Chef Stephane Treand's work with noodles. While teaching a Sugar Showpiece class in Maui, Chef Stéphane Tréand shared a few helpful tips on how to design and construct a sugar showpiece in a high humidity environment. First tip: work in a dehumidified room. Then start with a layout. Let's have a look..
Step by Step
Chef Tréand arranges two flexible silicone Noodles™ to create a retaining wall for the cooked isomalt. For ease of movement, Stéphane arranges the Noodles on top of a piece of craft paper. Once satisfied with the layout, Stéphane traces the inside perimeter with a marker. Copying the contour onto paper will allow him (or an assistant) to accurately duplicate the same design again later without extra effort. A sheet of vinyl is set on top of the paper. The Noodles are repositioned on the drawing and a Showpeel leaf is set inside for a great effect you will see later. Casting Tip: Hot isomalt will cause vinyl to stick to marble. You MUST have paper beneath the vinyl so it can be moved on the marble surface. (See photo 7 & 14) In humid environments, cook your isomalt to 370º F without water. Stéphane adds two drops of green and two drops of blue coloring to make an light aquamarine color. For a great visual effect just tinting is better than using heavy color as it lets the light shine through, adding another dimension to your sugar. While the long center-section is cooling, Chef Tréand fills individual Noodles to create tear-drop shaped bases. Casting Tip: Pouring isomalt onto silicone baking mats (instead of vinyl) will create a slightly textured look. To help the isomalt cool more quickly, Stéphane slides the entire layout (paper and all) towards the top of the marble where it is colder. Remember, without paper beneath the vinyl. It would be impossible to move. Chef Tréand uses a small torch to remove surface bubbles from the isomalt. Casting Tip: When using a torch, always keep the flame moving. Do not hold the torch in one area too long. Vinyl is flammable. Let the isomalt cool to 300º F / 148º C. Fill the Noodles slowly so they don’t lift up. Pour in the center of the shape and allow the isomalt to flow towards the Noodles. After pouring an even ½” thickness, pour more isomalt at the bottom to add thickness for strength. In about 30 minutes, the center section is cool enough to remove the Noodles. Casting note: The purple silicone half-rounds (far left) were put on the vinyl at the same time the Showpeel was inserted in photograph 3. The tear-drop bases are removed from the silicone mat. Casting Tip: When creating a showpiece in a humid environment, it is important to build it as quickly as possible. In about 30 minutes, the center section is cool enough to remove the Noodles. Casting note: The purple silicone half-rounds (far left) were put on the vinyl at the same time the Showpeel was inserted in photograph 3. After the bases have cooled enough to remove the Noodles but are still soft Chef Tréand, presses a Floral Press mold into the isolmat to make an impression. Chef Stéphane attaches the top base plate onto the spheres. Casting tip: It is important for all the spheres to be the same height. If they are not, the base won’t be level. (A tall showpiece needs a perfectly level base.) The surface of the Isomalt base is quickly torched so the spheres can be attached. Once attached, they are torched again to eliminate small bubbles. Stéphane demolds sugar spheres from a 1.5” pop-up sphere mold. The spheres will be used as posts to support the two base sections. The tear-drop bases are removed from the silicone mat. Casting Tip: When creating a showpiece in a humid environment, it is important to build it as quickly as possible. The slide & peel is a little tricky. Stéphane carefully slides one end of the vinyl off the table. Inch by inch, the sugar section is slid off the table, as the vinyl sheet drops away from the sugar. (This is best done with two people.) He then heats first the attachment point of the showpiece.. (notice that he has it extened over the edge of the table so it will not fuse to it as he melts the edge). Then the base gets heated/softened. Stéphane is careful not too crack the isomalt. By heating both elements, when they are joined the bond will be stronger. Stéphane positions and attaches the center structure to the base, confirming it is straight from several angles. Chef Tréand has cast and airbrushed several Dewdrop Showpeel in advance. He then dusted the back/textured side to refect the texture, translucence of the isomalt and the airbrushing. As he is assembling the tropical flower, Stéphane again uses the cast spheres as supports. To unify the artistic elements of the showpiece, a cast sugar sphere is added as a pivot point. This gives Stéphane the freedom to angle the flower pedals he will attach in the short time he has before the isomalt cools. Now for a special effect; the Dewdrop Showpeel leaf is peeled out of the isomalt. Notice the engraved effect in the sugar where the silicone Showpeel contacted the isomalt. Stéphane uses a razor knife to carefully pry out the silicone half-rounds. (These can be seen at the top of the centerpiece in photograph 9.) From the front, you now see the beautiful tropical flower. Chef Tréand adds a few touches of gold leaf to promote visual movement. With imagination, a few versitile tools, and helpful techniques, Chef Tréand has created a simple but elegant four-foot tall showpiece in no time at all.Not shown: Stéphane sprays the entire showpiece with food lacquer, to protect it from the humidity.


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