Easy Candy Sugar Balloon Bowls
I love, love, love experimenting and developing something new that’s never been seen before on the internet or TV. As I write this there are no blog posts about this, no YouTube videos and no Pinterest pictures – it is just totally fresh and new. To be honest I didn’t think this idea would work, I expected that I’d get hot sugar splattered around the kitchen. But it really did work and they looked even more beautiful and amazing than I’d imagined they would. I’ll definitely be doing more of these.
Candy Splash Sugar Bowl Recipe
(Developed by Ann Reardon. IMPORTANT: if you use this blog post to film your own video or write a post PLEASE do the right thing – GIVE CREDIT AT THE START of the video/post and put a link above the fold to my original video. “I found these on the internet” is NOT giving credit, the internet is not a person, it does not create anything. I know that this sounds a bit like a rant but I’m really tired of getting blatantly copied without credit. C’mon, you can be better than that 🙂
300g (10.58 ounces) or 1 1/3 cups sugar
200g (7.05 ounces) or 1/2 cup glucose syrup
75mL (2.54 fluid ounces) water
flavouring and colouring (optional)
Candy Thermometer
Balloons (CAUTION make sure you have helium quality balloons and test with an un-inflated one first to check it does not melt).
Fill your balloon with water and remove all the air as shown in the video. Dry with paper towel and rub with a little oil.
Mix together sugar, water and glucose syrup and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of the bowl using a wet pastry brush. Heat the syrup up to 150C (302 degrees Fahrenheit). Remove from the heat and stir in desired colours. Then pour over the balloon.
Leave to cool completely then make a small cut in the balloon and let it deflate.
Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Sugar Bowl Part 2 and Danger WARNING
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All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
I can not find where the quantities for the sugar syrup recipe on your website. Please respond as soon as possible! Thank you it is an amazing idea ?
Can you tell me what colors you buy and where please. Beautiful beautiful creations my dear. ?
Hi Deborah, Ann doesn’t have a favourite brand but does like to use quality colours from cake decorating stores.
Hi Ann,
what a great find! I tried wrapping a shot glass in a balloon and poured over that. It came out in the shape of a mini glass and looked great until I broke it trying to pull it off.
Hi Ann! Thank you for this amazing idea! I tried this today but had some difficulties during the cooling off process. The heated syrup appears to be a lot less thicker than what was in the video. As a result, after pouring the syrup on to the balloon, most of the liquid eventually slips off the balloon as it cools off. I find myself periodically scooping the excess sugar off the plate and re-pouring it over the balloon. Please advise! Thank you in advance!
Hi Ann, thank you so much for sharing. I am so looking forward to making mini ones to use as toppers for cupcakes. Probably a silly question, can the syrup be re-heated if it becomes to cool?
Cheers Rhonda
Hi Rhonda, No it would go quite hard so you would just end up burning it I think. If it is still liquid when you wish to reheat then you might be okay.
Thank you so much for this idea and recipe! I was struggling with how to fashion dragon wings for my son’s birthday cake and these were the PERFECT answer! They looked like stained glass. I suspended a large balloon then poured orange candy down opposite sides, equally, leaving open spaces on the adjacent sides. The right wing cracked so I reheated the excess sugar, added brown food color, and attempted a patch job while adding a little texture and definition. It worked but my assistant stepped out during deflation and it ended up breaking off anyway. *This process requires 4 hands, by the way: 2 for holding each wing and 2 to hold the balloon and direct water away from the sugar. I couldn’t risk snipping the balloon at the spout, like the others, because the water would redistribute, distort the balloon and possibly crack the wings further. I used the remaining sugar to make dragon eggs which we filled with ice cream and everyone was amazed. They thought the wings were plastic! I’m only able to upload 1 image so I’m going with a lit up cake and super happy birthday boy. Thanks Ann, you’re a superstar!
Close up of the wings
Wings of Fire – Sandwing
Looks like stained glass all lit up!
Wow Carolyn, I lobe the look of this!
That’s amazing Carolyn. Great work!!
would you be able to cover a punch jug in this? i am going an assignment for school and have decided to make and edible punch jug that’s filled with jelly and sugar fruits. will the sugar dissolve if it has jelly in it?
I LOVE this show! I love Ann and her endearing personality! I made these tonight to get the hang of it and learned a lot. I need to do them again and pour the syrup over the balloon and bowl (I tried both) instead of drizzling; these definitely won’t hold ice cream!. I wanted multiple colors, but I found they started hardening in the bowls before I could use the second and third colors; I put them in the microwave to melt them back to liquid state before drizzling them on. Suggestions for using multiple colors?
Hi Willie, I would work with a friend, so you could add the colours similultaneously.
I’m so so so excited to make these. I’m going to use small balloons from a pack of assorted balloons. I don’t know if they are helium quality, so wish me luck. I had to order glucose syrup online but will use light corn syrup the next time since it is cheaper. I LOVE this site!
Hi Willie, to keep this safe, use good quality helium balloons, they are more tolerant of the heat.
This is a great idea. I’ve been looking for a way to make sugar glass containers for edible slime birthday cake. I’ll let you know how it went. Thank you for coming up with this method. I’m hoping it will work for me too.
In your video you said these bowls should be used same day. I wanted to make them ahead as gifts- how long do you think they can last and/or is there a way to make them inedible so it will remain a candy dish?
Hi Jeannine, as they are made from a sugar syrup they will gradually start to react with the moisture in the air. They need to be used promptly. They will last a couple of days if kept dry but for best results use the same day.
Can you use this as a cake topper and put fresh flowers in it? Do you think that would be pretty????
Hi Sherrie-lee, you could do that though if it is filled with flowers you probably wouldn’t see it.
Can these bowls get wet or will they melt? I saw you used them for ice cream sundaes, but did you have to throw them out? Thanks.
Hi Kathryn, If exposed to moisture the sugar will begin to dissolve. If you use them for a dessert they will need to be eaten or thrown away.
Oh my gosh I did it. They are still setting up right now. I doubled it and made three bowls. Hopefully I will get back on and post a picture once they set and I take the balloon out. Thank you so much for sharing this. I plan on sealing mine and using it more for decoration.
We are looking forward to the pics!
beautiful! can corn syrup be substituted for glucose syrup? Is it the same product? Thank you.
Hi Tessica, light corn syrup and glucose syrup can be used interchangeably.
Good evening, these bowls are beautiful 🙂
For these recipe quantities how many bowls can you make?
Thanks
Hi Monica, depending on the size of your balloons, usually at least 2 medium size.
Can i make it with isomalt? The temperature needed would be the same?
Hi Daniella, Isomalt melts at 135C-148C . Sugar is ready to set hard when heated to 150C. Ann thinks that because the temperature is so similar that as long as you wait for the bubbles to subside it should be okay. Please note that she has not yet tested this recipe using isomalt so you would need to experiment (with care).
Hi Daniela, just tried it with isomalt and it works perfectly! Just treat the isomalt appropriately according to its directions and it will harden just right.
Beautiful bowls! Will share with others.
Make for company…
Your so talented!!
Thank you
I would like the written recipe for your Candy Sugar Balloon Bowls 1.
They are so beautiful I can’t wait to try them. Thank You Suzette
I’m going to try to make theses, they are so beautiful.