Bubble Trouble: Why My Pastry Technique Went Pop (and How I’m Coming Back Stronger)
Let’s talk about sugar domes, and how I briefly underestimated plastic wrap like I was auditioning for a kitchen disaster reel.
This technique is real. I learned it in person at Amaury Guichon’s Pastry Academy, where Chef Amaury himself complimented my sugar dome and even swapped it into one of his plated desserts for our graduation banquet.
One of these domes is mine. I’m 87% sure. Let’s go with it.
Fast forward only four years later, because apparently I needed several calendar cycles to emotionally prepare for molten sugar on plastic wrap.
But first, let’s rewind and break down the actual technique – the version that worked before things got dramatic.
The Technique (Yes, It’s Real)
To make this kind of sugar dome, you:
Stretch heat-resistant plastic wrap tightly over a bowl or bucket.
Lightly spray your pastry ring with nonstick spray. This helps the dome release cleanly once it’s set.
Carefully pour hot isomalt (125ºC) into the center of the wrap.
Press the ring straight down around the sugar so it spreads evenly over the plastic wrap as it balloons upward.
Have someone stand by with a fan to help the isomalt cool faster. Keep pressure on the ring until the sugar is firm enough to hold the shape. Releasing too early will cause it to collapse.
The tension on the (heat resistant!!) plastic wrap creates a ballooned shape for the isomalt to mold onto, allowing it to cool into a glossy, delicate, hollow sugar shell.
If the dome sets with slightly jagged edges, no stress – you can clean them up by gently smoothing the bottom of the dome on a flat, hot surface (like the bottom of a saucepan) for a quick, even finish.
But here’s the catch: the plastic has to survive contact with molten isomalt. And spoiler: grocery store wrap does not.
The Internet Reacts
I shared my initial attempts online. In return, I received many things: gasps, tips, support, eye rolls... and an avalanche of comments like:
“Do you put plastic wrap in the oven? No, because it MELTS.”
“That’s what you get for buying plastic wrap from the Dollar Tree!!”
“It’s called common sense…”
“Are you dense?”
“You’re not serious, right?”
To which I say: Yes. I am serious. And also, I am stubborn.
Watch as I attempt a professional sugar dome technique I first learned at Amaury Guichon’s Pastry Academy – using isomalt, multiple brands of plastic wrap, and a whole lot of persistence. Spoiler: things get a little dramatic.
What Actually Works (and What I’m Trying Next)
This technique does work. Just not with the cling wrap you keep next to the foil. Here are some snazzier, stronger options:
✅ Kureha Kurewrap (Japanese brand, available on Amazon) — Heat-safe PVDC, held up to the heat beautifully. Downside? Not very wide, and not super elastic, which was not the best duo for the dome size I needed. Every time I pressed the ring in, the plastic snapped instead of flexing. The result? A loud pop and shards of molten sugar flying through the air. Terrifying. And no bueno for this particular project.
✅ Prime Source Cling Wrap — Restaurant-grade PVC and next on my test list. It’s wider and (hopefully) more elastic. I’ll be testing it on mini domes, which feel cuter, safer, and slightly less likely to launch molten sugar at my face.
✅ Other contenders:
Reynolds Food Service Film (check for PVC content)
All heat-safe and stretch-eligible for those of us committed to chaotic sugar work.
Should You Try This?
Yes, but only if you:
Have patience
Have heat-resistant wrap
And have no qualms about questioning your life choices mid-pour
The bar. The blueprint. The dome that launched four years of procrastination. This is Chef Amaury Guichon’s famous isomalt-domed Compass entremet.
The Comeback is Coming
I’m returning to the scene of the crime next week. New film, smaller domes, same level of pastry determination.
Some people use bowls. Others use balloons. I use research, PVC plastic, and just enough saltiness to keep it interesting.