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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Updated: Monday, August 24, 2020
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August is National Peach Month. Did you know the peach is actually a member of the rose family and originated in China? The two main varieties of peaches are (1) clingstone, which are characterized by flesh that sticks to the stone and (2) freestone know by flesh that is easily separated from the stone. When picking up peaches from the grocery store or farmers’ market, it’s safe to say green is definitely unripe, however, that rosy red color isn’t always an indicator of a peach’s ripeness. Different peach varieties have different amounts of red blush to their skin. According to the Illinois Farm Bureau, “the skin of yellow-fleshed varieties ripens to an orange tint, while the skin of white-fleshed varieties changes from greenish- to yellow-white.” Peaches with a slight give when pressed gently are ready to be used in the kitchen. Like many fruits, under-ripe peaches can be placed in a paper bag for two to three days to speed up the ripening process. Peaches are at their peak from June to the end of August, so if you’re looking for fresh ways to incorporate local peaches into your confections now is the time. Peach Pâte de Fruit
Pâte de fruit, French for “fruit paste,” is a great vehicle for highlighting fresh fruits of any variety. Interested in making your own peach pâte de fruit? Click here for the recipe from The Spruce Eats. Peaches and Cream Fudge
It’s creamy, it’s peachy and that’s something we can sink our teeth into. Make separate batches of peach and vanilla to create a beautiful swirl with the two colors. Click here for the recipe. Peach Pie Fudge
A white chocolate fudge as the base, freeze-dried peaches and peach pie flavoring--topped with a buttery crumble topping stirs enough curiosity to think this just might be even better than the real thing. Check out this recipe from Sweet Recipeas. Here’s wishing your summer kitchen adventures are just peachy! Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Updated: Monday, August 24, 2020
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Looking for ideas to inspire your latest and greatest new product? Churros are a popular street food in Spanish and Latin American cultures, which have been gaining in popularity across America over the past decade. Not only are these sweet treats popping up in food trucks and high-end restaurants, various applications can be found in the confectionery industry. Although these crispy and chewy fried pastries, often topped with cinnamon and sugar, aren’t a new development, they are expected to “dominate 2020’s dessert scene,” according to Webstaurant Store’s food trends report earlier this year. Compartes Churros & Horchata white chocolate bar, Smash Mallow
cinnamon churro marshmallows, and Candy Club churro bites Commonly characterized by a very generous coating of cinnamon sugar, you can transform just about any of your favorite confections into a churro-inspired treat. Tip: Add the extra element of crunch by incorporating Cinnamon Toast CrunchTM Churros cereal. Churro Toffee Abdallah Candies envelopes their buttery toffee in white chocolate before coating it in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. It’s almost too pretty to eat, but we wouldn’t let that stop us! Churro Popcorn White-chocolate covered popcorn sprinkled with the churro’s signature cinnamon sugar combo, may be just what you need to recreate the crispy, chewy texture that the churro is known for. For extra cinnamon flavor, this recipe coats popcorn in melted cinnamon chips. Churro Truffles Nothing quite beats rolling all the goodness that makes a churro into a decadent truffle. Check out this recipe for churro truffles from Peter’s Chocolate. Here’s just a few ideas to put your own spin on churros as part of your confectionery line-up, but don’t stop here! Imagine how you could transform your signature caramel recipe or scratch-made marshmallows to capture the flavors and textures of the churro? Tell us all about your ideas in the comments below. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Updated: Monday, August 24, 2020
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August may have just begun, but when you see school supplies fill the store aisles, you know fall is just around the corner.
There's something warm and comforting about caramel corn in the fall--but sticky, clumpy caramel corn is no fun at all! After reading this week's quick tip, you will never want to make caramel corn without this ingredient!
If your caramel corn sticks together and becomes difficult to separate, adding lecithin will help. Randy Hofberger of R&D Consultants advises mixing lecithin with a little oil and adding this mixture at the end of your caramel corn recipe. This will help the caramel spread apart easier and save you the hassle of manually pulling it apart.
Allergy Alert!
It is advised that individuals with soy allergies do not consume products that contain lecithin. Although lecithin is a byproduct of soy, there is always a chance soy protein will find its way into lecithin. Lecithin derived from sunflower or canola are more allergy-friendly alternatives to soy.
Don’t cry over spilled lecithin.
Resist the urge to clean spilled lecithin with a damp cloth or spray cleaner, which will cause it to gum-up and make it worse. Instead, cover the spill with sugar and it will clean right up without a sweat.
New Flavor Inspiration
Once you’ve perfected your caramel popcorn recipe, consider experimenting with different flavors and ingredients to take your corn to the next level. Here’s some inspiration for the upcoming fall season.
Bourbon Caramel
Equally suited as a tailgate party snack or a jolly holiday treat, bourbon caramel corn will keep ‘em coming back for more.
Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche is a South American delicacy made with slow-cooked milk and sugar. A natural fit for caramel corn, it offers a rich, creamy and more complex flavor for your caramel popcorn.
Pumpkin Spice
Is it even fall without pumpkin spice? We don’t think so!
In the past, Starbucks has released their pumpkin spice latte as early as the end of August. Get ready for the craze by introducing pumpkin spice caramel corn for this fall season.
Here’s to making your best batches of caramel corn ever and to a sweet fall season!
Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the
Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Updated: Thursday, July 30, 2020
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August is the unofficial marshmallow month—with National S’mores Day on August 10 and National Toasted Marshmallow Day on August 30. Marshmallows originated in Ancient Egypt. They were made from the sweet, gooey sap extracted from the mallow plant and mixed with honey to make candy. The sticky treat was so good, it was reserved exclusively for royalty. We thought it fitting to elevate the marshmallow by debunking the idea that they’re just for campfires with five ways to celebrate with marshmallows. Gourmet Marshmallows
There’s nothing quite like homemade marshmallow. Put the jet-puffed variety to shame and experiment with this recipe for gourmet marshmallows from Delish.com. Plus, we’ve got troubleshooting tips from RCI’s past blog post—click here to read more. S’mores Fudge Bars
Made with a buttery graham cracker crust, generous layer of rich chocolate and topped with gooey toasted marshmallow, these s’mores fudge bars would be difficult for anyone to pass up. Fun fact: According to the National Confectioners Association (NCA), more than 50 percent of all marshmallows sold are eventually toasted over a fire each summer (candyusa.com). Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Dipped Marshmallows
Salted caramel amps up the flavor of chocolate-dipped marshmallows. With flavors this sophisticated, forget the campfire—crank up the kitchen torch and pass the graham crackers. Fluffer Nutter Bites
Love marshmallows? Love peanut butter? Who doesn't?! Don’t miss this recipe for gooey and crunchy Fluffer Nutter Bites. Get the recipe here. Roasted Marshmallow Toppings Kit
If they can build it, they will come. Bundled take-home kits have been a popular option for people spending more time at home. Let consumers build their own roasted marshmallow bar with a bundled kit that’s perfect for small gatherings or an easy after-dinner treat. This twist on s’mores replaces chocolate bars with chocolate sauce and caramel sauce to coat toasted marshmallows before rolling them in any variety of crunchy topping like roasted nuts, pretzel pieces and crushed candy bits. Don’t forget to include wooden skewers as part of your kit. Highlight your gourmet treats this summer with fun ways to celebrate marshmallows. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Updated: Thursday, July 30, 2020
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 In honor of National Coconut Day on June 26, we’re sharing troubleshooting tips for working with coconut as well as inspiration for developing a new, craveable coconut candy that will make your fans go loco for coconut this summer! Coconut can come in many forms, but for confectioners, desiccated coconut is the most popular. Desiccated is defined as, “preserved by drying,” according to Merriam-Webster. The process of making desiccated coconutinvolves shredding unsweetened coconut meat that has been dehydrated and sifted to a range of different sizes. Shelf Life and Storage
Desiccated coconut is a low-moisture, high-fat product. Approximately 3% moisture content is necessary for desiccated coconut to be shelf stable. If moisture content is 5% or above, dried coconut will mold and spoil rapidly. Poly bags are an effective barrier against moisture pick up in transit and storage. However, dry storage conditions for desiccated coconut is recommended to maximize shelf life. With a low moisture product, such as this, any candy formulation has to be adjusted for the drying effect of such an ingredient. An alternative to this formula adjustment, of course, the premoistening of the desiccated coconut before addition to the candy batch. Oil Separation
The fat content of desiccated coconut is probably the most important single attribute. With almost two-thirds of its composition being coconut oil, with a melting point of 76°F/24.4°C, it is a factor to be seriously considered. Cool storage between 65-75°F/18.3-23.8°C is recommended. If stored above 76°F/24.4°C, under considerable stacking, oil separation can occur. This high-fat content also requires gentle handling and short mixing times for coconut candies so as to avoid the separation of coconut oil from the candy due to mechanical pressure. Solution: Despite the best efforts of candy makers in mixing and handling of coconut pastes, it is still possible to have separation occur during the forming operation. Almost every forming operation requires that a certain amount of pressure be applied to the coconut paste. There are formula modifications that can be made to minimize this fat separation, such as the addition of 0.5%-1% of glyceryl monosterate (GMS) to coconut paste. GMS should be added to coconut paste in liquid form to ensure even distribution throughout the batch. Addition of solid GMS to a cold batch could make the ingredient ineffective. Soapy Flavor
