Sunday, November 14, 2010

Tulip Time!



Hello Sugar Friends!

Wow, we have been so busy filming and editing new DVDs, that is has been a while since I posted a tutorial. I know it is not spring, but how about some pretty yellow tulips?

This bride came to me with her cake design and colors already determined. A very classic, simple cake with a small nosegay of tulips on the top.



Buttercream stenciling on buttercream. With our pretty creations on top.


So let's do this!



Use a piece of white gumpaste to form the.... the.... the...... the little thingies that stick out the sides of that middle stamen thingy. Yeah, make a bunch of those. The mold can be found here.



Then dust them with shades of mossy green petal dust.




Now, to make that yellow middle stamen thingy, form a sausage of yellow gumpaste and insert a wire into one end.




Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch around the top of the sausage three times.




It should look like this from the top.




Then take five of those green stick out the side thingies, dip a little bitty bit of each end in water or gum glue, and stick into the bottom of the yellow sausage, going all the way around.




Here is the top view.




Roll your yellow gumpaste thin (number 5 on my pasta roller). Cut out the smaller petals with the tulip cutter and vein in the double sided press.




Give them a little pinch on one end and lay them over a former, which in this case is a half egg chocolate mold sheet.



You will build your flower inside the half sphere candy mold. Put a disc of yellow gumpaste in the bottom and poke a hole through the center with a wire. Poke holes through the center of the sphere molds as well.




Attach three petals with water or gum glue when they are firm enough to hold their shape.




Insert the stamen wire through the holes and attach the base of it to the petals with a very light dab of water or gum glue.




Use cotton (if food safe) or paper towels to prop the petals up.




Here is a whole sheet drying at once.




You want the inner three petals to be tight around the center stamen. Allow this to dry fully.




When the first portion is dry, make another set of three petals with the larger petal cutter and vein. When those are firm enough, hold the partially made flower upside down and glue 3 more petals on in another row. (This step was not shown). You can dry the flowers upside down at this point, or you can put them back in the formers. I used paper collars to hold the outer petals at just the degree of openness I wanted.


Allow those to dry fully and give them a light dusting with the shade of yellow petal dust you desire. A very light puff of super pearl can be applied also for a little sheen.


Wrap your wires in floral tape, and then tie them up in a pretty satin ribbon.


And now you can tiptoe through the tulips with me!



Give these a try, they are not difficult and a lot of fun!


Happy Caking!
Sharon




Thursday, November 11, 2010

BASIC BUTTERCREAM CLASS



December 12-13, 2010:

Basic Buttercream Class
hosted by Sharon Zambito and Wendy Baiamonte:

Hammond, LA (40 miles north of New Orleans).

$275.

Icing ingredients and light lunch provided each day.

Students will need to be bring cake and tools.

You will make Sharon's icing recipe, practice icing a
round and square cake, and bonus techniques as time permits.

ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT!

Email szcakes@aol.com to register.

Come join us and perfect your buttercream icing skills just
in time for all of those holiday cakes!



Thursday, November 4, 2010

Sweet Luxuries DVD on Sale Now!


Sweet Luxuries
Designer Bag, Bubbly, and Bon Bons

On Pre-Order now!


Learn to make this 3D Designer purse with chocolate champagne bottle and hand made candies.



And don't forget to get your purse handle mold. Only available at SugarEd Productions here.



Learn to make handmade cherry cordial candies and a whole lot more!






See all the details and order HERE.




Happy Caking!
Sharon

Friday, October 22, 2010

SALE!!



Limited Time Only!

15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER!

Use coupon code: 15OFF at checkout


SugarEd Productions



Monday, October 11, 2010

Free Pumpkin Cutter Set!


BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!



Free Pumpkin Cutter Set



Make a $50.00 purchase (before shipping) and receive
this adorable pumpkin cutter set as a free gift.



$14.00 value.






This 7 piece set includes three pumpkin cutters (1.5 inch, 2.5 inch, 5 inch) and 4 accent cutters to complete their facial features. Each set of cutters comes in a largemetal tin and includes two cookie dough recipes.

These cutters are great to make Jack O Lanterns for Halloween or a bounty of Fall pumpkins throughout the season. Can also be used for fondant accents on your Fall cakes, as well as cutting biscuits or children's sandwiches.




Note: The cutter set will not show up in your shopping cart, but they will be included for all orders over $50 (before shipping).



Special offer valid through October 25th, 2010 or while supplies last.

Supplies are running low!



Look here to see a fun tutorial using these cutters!








Thursday, September 30, 2010

Contest Winners!


Sweet Luxuries
Designer Bag, Bubbly and Bon Bons



Thank you all who entered the contest. So many great titles it was very hard to decide!

The winners are:


Vicki said...
* Luxe - An elegant,sumptuous handbag and champagne cake.
*Sweet Luxury


Bohaney said...
A Tote with a Toast!

Abi said...
"Bagged It" - Bags and Bottles with flowering Fleur de Lis



Congratulations and please email me at sugaredinfo@aol.com to claim your prize!


Editing is underway, so we hope to bring this one to you within 6-8 weeks!


Happy caking!
Sharon


Saturday, September 25, 2010

Name That DVD!




Hello everyone! We had a very busy week shooting our next DVD. I want to thank my dear friend Heather, and my son D, for assisting in the shooting this time. I really could not do it without that extra set of hands and eyes, so thank you both so much!


I thought you guys might like to see a few behind the scenes shots of us filming in my kitchen.



Video Specialties comes to my home with 3 cameras, a monitor and on site mixer. That allows us to get shots and close ups from 3 different angles while I am working.


To the left you can see the main camera, the one I look into when I am speaking to you. The one to the right takes closeups when I work on that side of the cake.


Here is the mixer and monitor that Todd, my video guy, and my assistant ( Wendy, Heather, or D) watch to see how the shot will look on TV. This way we can ensure that the instruction can be seen well, with nothing blocking the view on screen.



Here I am doing a little prep work off camera. (Oh my, look at that chicken neck on me! Ack!) This is the 9th video we have done, and we have gained a lot of experience along the way. We strive to keep the quality we are known for high, while throwing in a few new things to keep it interesting for you.



Here I am at the end of the two day shoot with the finished cake. (No chicken neck in this one, whew.)



The aftermath. And guess what; it still looks like this because I had a cake order for this weekend and did not have time to clean up the carnage. That is on today's agenda. Fun Saturday! LOL




Chocolate champagne bottle and handmade candies.




Stenciled fleur de lis motif. I have to admit I just adore this. This purse handle mold will be available for purchase exclusively through SugarEd Productions when the DVD is released.






But we need a name for the DVD! Contest time! Submit your ideas for the name in the comment section, and earn a chance to win a free DVD when it is released (hopefully in about 6-8 weeks).

We are trying to get the DVDs you have requested out to you as fast as we can, while maintaining the high quality we are known for. Next DVD shoot in 4 weeks!

Thank you, as always, for your loyalty and support of SugarEd Productions.

Happy Caking!

Sharon