Pure Cane

So most of you have probably heard about sugar sculptures. They've had challenges on the Food Network before where people have to create massive showpieces. Sugar sculptures are large pieces of artwork made entirely of sugar. There are three techniques for this: blown, pulled, and cast. Cast sugar is when you get some sort of mold and pour the sugar solution in and let it set. You can basically use any sort of mold as long as it withstands extremely hot sugar. Pulled is when you take pieces of sugar, and while under a heat lamp, you work with it and make it into whatever your little heart desires. Blown sugar is by far the most difficult technique to master. While the sugar is warm and pliable, a small hand pump and hose is attached to the sugar and you physically blow air into it so it expands like a balloon. If somebody is really good at it, they can make anything in 3D. It is really difficult to just get a nice sphere.

We spent some time doing these techniques in school. It was one of the hardest techniques we learned. It's definitely time consuming, and it tests your patience. However, once somebody gets really good at it, it's really pretty amazing. I saw some things that would blow your mind.




So the first two are examples of cast, pulled, and blown sugar all done by me. The last photo is of a swan my chef made. This utilized the pulled and blown methods. He made the ribbon by pulling different colors of sugar and putting them together, and the swan was blown and shaped as the air was blown into it.