect.

Other Methods

These methods are more forgiving of less than perfect icing consistency.

Paper Towel or Paper Smoothing Method

Certain brands of paper towels can be used to obtain a smooth surface on a buttercream icing that crusts. This means your icing surface will dry so that no icing comes away on your hand when you touch it. This should be achieved by letting the iced cake sit at room temperature, as refrigerating it will cause it to stay moist. How long it takes will depend on the humidity. The more humidity, the longer it can take, but let’s say 5 to 10 minutes.

Look for paper towels that don’t have a texture. There are only one or two texture-less paper towel brands on the market and the brand varies by locale. Be sure to keep your paper towels for smoothing icing in a container that will keep them from attracting any lint, i.e. a Large Ziploc bag.

To use, get the icing as smooth as you can with your spatula. Let the icing crust for approximately 15 minutes. Test a small area by rubbing your palm over a dry paper towel on the icing. If it does not stick, you may lay the paper towel over the icing and rub over it with your palm, the side of your hand or a fondant smoother or spatula. Don’t use your fingers as that will create ridges. This removes air bubbles and spatula marks creating a smooth surface. You may do the same technique with parchment paper or waxed paper but may have to wait longer for icing to be drier. Also, for even smoother icing, you can smooth again with the parchment paper or waxed paper after you’ve used the paper towels.

Water Smoothing

Water smoothing can be done one of two ways.

1. Frost the cake as usual and pre-smooth with a dry spatula. Dip a large spatula in hot water. Hold the spatula at a slight angle so just one side skims the surface of the icing. Smooth the sides of the cake first. Smooth the top of the cake from the outside edge of the cake towards the center. Use long, smooth strokes that feather off just past the center. Clear and rewet the spatula after each stroke. Be careful not to over-wet the icing. Colored icing may streak.

2. Use a spray bottle to slightly wet the icing, and then skim the spatula across the surface as described above. Clear the spatula after each stroke. Be careful not to over-wet the icing. Colored icing may streak.

*Important if using a spray bottle to smooth your icing, it’s imperative to empty the bottle every day. Rinse with a good dish soap and water and then allow to air dry. You don’t want to risk spraying “contaminated” water on your cakes. This is something the Health Department would be looking out for in a commercial kitchen.

The best tools and techniques to use are the ones that work best for you! I’ve worked with various cake stylists and each had her own favorite methods and favorite spatulas, etc. So your way can be the best way!!

The answer is Yes!

You can use Wilton Sugar Sheets with your Cricut Cake!

This will require purchasing a regular Cricut Cutting Mat. These mats, used with the regular Cricut(no “s” Personal Electronic Cutters, have a sticky surface, as opposed to the smooth surfaced Cricut Cake Mats.

To cut the Sugar Sheets you will simply remove them from the package and attach the backing to the regular Cricut Mat, lining it up in the top right corner of the mat (you will see a mark or arrow on that corner.

Set your Speed on Medium or High, depending on the intricacy of your design, but set the Pressure to Medium or Low (otherwise your Cricut will cut through the Sugar Sheet and the backing!).

Once you’ve made your cuts and have unloaded the mat, remove the material from around you selections before lifting your cut pieces from the backing. Sliding an offset spatula under the edge will make this easy to do, taking care, not to stretch your piece as you remove it.

• 1 dozen cupcakes in flavor of your choice

• 12 to 15 peanut shaped sandwich cookies (you know the ones!!) (Includes extras for breakage)

• Chocolate or Leaf Green Buttercream Icing 

• 1 pound White candy coating, melted

• Black Edible Pen or Food Writer

• Waxed or Parchment Paper

• Small offset spatula

• Tip 21 or 233 with decorating bag

• Optional: Candy Pumpkins or Molded Candy Pumpkins

Instructions: 

Holding by the bottom edge, dip peanut sandwich cookies in melted white candy coating up to your fingers. Gently shake off any excess and lay on parchment or waxed paper to dry.

Ice your cupcakes:

You can ice the cupcakes with your spatula in green or chocolate icing.

OR

Ice them using Chocolate Icing and tip 21 in a spiral fashion

OR

Pipe green grass all over the top of your cupcake with tip 233

Once the candy has hardened completely, gently draw faces on the ghosties. You can make the faces friendly or scary (how scary can a cookie be?!!) as you choose.

Carefully insert ghost bare portion first down into the cupcake approximately 1”

If you like, place a small molded pumpkin or store bought candy pumpkin next to the ghost.

Your Halloween guests will love these Boo-ti-ful Treats!

• One 5 lb. Peters Caramel Loaf

• 1 lb. white candy coating (Merckens or Peters)

• 2 dozen apples, dry and at room, temperature (Granny Smith or other tart, firm apple is best)

• Apple Sticks

• Assorted decorations (nuts, candies, etc)

• 2# Cello Bags

• Crimps or curling ribbon to secure

Instructions:

• 2 Pounds Dark Chocolate

• Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat

• Dipping tool

• Peppermint Center Recipe

Instructions

Make peppermint patty recipe. Roll 1" balls and slightly flatten into a patty. Let crust. Melt candy coating or melt and temper chocolate. Dip patties into the melted chocolate. Place parchment or silicone mat to set.

• 1 Cup Butter

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla

• Pinch of Salt

• 2 1/4 Cups Brown Sugar

• 1 Cup Light Corn Syrup

• 1 14-ounce Can of Condensed Milk

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the sugar and salt, then add the corn syrup. Mix well. Add sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly. Continue and cook to 248°. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into parchment lined 8-inch square pan. Let set for approx. 12 hours. Wrap in confectionary wax paper or plastic wrap.

