Grid for cutting hard candy – Anyone seen one?

[monto39]

I'm looking for a grid that can act as a hard candy cutter.

 

This is a small plastic version of what I'm thinking of

 

 



 

What I want would be stainless steel, might have the possibility to remove sections (to make finger shapes or larger squares) and would be much larger - maybe 18" x 18" ?  It would also have the ability to make cleaner cuts, this one just crushes a thick border between sections that doesn't break off clean.

 

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS EXISTS?  I seem to remember seeing a youtube video where someone used a similar device, but I can't quite place it.

 

BTW, love this forum!  Just from looking through for a couple of hours I found a ton of valuable info

[Lisa Shock]

I've only seen it cut with roller devices, either small batches with a pizza cutter or larger, full tables cut with steel rolling pins with multiple blades attached. That's how the automated and semi-automated machines work, they send candy through roller dies.

[Kerry Beal]

I have a metal version of that for marking caramel that I purchased from meilleurduchef.com

[monto39]

Thank you Kerry.  It looks like that might work if we don't find something larger.

 

We will be getting a drop roller eventually, but my boss balked at the price. So I wanted to find a cheaper way to get our candy on the market and making money before I pushed him for one.  (I make marijuana hard candy for the legal market here in Seattle)

[Chocolot]

What about using a silicone mold instead? https://shop.chefrubber.com/products/155/Caramel-and-Ganache-Moulds/

[MelissaH]

1 hour ago, Chocolot said:

What about using a silicone mold instead? https://shop.chefrubber.com/products/155/Caramel-and-Ganache-Moulds/

When my husband makes hard candy for the holidays, he uses one of these: https://www.lorannoils.com/hard-candy-molds/hexagon-break-up-sheet-mold-5542-0000

I'm sure this is consumer quality and wouldn't hold up for everyday use in a commercial kitchen, but it works beautifully and easily.

[prestony]

If your budget is big enough you could always get a 3d printer like this one

Anycubic i3 MEGA Printer 3d Touch Screen TFT 3.5 Inches with Large Print Size φ210x210x205 (Blue)

and cut your own grid shapes.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Smithy
Adjusted Amazon link to be eG-friendly (log)

[monto39]

I use the LorAnne Oils hexagon molds for the samples we use to taste, but I don't think they'd work for production.  I'm starting to wonder about making one.

 

I'm thinking of trying to talk my bosses into getting a Savage Bros. Firemixer 14 depositor and scrap the idea of a lower cost intermediary.   

[Lisa Shock]

Look around for a metal fabrication shop or a local maker space shop. You could get one custom made for you. It won't be cheap, but will probably cost less than the big commercial machines.

[chocochoco]

On 8/11/2018 at 6:13 PM, Kerry Beal said:

I have a metal version of that for marking caramel that I purchased from meilleurduchef.com

Hi Kerry, which brand did you buy, Mallard Ferrière or Matfer?

https://www.meilleurduchef.com/fr/achat/confiserie/materiel/decoupoir-caramel/mfe-decoupoir-caramel-inox.html

https://www.meilleurduchef.com/fr/achat/confiserie/materiel/decoupoir-caramel/mfr-decoupoir-caramel.html

 

How do you like it?

Could these caramel cutters be used to cut praline (nuts and sugar paste) mixed with chocolate, or gianduja slabs?

 

Thanks,

Omar

[Kerry Beal]

7 hours ago, chocochoco said:

Hi Kerry, which brand did you buy, Mallard Ferrière or Matfer?

https://www.meilleurduchef.com/fr/achat/confiserie/materiel/decoupoir-caramel/mfe-decoupoir-caramel-inox.html

https://www.meilleurduchef.com/fr/achat/confiserie/materiel/decoupoir-caramel/mfr-decoupoir-caramel.html

 

How do you like it?

Could these caramel cutters be used to cut praline (nuts and sugar paste) mixed with chocolate, or gianduja slabs?

 

Thanks,

Omar

Not sure what brand it is - but I have two of them now because I picked one up from the clearance bin in Kerekes for a couple of bucks - couldn’t leave it there! Actually says Gobel on the bottom.

 

It's useful for marking but not really for cutting anything.

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Kerry Beal (log)

[gfron1]

Just another thought FWIW. This contraption is used for hard candies, and I just last night saw a very similar device used for mochi making HERE. The reason I'm suggesting this is the physics of trying to press down on a bed of hard candy (even before its set), and thinking how much pressure would need to be applied to force through all that surface area. The idea with these contraptions (as demonstrated in the video at the very first second and in more detail later in the video) is that friction/rolling assists in cutting through.

[chocochoco]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Not sure what brand it is - but I have two of them now because I picked one up from the clearance bin in Kerekes for a couple of bucks - couldn’t leave it there! Actually says Gobel on the bottom.

 

It's useful for marking but not really for cutting anything.

 

I have looked at the Gobel cutter on the Kerekes website. From the pictures, the blades look longer than the ones from the meilleurduchef's cutters. These ones seem to have the blades flushed with the frame.

Could you confirm? If this is the case, then I think it would be easier to mark with the Gobel cutter.

Which one is sturdier?

Edited March 27, 2021 by chocochoco (log)

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

Blades are 1 inch from cutting edge to frame. Couldn't find the other one to compare. I have way too much stuff to find what I want easily!

[cc.canuck]

I've treated myself to one of these after admitting my caramel cutting is not quite as perfect as I'd imagined! Kerry, is it easy to add a layer of chocolate on top of your caramel to help with dipping with this contraption would you say?

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, cc.canuck said:

I've treated myself to one of these after admitting my caramel cutting is not quite as perfect as I'd imagined! Kerry, is it easy to add a layer of chocolate on top of your caramel to help with dipping with this contraption would you say?

Not sure - you may have to experiment - I tend to use it to mark then still cut with a knife.

 

 

[Chocolot]

 

This is a custom made grid that Cache Toffee in Salt Lake City uses to make their toffee in triangles. They also have a press that pushes it into the candy. They still get a lot of breakage, but use it as samples.

[Eat.Choui]

On 3/26/2021 at 2:36 PM, gfron1 said:

Just another thought FWIW. This contraption is used for hard candies, and I just last night saw a very similar device used for mochi making HERE. The reason I'm suggesting this is the physics of trying to press down on a bed of hard candy (even before its set), and thinking how much pressure would need to be applied to force through all that surface area. The idea with these contraptions (as demonstrated in the video at the very first second and in more detail later in the video) is that friction/rolling assists in cutting through.

I took a candy class at the French Pastry school and we used this. As a cheaper alternative, we used fish bait-making rollers. They work just as well and are available in different, affordable sizes. The brand is Gardner Rolaball Baitmaker, if anyone is still interested. I also noticed cake-pop rollers look very similar. The mochi video is very cool!

[Kerry Beal]

5 minutes ago, Eat.Choui said:

I took a candy class at the French Pastry school and we used this. As a cheaper alternative, we used fish bait-making rollers. They work just as well and are available in different, affordable sizes. The brand is Gardner Rolaball Baitmaker, if anyone is still interested. I also noticed cake-pop rollers look very similar. The mochi video is very cool!

Got one of those bait rollers sitting in the chocolate room - perhaps one day I'll get around to using it!