Sugar balloons and oriental string work

I was invited to a party to celebrate my friend Karin, who turned 40 and had just become a doctor of philosophy - all of which called for a cake. I came up with this:

The balloons were made with great difficulties and burned finger tips! 3 part isomalt and 1 part water. Heat it up to 165 Celsius. And blow air in to the sugar with a copper straw and a rubber pump.....

The oriental string work worked like a charm.

The cake it self was chocolate, hazelnut, orange zest, ginger syrup, egg, caster sugar and a little bit of flour, covered in nougat and marzipan.

I used baking trays size 16cm, 22cm and 27cm (the last one probably should have been a size 29cm for a more harmonious look).