edible lacquer/confectionery glaze

[MizLynnette]

hi all -

Can anyone tell me what edible lacquer or confectionery glaze are used for?

If I understand correctly they are both used in cake decorating as a finishing...but I'm not a baker so I don't know for sure...

Are they the same thing? Are they used interchangably? I guess what I really want to know is ...what are they??

Lynne

[CookieBoy]

hi all -

Can anyone tell me what edible lacquer or confectionery glaze are used for?

If I understand correctly they are both used in cake decorating as a finishing...but I'm not a baker so I don't know for sure...

Are they the same thing? Are they used interchangably? I guess what I really want to know is ...what are they??

Lynne

←

From what I understand they are pretty much the same product. Edible lacquer usually comes in a spray form, where as confectionery glaze is in a bottled form (possibly for brushing as opposed to spraying on). It would obviously depend on the application as to which one you would require.

They basically create a protective barrier for humid conditions, preventing things like toffee or sugar show pieces from sweating.

Hope I helped a little?

[MizLynnette]

Hi -

yes, that does help, from what I'd been reading I was confused.

Thanks alot, Lynne

[CookieBoy]

I've asked a few other chefs and they seem to think that the confectionary glaze could be an american term for something similar to what we would call 'flan gel' for topping tarts etc (which is pectin based).

[chiantiglace]

Food lacquer doesnt always come in a spray bottle, nor does it need to for it to be called food lacquer. You use it to mix powder colorings for airbrush, and or physical brushing. It's kind of like using latex paints on your fondant work. A little vodka does the trick aswell.

Confectionery glaze to me is a broad term. It can be pretty much anything used to glaze confections or pastries, preferably to seal in moisture and to give it a glossy and appetizing look.

They are not the same thing.

[Kerry Beal]

Confectionary glaze at pastry chef central

Food lacquer or shellac is essentially the same thing. There are some variations on the theme, but they serve the same purpose.

[duckduck]

The difference between the two for me has to do with what I'm working on. I've only seen the lacquer in a spray can, so that I use to do something quickly and when I am covering the entire surface of something. I use it for attaching gold leaf. I use the confectionery glaze when I only want to put the gold leaf on a portion of something and I brush it over that spot. An example is a chocolate mold that I have that has a small star in the center. Sometimes I just want gold on the star and nothing else. The can is good for a quick sweep that covers all surface area.

[MizLynnette]

I've been so busy the last couple weeks that this is the first I've been able to check in...my experience with both lacquer and confectioners glaze has been dismal!

I'll try to keep this as brief as possible: I originally asked because we had received an order for 350 chocolate bars from a large corporation in our area...they wanted the order in 4 days and we have just one mold for the bar they wanted -- the lead time to get more of this mold is 3 - 4 weeks.

I heard myself say: "no problem, of course we can do it...it's our pleasure" and we went into 24 hr operation...don't ya just love business! lol Anyway, the bars were coming out with a cloudy area - I called the manufacturer who told me it was because of the large flat surface area - the chocolate doesn't release from the surface of the mold face at the same time...few people use molds which have large flat surfaces for that reason - so I went googling for a solution...the glaze and the lacquer were all I could fine but it was confusing...hence my 1st posting.

I already had a bottle of confectioners glaze and a bottle of confectioners glaze thinner on the shelf which I'd never used...couldn't find any information on how to use the glaze or how to thin the stuff or how to apply it...and no time for experiemention.

I came across Lacquer Spray...great: "neutral in smell and taste"..."provides shine and protection from humidity"...yipee!! I had it overnighted!

Rather than the fine mist I was expecting it sprayed out spotty...it was impossible to get anything even remotely like a shiny surface...then there was the smell (chemical, no doubt) and the taste...I had to spit it out! It so masked the taste of the chocolate and again strong chemical taste...it was FAR from neutral.

Fortunately, the longer the bars sat the cloudy area 'faded' and by the time the bars were packaged they were fine - we boxed up the 350th bar at 2:30am for a 7am delivery (waaayyyy ahead of schedule...for once!)

For the future and just my own edification if anyone has an input/insight on all of this...that'd be great. Did I just get a bad can of spray lacquer? Which, of course, I can't return! Does it normally spray out spotty? What's the deal with the taste/smell? Can anyone tell me how to use confectioners glaze? how to dilute it? and why is it used? for times like I just had when a product comes out slightly cloudy?

Any more info on this would be appreciated and thanks to all who answered so far!!

Lynne

[Kerry Beal]

I've been so busy the last couple weeks that this is the first I've been able to check in...my experience with both lacquer and confectioners glaze has been dismal!

I'll try to keep this as brief as possible:  I originally asked because we had received an order for 350 chocolate bars from a large corporation in our area...they wanted the order in 4 days and we have just one mold for the bar they wanted -- the lead time to get more of this mold is 3 - 4 weeks.

I heard myself say: "no problem, of course we can do it...it's our pleasure" and we went into 24 hr operation...don't ya just love business! lol  Anyway, the bars were coming out with a cloudy area - I called the manufacturer who told me it was because of the large flat surface area - the chocolate doesn't release from the surface of the mold face at the same time...few people use molds which have large flat surfaces for that reason - so I went googling for a solution...the glaze and the lacquer were all I could fine but it was confusing...hence my 1st posting.

I already had a bottle of confectioners glaze and a bottle of confectioners glaze thinner on the shelf which I'd never used...couldn't find any information on how to use the glaze or how to thin the stuff or how to apply it...and no time for experiemention.

I came across Lacquer Spray...great:  "neutral in smell and taste"..."provides shine and protection from humidity"...yipee!! I had it overnighted! 

Rather than the fine mist I was expecting it sprayed out spotty...it was impossible to get anything even remotely like a shiny surface...then there was the smell (chemical, no doubt) and the taste...I had to spit it out!  It so masked the taste of the chocolate and again strong chemical taste...it was FAR from neutral.

Fortunately, the longer the bars sat the cloudy area 'faded' and by the time the bars were packaged they were fine - we boxed up the 350th bar at 2:30am for a 7am delivery (waaayyyy ahead of schedule...for once!)

For the future and just my own edification if anyone has an input/insight on all of this...that'd be great.  Did I just get a bad can of spray lacquer? Which, of course, I can't return!  Does it normally spray out spotty? What's the deal with the taste/smell? Can anyone tell me how to use confectioners glaze? how to dilute it? and why is it used?  for times like I just had when a product comes out slightly cloudy?

Any more info on this would be appreciated and thanks to all who answered so far!!

Lynne

←

I use lacquer for pan coating of things like chocolate covered almonds to get a shinier surface and to make them more resistant to moisture.

Here is the demo of polishing coated coffee beans with confectionary glaze. Essentially you drip it on the the pan rotates and it coats the product. It has a strong lacquer and alchohol smell, which you have to let dissipate.

I've never used the stuff in a can, so I can't comment on how well it is supposed to spray, but if it is coming out spotty it might be worthwhile turning the can upside down and spraying to clear the nozzle.

Now that you have some time for experimentation I'd try again. The alchohol diluent for the confectioners glaze will just allow you to thin it if it's not spraying well. I might try one of those oil spray bottles like you get from Williams Somona and see how much you have to dilute to get a nice mist.

If you have an airbrush you might want to experiment with airbrushing a mixture of the chocolate you are using and lots of cocoa butter, tempered, and applied in a fine mist and see if that gives you shine.

I have a few big molds like that, every bar comes out with a cloudy spot in the centre. If time allows, painting the mold first with a tempered mixture of the chocolate and cocoa butter thinly might help.