I always have problems with pellets, so use paste instead, you hadrly lose a fish as the boyancy is better, to make it just grind them up in a food blender - I tend to use the old ones once they have gone a bit softer - it takes a bit of time but I think it'd be better than scalding as I wouldn't have thought you'd want water in the paste mix.
I am sure you can by them pre-ground now as well - from hinder site I think but can't quite remember.
Beat a couple of eggs and keep adding the powder until you get the consistency you require.
The ground pellets also make a nice ground bait, on it's own or mixed with something else.
