The difference Vinyl can make...

Anil Rohira, corporate pastry chef for Albert Uster Imports, shows us a technique that he developed for creating a sculptural illusion in sugar. Anil's creative techniques enabled team USA to win the award of Best Sugar Showpiece at the Coupe du Monde in Lyon, 2003.

A miniature dragon was sculpted and cast in a urethane rubber material. Anil then cut a geometric shape out of a piece of 1/2" thick neoprene rubber.

To set this up, first put down a silpat; this will keep the hot vinyl from fusing to the marble.Then place the neoprene stencil on a sheet of vinyl, this will keep the hot isomalt bubble free and shiny. Finally the flexible urethane dragon is set inside the stencil.

Clear Venuance crystals/Isomalt are carefully poured over the dragon. The stencil is only filled (halfway) with a 1/4" inch layer of Venuance crystals.

Anil uses a propane torch to make the surface of the Venuance crystals as smooth as glass. After the Venuance crystals have cooled, the neoprene stencil is carefully removed and the Venuance crystals casting is flipped over (not shown).

The flexible dragon is removed to reveal the negative impression of the dragon in the surface of the Venuance crystals. Note the fantastic shine on the isomalt.

The negative impression of the dragon is dusted with metallic powder in order to highlight its detail.

The (cooled) Venuance crystals casting is carefully repositioned into the neoprene stencil. The casting is placed so that the negative impression of the dragon is face up. Anil "backfills" the stencil with a second layer of 1/4" thick (clear) Venuance crystals.

After the isomalt has cooled, the neoprene stencil is removed, revealing the 3 dimensional illusion of a dragon soaring high above the flames.

The result is stunning! Great technique. Thank you, Anil.

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