• 3 Cups Chocolate

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

• 1/2 Cup Nuts

• 1/2 Cup Butter

• 1/4 Cup Water

• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

• 1/2 Teaspoon Lecithin
  

Instructions

Combine sugar, salt, water, better, and lecithin in a heavy saucepan. Cook to 285°. Spread onto a buttered marble slab or silicone mat on a baking sheet. Let cool completely. Melt the candy coating or melt and temper chocolate. Spread half of the chocolate on the cooled candy. Sprinkle with nuts. When the chocolate is set, turn the candy over and spread the remaining melted candy coating or tempered chocolate. Sprinkle with nuts. Break into pieces when firm.

• 2 Cups Brown Sugar

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

• 1 Cup Non-Dairy Liquid Cream Substitute

• 1/2 Cup Butter

• 2 Cups Marshmallow Cream

• 1 1/2 Cups Finely Chopped Semi-Sweet Chocolate

• 1 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Butterscotch Candy Coating

• 2 Cups Chopped Nuts

• 1 Teaspoon

Instructions

Combine sugars, cream substitute and butter in a large sauce pan. Cook to 234°. Remove from heat and let the bubbles subside. Add marshmallow cream, semi-sweet chocolate, and butterscotch candy coating. Stir until well blended. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pack into a parchment-lined or buttered 9-inch square pan. Cut into squares when cool.

Ingredients & Tools

Instructions

1. Melt candy coating or melt and temper chocolate.

2. Stir in the pecan pieces and the caramel bits. (Do not melt the caramel bits.)

3. Let the mounds set up at room temperature. (Approximately 73°) If the room is to warm you can put the caramel mounds in the freezer to set up more quickly.

Note: If the mix sets before you finish making the mound simply put mixture briefly in the microwave.

• 1/2 Pound Fondant

• 2 or 3 drops Invertase

• 1 Pound of Chocolate

• Maraschino Cherries

• Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat

Instructions

Knead the invertase into fondant. Form the fondant around a cherry and let set until the fondant crusts. Melt the candy coating or melt and temper the chocolate. Hold the stem of the cherry and dip the fondant covered cherry into the melted chocolate. Make sure the chocolate covers the base of the stem to prevent the cherry from leaking. Let the excess chocolate dip back into the pan. Place the cherry on the parchment paper or onto the silicon mat.

Products used to make this recipe:

-Invertase 1 Ounce

-Dry Fondant 1 Pound

-Parchment Paper

-

Here is a delicious pie that is easy to make and can be eaten immediately or made in advance. This is a perfect dessert to serve after a family dinner or a great addition to your holiday dessert table. The Cake Art staff has tested it and we all give it 5 Stars!

Crust Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups CK Cookie Pieces

• 4 Tablespoons of butter, melted

Filling Ingredients

• 2 cups cold milk

• 2 (3 ½ oz.) packages of instant chocolate pudding and pie filling

• 1(8 ounce) container of frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided in half(Thaw this in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours)  

• ½ cup of Toffee Candy Crunch, divided into ¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoons and 3 Tablespoons

OR

• ½ cup of prepared Chocolate Toffee Bark finally chopped, divided as above (Recipe below)

• 1 oz dark chocolate candy coating, melted.

Crust Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine Oreo Cookie Pieces and Butter. Stir until fully combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” or 10” pie pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or bake in a 350˚F oven for 10 minutes and allow it to cool.

Filling Instructions

1.In a medium bowl, whisk together cold milk and the dry pudding mixes to combine. Continue whisking for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the one half of the thawed whipped topping and 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoons cup of the Toffee Candy Crunch or Chocolate Toffee Bark, finally chopped.

2.Spoon mixture into pie crust and level with the back of a spoon.

3.Gently whip the remaining thawed topping and cover filling in pie pan, swirling with a spatula or the back of your spoon. Sprinkle remaining 3 Tablespoons of Heath Toffee Crunch or Toffee Crunch Bark over the topping. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Pie may be eaten immediately or refrigerated until you are ready to serve it. I would recommend refrigeration for at least one hour so the pie will slice nicely. Or you could serve immediately, spooning it into pretty compote dishes, trifle style

6 to 8 servings

Chocolate Toffee Bark Instructions

This is a wonderful addition to the pie recipe above but it’s just plain yummy all by itself, too! This recipe provides 1.20 pounds of bark.

• 1 lb. Milk chocolate flavored candy coating

• ½ cup Toffee Crunch

1.Cover a ½ sheet cake board or a large (12”x18”) jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper.

2.Melt chocolate candy in the top of double boiler. Test it to make sure it is not too hot (touch some to the inside of your wrist, just as you would a baby bottle. If too warm, you can let it set for a few minutes or stir it gently to speed up the cooling process.

3.Add the crunch to the chocolate candy, stirring to combine. Pour this mixture onto the waxed or parchment paper. Spread with a metal or rubber spatula. Once spread, you may lift one edge of the board or pan and tap it gently on your work surface to evenly spread the candy.

4.Place in the freezer for 9 minutes or until firm. Allow to come to room temperature. Break into bite size piece. If using some of the bark for the pie, chop finely with a sharp knife on a cutting board.

Store in a tin or box in a relatively cool spot. Keeps for weeks!

Ingredients & Tools

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

• 1 Cup Brown Sugar

• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

• 1/2 Cup Milk

• 1 Cup Miniature Marshmallows

• 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions

In 2-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, and milk. Cook to 240°. Remove from heat and add marshmallows, peanut butter, and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon for several minutes until thick and creamy and gloss disappears. Pack into a 6-inch square pan. Cut into squares.