All about Sugar

This week we are learning all about pulling, blowing and pouring sugar!  When sugar is used in this manner we are actually talking about Isomalt.  Isomalt is a modified sugar containing extra hydrogen molecules making it more stable that granulated sugar.  It lasts  longer, but cost 10 times as much.  So this sugar gets heated up too 330 degrees for pulling and blowing; 360 degrees for pouring.  Talk about HOT!  Lets hope I don't burn myself the next few weeks! 
Today we are starting our Fruit Baskets. 
Th requirements:
5 fruits
Basket
Handle
Bow
Rim
Pulled and Blown sugar
Doesn't sound like a lot but we are weaving the basket out of sugar.  We get about 5 days to complete this basket.  I hope I do better on this project. 
This is what the sugar looks like after it is cook and cooled and before you start to play with it, I have it under a 250 watt light to start to heat it up so I can "play" with it

Like everything else, this was way harder than I thought!  Pulling sugar is not so bad.  I kind of liked that part, but the blowing sugar was, lets just say it tested my patience A LOT!  For pulling sugar you literally pull it to the shape you want.  Not too bad.  For the blowing of sugar you have to get it in the shape of a "ball" and use what looks like the pump part from a blood pressure cuff and pump it up.  Sound easy enough, but if the "ball" is not of even consistency when you pump it you will get a thin side and then if it gets too thin....POP!  Sharp little sugar pieces everywhere.  Did I mention how fragile sugar work is?  Yeah, you breath wrong and it will shatter!