The high-fat content in desiccated coconut can lead to the development of soapy flavor when spoiled. Coconut fat represented by the triglyceride molecules in the presence of enzymes secreted by microorganisms (molds or yeast) breaks down into mono diglycerides and free fatty acid. Since 48% of the free fatty acid radicals in coconut fat are lauric acid, you quickly get the characteristic soapy flavor that lauric acid imparts. Solution: The use of hot water or steam blanching desiccated coconut results in extremely low microbiological counts and drastically reduces the chances for this soapy flavor development. Yellowing
Naturally occurring sugar and protein in coconut are responsible for the number one spoilage factor in this product: yellowing. Non-enzymatic browning, known as the Maillard reaction, gives coconut a yellow appearance is caused by the reaction between the natural sugars, particularly invert sugars and amino acids in the protein in coconut. Storage
Once a candy maker has received desiccated coconut, it is important to always use the oldest stock first and store in the coolest possible location. At around 40°F/4.4˚C, you get an almost indefinite shelf life of coconut. Particle Size
The tendency of a cut of desiccated coconut to yellow is almost directly related to its particle size—the larger the particle size, the greater the tendency to yellow. Extra fine or macaroon typically have the best whiteness retention, while slice and chip cuts, being cross sections of the coconut meat, yellow quickly on the inner surface. Coconut Recipe Ideas: Now that you’ve brushed up on your coconut knowledge, it’s time to get cooking—in the candy kitchen, that is. Here’s some inspiration for your next great coconut recipe. Toasted Coconut and Caramel Truffles
- Think of the popular Girl Scout cookie, Caramel deLites/Samoas, as inspiration for a caramel and toasted coconut patty, covered in chocolate. Take a look at this recipe for Samoa Truffles from Shugary Sweets. Five boxes, please!
Coconut Caramels
- The perfect summer twist to your caramel recipe! This recipe by Taste of Home uses coconut milk, shredded coconut and roasted almonds.
Spiced Cashew Coconut Brittle
- Add a little bite to cashew coconut brittle with the addition of black pepper. Check out this recipe from Martha Stewart.
Keto Coconut Truffles
- Appeal to the Keto diet craze by developing a recipe that highlights coconut with the simple addition of a natural sweetener, like honey or maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt. There are tons of recipes out there, but you could start by trying this recipe from blogger, Chocolate Covered Katie.
We hope you learned something and enjoy experimenting and perfecting your coconut recipes. Do you have a favorite coconut candy that you will highlight for National Coconut Day? If so, tell us about it in the comments below. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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This buttery and crunchy treat is “one of the finest confections made,” according to Walter Richmond, author of Choice Confections.
With National Almond Buttercrunch Day at the end of June, now is the time to make plans to perfect your recipe or introduce this popular confection into your product line. Keep reading for expert tips on how to achieve the signature crunch as well as a formulation worthy of a national holiday.
So how do you get the perfect crunch? This confection’s signature crunch comes from a high cook temperature and the right formulation of ingredients, namely butter and sugar. Typically made by caramelizing sugar with butterfat at a high temperature of 290-300° F. Equally important, the ratio of butter and sugar will have an effect of the grain of the crunch. Richmond recommends 37-42 percent butter and 63-58 percent sugar (nuts excluded) for the confection to gradually become softer and melt in your mouth when eating.
Use the following formulation to adapt this classic recipe in your own candy kitchen.
Whether it’s the crunch or rich buttery goodness, consumers love buttercrunch enough to honor it with a national holiday. If you’re looking for opportunities to learn more about improving your buttercrunch and other candy recipes, connecting with fellow candy makers is one of the best ways to do so. It’s not too late to register for RCI’s Annual Convention & Industry Expo in Hartford, Connecticut June 3-7, 2019 at the Connecticut Convention Center. Attend RCI’s two-day Industry Expo for only $5 with promo code RCIHigh5. Click here to register online today!
As always, attending RCI’s Industry Expo is free to members! Extend your stay and we’ll extend the early-bird discount to offer you the best value! Register now and save $100 on the Convention Pass or 3-Day Pass when you use the promo code SAVE100.
Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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Now that fireworks from the 4th of July have fizzled, it’s time to look forward to the next major holiday! Many Americans have already started making arrangements for Labor Day on September 3, while our Canadian friends may be counting down until Civic Day on August 6, however, any bacon fan worth their salt is already salivating for International Bacon Day(otherwise known as “IBD” by bacon fanatics) on September 2.
Even if you don’t regularly observe IBD, you can agree the salty flavor and crunchy texture of bacon, paired with sweet chocolate is a match made in hog heaven (okay, maybe just heaven). There’s a seemingly endless array of ways to pair bacon with chocolate. Whether you’re working with bits, chunks, strips or not-so-delicate bacon roses, this little piggy may bring with it different requirements from your local health department that you should be aware of before you grab that skillet.
