Cutting with a Guitar

The guitar, or confectionery cutter, is the most efficient and accurate way to cut many soft slabbed centers. The guitar will cut jellies, ganache, marzipan, and gianduja; it will not cut caramels, most nougats, or other firm centers. Before being cut on the guitar, the centers must first be precoated to facilitate handling. The slab is transported and handled using the stainless-steel sheet provided with the guitar. For soft centers such as ganache, the slab is lined up on the near side of the guitar base. For harder slabs such as gianduja, the slab is positioned near the top of the base and held in place manually during cutting. Steady, consistent pressure is the key to cutting centers cleanly without breaking the guitar strings.