Sugar Works

Please don't eat the sugar. The idea is to play with it.

In the photo are four examples of sugar that's been pulled, piped, poured or made into a sugar paste known as pastillage.

If you've never heard of pastillage, think of it as a happy medium like working with Play-Doh. You've seen pastillage if you've ever popped an Altoid mint. Though it starts out in paste form that can be molded in many ways, pastillage dries to a hard result, which makes it a swell choice for display pieces.

The great Careme championed pastillage because he figured out that this original form of flavored candy could be used (if glued together) to make architectural showpieces known as pieces montees, some of which ended up on Napoleon’s table. Today pastillage is mostly made of powdered sugar and can include gelatin, an acid such as vinegar, water and cornstarch.

Make a batch, keeping it covered as you work so it doesn't dry out, and try your hand at flowers, 3D pieces, anything you like. For glue, whip up some royal icing (also keeping it covered so it doesn't dry up). 

Pastillage looks grand in its pristine white form, but you can paint it or airbrush it after the pieces have fully dried.

You'll find countless recipes online for how to make pastillage. For best results, make the pastillage at least a day before you plan to use it. After you've formed it into a big ball of paste, coat it with a little shortening, wrap it in plastic wrap, then a piece of wet paper towel, then more plastic wrap. Keep it stored in the fridge. When ready to use, knead it a bit to soften it up, then lightly dust your work surface with cornstarch (flour is too drying) for rolling it out. 

What can you do with pastillage? How about a peacock and an antique hair comb for an Art Deco feel on a cake? Go ahead, play around.