Here’s some ideas, if you decide to go whole hog:
If you don’t want to take the risk of using real bacon in your recipes, consider using bacon flavoring or smoked bacon sea salt for a more subtle flavor. Make your bacon confections sizzle by sprinkling with Sizzling Bacon Candy. Check out this past post about how to preserve the pop when incorporate popping candy into a truffle center.
If you really want to make your local bacon fans squeal, ask your fans to share ideas for bacon-related confections they’d like to see at your shop or let them vote for their favorite once you’ve narrowed down some realistic options. Not only is this sure to create some excitement amongst your fans, it will help identify if you have enough of an audience to really bring home the bacon!
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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With National Almond Buttercrunch Day at the end of the month, now is the time to make plans to perfect your recipe or introduce this popular confection into your product line. Keep reading for expert tips on how to achieve the signature crunch as well as a formulation worthy of a national holiday.
ALL ABOUT THAT CRUNCH
According to Walter Richmond, author of Choice Confections, this buttery and crunchy treat is “one of the finest confections made.” So how do you get the perfect crunch? This confection’s signature crunch comes from a high cook temperature and the right formulation of ingredients, namely butter and sugar. Typically made by caramelizing sugar with butterfat at a high temperature of 290-300° F. Equally important, the ratio of butter and sugar will have an effect of the grain of the crunch. Richmond recommends 37-42 percent butter and 63-58 percent sugar (nuts excluded) for the confection to gradually become softer and melt in your mouth when eating.
Use the following formulation to adapt this classic recipe in your own candy kitchen.
Maybe it’s the crunch or rich buttery goodness, consumers love buttercrunch enough to honor it with a national holiday. If you’re looking to gain a better understanding of how to make great buttercrunch (or toffee) with consistency or how to make corrections when issues arise, make plans to attends RCI’s upcoming Caramels, Toffees & Brittles course August 15-17, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. Caramels, Toffees & Brittles offers students optimal hands-on learning experience while benefiting from the knowledge and skills presented by confectionery and chocolate experts.
Caramels, Toffees & Brittles is open to both RCI members and non-members. Event organizers encourage those interested to register now, as the course is limited to the first 24 registrants. For detailed course information, visit www.retailconfectioners.org/caramels.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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Create some laughter in your stores that is sure to generate impulse purchases this holiday season, with this recipe for cinnamon-flavored Candy Coal from RCI member, LorAnn Oils.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon LorAnn Cinnamon Oil or 1 teaspoon (1-dram bottle) for a hotter cinnamon flavor
1/4 teaspoon LorAnn black powder food coloring or 1-1/2 teaspoons black gel food color*
Use of a candy thermometer is recommended
DIRECTIONS
- Have all ingredients and tools assembled and within easy reach of the stove. Line a 9" x 6" loaf pan or 8" x 8" baking pan with aluminum foil allowing foil to overhang sides. Spray with non-stick cooking spray, such as PAM.
- In a 2-quart saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup, water and black powder food color (*if using gel color, add at step 4). Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer if using, making certain it does not touch the bottom of the pan.
- Bring mixture to a boil, without stirring. Early in the cooking process, you can "wash down" any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
- *If using gel coloring, add when syrup reaches 260º F. Do not stir. Boiling action will incorporate color into syrup.
- Continue to cook and remove from heat precisely at 300º F (temperature will continue rising), or until drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action has ceased, add flavor and stir. USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING FLAVORING TO AVOID RISING STEAM.
- Pour syrup into prepared pan. Do not refrigerate. Cool completely. Once candy is cooled, lift from pan and remove foil.
- Break candy into small chunks to simulate coal pieces (see tip). For best results, store candy at room temperature in an airtight container.
For an eye-catching merchandising display, consider placing a clear candy bag of coal candies into cute Mini Glavanized Metal Pails from Oriental Trading Company. Add a chalkboard sticker like the photo above or a cute kraft paper label tied with ribbon or scraps of fabric for a rustic-chic look.
Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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We've curated the most-read tips from 2016, to pinpoint topics that are most important to candy makers.
From troubleshooting tips to sky-high merchandising inspiration, plus a customer service must-read, the following posts deliver quick and easily executed tips to simply the lives of confectioners, like you!
Suffer from sweaty sea salt caramels? Take tips from fellow candy makers and RCI members on how to avoid this common problem.
Get step-by-step instructions for creating this eye-catching truffle tree.
RCI MEMBER BONUS: Click here to login to RCI’s member site and snag three variations of ganache recipes on page 9 of RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine.
Nobody likes hard, dried-out marshmallows! Keep your ‘mallows soft and pillowy all year long with this popular tip of the week.
An oldie, but a goodie, this throwback from 2012 covers four customer service basics that are too important not to review with your team on a regular basis.
Bloom is easily identified as one of the most common problems facing candy makers. No surprise, this post tops the list with common causes of chocolate bloom, as well as simple solutions.
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