Looking for Fondant?

[Finman]

The bees!

Making bees from sugar. Or what.
.

 

[Anduril]

Inverting has no meaning to bees.


.

Making bees from sugar. Or what.
.

Only on wedding cake.
Hivemaker comment bees invert sugar, why do they do it. "Invertase"

 

[Finman]

Only on wedding cake.
Hivemaker comment bees invert sugar, why do they do it. "Invertase"

Hivemaker cannot ask so stupid thing!
My answer was correct.
.
Hivemaker should ask, how they do it, not why.
.

 

[Curley]

Question to the autumn fondant feeders -
do the bees store it or use it straight from the block?
And do you top up through the winter or give them a gert big lump. If the latter, how big?

Interested because a few of my stocks have shown little interest in syrup this year. Mostly culprits fairly heavy but not what you would call 'nailed down'

 

[fatshark]

They store it.
12.5kg for starters, then a bit more if they will take it. Most of my colonies this year have had ~16kg. I try and let them finish it all and leave the top bars clear before shutting them up completely.

Edit ... but they're unlikely to take that amount down starting from now.

 

[Curley]

Thanks Fatshark - very helpful - might try that next year.

 

[Poly Hive]

Some don't even have the honey off yet and will be feeding considerable quantities of syrup too so no not too late yet.

PH

 

[taurus]

I have been playing around a bit with syrup, commercially bought fondant and home made fondant. The colonies that have thrived the most from September onwards were the ones on fondant rather than syrup, they've really built up from small late supercedure nucs.

If I put commercial fondant next to home made they seem to prefer the homemade stuff. Which is harder and a lot easier to use so it suits me as well.

 

[SDM]

Just picked up 12.5kg of fondant for £9 from my local bakers.
Is that fairly typical right now?

 

[Stiffy]

Just picked up 12.5kg of fondant for £9 from my local bakers.
Is that fairly typical right now?

IMHO, that's a good price for a small quantity.
S

 

[enrico]

Good program
Well done, give them a jar of honey too
E

 

[Noddy]

I make sugar blocks, considerably cheaper than fondant etc. Any left over is converted into syrup for spring feeding.

 

[Karsal]

Just bought my winter feed from these people.

12.5kg Bakers Fondant Icing

https://www.cake-stuff.com/edibles-...ndant-icing-read-details-before-ordering-p863

Free postage over £75 so if two or three bulk up the order....

PH

Called at my local bakers and asked there if they could get me a 12.5kg pack of bakers fondant.

It was £12.08 which is what it cost them. I thanked them very much and it wasn't a problem. So nice people.

 

[Eyeman]

I make sugar blocks, considerably cheaper than fondant etc. Any left over is converted into syrup for spring feeding.

I made some sugar bricks when sugar was 39p/kg now its 50p/ kg and I can get fondant for 72p/kg (£9.00 for 12.5kg) so not worth the extra effort of making the bricks at the moment.
But I'll continue to keep future options open.

 

[Curley]

I make sugar blocks

What's a sugar block please , and how does it work compared to fondant?

 

[madasafish]

What's a sugar block please , and how does it work compared to fondant?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2jgHZrH4Ds

tells you.

Sugar prices:
Now Morrisons have raised their prices Farmfoods are selling 2kg for £1 BUT if you spend £25, there is a £2.50 voucher in their sales glossy
So 50kg for £22.50 of 45p/kg

 

[Ely]

I imagine they need access to a lot of water to process the sugar blocks.

 

[Poly Hive]

I agree.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I make sugar blocks, considerably cheaper than fondant

Until you factor in the energyl cost of 'cooking' them. Both heating the stuff up and your time and work processing them.

Called at my local bakers and asked there if they could get me a 12.5kg pack of bakers fondant.

It was £12.08 which is what it cost them.

reasonable - paid less than £8.00 a pack with Bako Wales in the autumn but it all depends on how switched on your local manager is on stock turnover versus individual item profit margin.

 

[Jafer2]

If you have homebargins you can get it for 69p a kilo if you find any in stock that is... is where i am or get it from here for £11.20 https://www.happyvalleyhoney.co.uk/product/12-5kg-bakers-fondant/