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Distinguish Your Homemade Chocolate With The Proper Taste And Color.

Flavor can be added to chocolate candy; however, it is essential that you use an oil-based flavor. Flavor oils that are alcohol-based will not work, nor will flavored extracts, such as vanilla, otherwise the alcohol will trigger the chocolate to seize and form a lumpy mass. Oil-based flavorings, sometimes called “candy flavoring,” can be added directly to melted chocolate without causing it to seize. Use a food-grade eyedropper to release the flavor oil into the melted chocolate candy. Begin by inserting only a few drops and then increase the amount to improve the flavor. Note that the food coloring you buy in the store and some of the flavors may have water added! So the point is not to mess up your candy by adding the wrong kind of flavor. Shop for flavors in the candy making supply aisle, and not the bakery supply aisle.

There are perhaps over fifty different kinds of oil based candy flavor on the market. There are all of the basics, such as Almond, Apple, Caramel, and lots of fun flavors that you might never have even thought of to use in candy. Examples of these distinctive flavors are Eggnog, Guava, Pomegranate Flavor, and so on. Candy flavor oils can be purchased in bulk (gallon size), per ounce, and as small as one dram. One dram is .125 FL. OZ. which is 1/16 of an ounce or 3.7 MIL. Use approximately one to two ounces to twenty-five pounds of chocolate, or ? to ? teaspoon per pound.

Any white chocolate candy coating can be made into a rainbow of colors. You’ll find Merckens Chocolate in colors for every event, season and holiday celebration. Some of the candy colors that are accessible vary from Red, White, Pink, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Green and many more. You can also produce custom colors simply with an oil based candy color or a powdered color. To color candy, add coloring to the Merckens wafers a little at a time. Mix completely before adding more color. It’s better to add more candy color than to have a color that’s too powerful or bright. If you do add too much color, you can lighten the color by adding new white candy wafers.

Do not use regular bakery food colors to color your candy or chocolates. Bakery icing colors are not oil based, and will cause your candy to seize up. Colors tend to deepen as they are blended. Keep in mind that pastel colored candies are the most appetizing. You can also add a fun touch by blending in chocolate sprinkles or rainbow sprinkles to the melted chocolate to enhance color and texture.

Oil-based flavorings can be found at some specialty cooking stores, craft stores, online confectionery retailers, and stores that sell oasis candy making supplies. Please contact us for additional information.

Tags: candy making, candy making supplies, candy making supply, Merckens, Merckens chocolate
Posted in Desserts · February 8th, 2010 · Comments (0)

The Correct Way To Dip Candy Bon-Bons

Suppose you’ve already made up or purchased the candy centers from a Candy Supply store and are now ready to dip them in chocolate. We’ve always used the Merckens Brand of melting chocolate. The flavor is of excellent quality and it is very uncomplicated to melt in the microwave or double boiler. This type of chocolate is a confectionery coating, also known as Rainbow Wafer, Confectionery Coating or Summer Coating. It can be used in candy molds by the novice and/or professional candy maker. Compound Coating should not be confused with ‘Real’ chocolate. The confectionery compound coating has a rich chocolate velvety flavor, and may contain small amounts of cocoa butter or chocolate liquor, but they primarily contain other vegetable fats and cocoa for easier handling and faster set up. Confectionery coating does not contain wax, which could be a health danger for some people. Use Merckens? instead and stop eating wax! Confectionery coating is not as sensitive to the high humidity and temperatures of summer. This kind of chocolate is uncomplicated to use and packed in a wafer form.

Dip one center in at a time, press it below the surface with the prongs of a dipping fork or spoon. Instantly lift it out. Quickly lift it to a piece of waxed paper, and with a toothpick push it off, or turn it upside down and lay it on, rapidly lifting the fork; and in doing so, give it a curl to form the treads on the ends of the fork into attractive designs. With a little preparation you’ll be able to dip very quickly, and can soon learn just how to turn the fork to make the most stunning designs. If your melting chocolate is of the proper texture each bon-bon will have a smooth, glossy finish.

A number of people might like to use nuts to decorate the top of the dipped candy. Cut the nuts in half prior to dipping and be sure to have them close by. Very soon after a bon-bon is dipped, take the nut and place it on top of the candy. It is important to do this rather quickly, so that the coating does not congeal. If you are too slow the nuts will not stick. Another technique to decorate the bon-bon is to drizzle white icing onto them. Make certain that the candy has completely dried, then line them very close together in rows. Have your icing thinned out. Get a fork and dip it into the icing, raise the fork up and drizzle over the bon-bons.

The tools that you’ll need for this project can be found at cake decorating supply shops. For extra information please contact us at our wholesale cake and candy supply shop.

Tags: cake decorating supplies, candy making, candy making supplies, candy making supply, decorating a cake
Posted in Desserts · January 25th, 2010 · Comments (0)