Molded Sugar Pop-ons

[Abra]

Following Wendy's link to Pfeil and Holing led me to their edible deco section, which utterly fascinated me. So that's where those things come from! Will somebody help me out here - I assume that they're flat on one side and meant to lie down on a dessert, as opposed to being really 3-D and standing up? Do they look nice, in real life, or are the colors really artificial-looking? And finally, do people actually eat them?

[chefpeon]

Luck's also sells those things.....they call them "Dec-Ons" and they have a HUGE variety of them.

Basically all they are are shaped sugar cubes. I wouldn't eat one....too sweet for me....but kids love 'em.

I've used them in some bakeries I've worked in. Mostly for holiday cupcakes and such. Grocery store bakeries use them a lot.....take a look in your grocery store bakery next time you're there. Bet you'll see some.

They are flat on one side like you said, and they lay down flat. I wouldn't call them "tacky", they have their place in high volume establishments where decorators have no time to do any kind of custom or fine detail work.

For most of us PC's, I would liken using them to reading a great novel and then discovering it has a crappy ending. If we go to the trouble of making this great dessert, then plate it and stick a Dec-On on it, it would be like, "what the hell?"

Edited September 13, 2004 by chefpeon (log)

[Wendy DeBord]

Did you click on the item to view it? They post a photo of almost every item and I think the photographs are pretty accurate.

Mainly high volume places use pop-ons or grocery stores. Alot of Mom & Pop bakeries use them also as cheap way to decorate a lower priced item....or mainly products that appeal to children.

Theres an assortment of different sugars, pop-ons, gum paste, picks, etc.... Some items aren't edible like a plastic bunny head you'd use on a Easter bunny cake. Some items are 3d -some aren't, some are rather detailed some aren't, the photo will show you.

[Abra]

I did look at the photos, but sometimes things look different on-screen than in real life. Or wait, is THIS real life? I guess I've mainly seen those little carrots on carrot cake, and thought they were an ok level of cuteness, not quite approaching Hello Kitty deadly-cute status.

So, just for perspective, now I see that a real PC wouldn't use them, just as I would never use a mix in my personal cheffing life. Or my real life. But as a non-PC, I'm always wishing my desserts would be more beautiful, and look more professional. Right now I use a lot of edible flowers, because it's hard to screw them up and I have a nice source. I was just wondering if any of those little sugar dealies might actually enhance my desserts - the last thing I want is to make my baking look commercially produced! People put up with a certain rusticity in my desserts just because they're homemade from scratch, which has a surprising value of its own.

I hope bringing the level of discussion down to what a non-PC can do to improve her work is appropriate here, if not, mea culpa.

[chefpeon]

Hi Abra.....

I just got my Albert Uster Imports catalog in the mail the other day.

They carry a lot of beautiful ready made dessert decorations.....a lot of them are made from

chocolate.

The also carry some pretty classy looking sugar flowers.

Marzipan fruits....

really cool looking chocolate spheres....

rolled gaufrettes....

nougatine shells...

nougatine triangles....

fan gaufrettes....

beautiful stuff really.

If you go to the Albert Uster Homepage you can request a catalog. Unfortunately, they don't show their products online!

I actually want/need to order some stuff. If you like, maybe we can go halfsies on some stuff, since I'm not high volume and neither are you and some of it's pricey. If you want to sometime, just PM me!

[CanadianBakin']

They have an online catalogue. Click on the link in Anne's post, then click on "New Products" and then on "Online Catalogue". It looks like they have many wonderful things!!

[Wendy DeBord]

I hope bringing the level of discussion down to what a non-PC can do to improve her work is appropriate here, if not, mea culpa.

Actually Abra I think that would be a great thread topic. I'm sure it would be fun and helpful to hear everyones suggestions. If your seriously interested, please go ahead and begin that topic.

[Abra]

Ah, now that Albert Uster stuff is more like it! I'm not sure that I'd use enough to make your nice offer worthwhile, Anne, but we should chat.

And yeah, I'll get a new thread going.