For many, the truffle is the ultimate chocolatey confection. Made with high-quality chocolate and cream, traditional truffle centers are minimally processed offering rich flavor and a velvety mouthfeel.

 

Try a variation to the traditional truffle recipe, which will quickly become a new customer favorite.

 

For a light and airy melt-in-your-mouth truffle center, whip the cooled truffle center in a mixer until it becomes fluffy. With the incorporation of air, the color will become noticeable lighter. The final density will be approximately 0.75 gm/Ml giving your truffles a completely different texture, while keeping the same great flavor.

 

This is an excerpt from the first quarter issue of Kettle Talk in 2014. Click here to view the full article which offers more tips on making delicious meltaways and truffles as written by Randy Hofberger of R&D Candy Consultants, LLC.

 

Not a member? Learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business atretailconfections.org/join.

Tags:  Candy Making  Chocolate  Chocolate Production  Holidays  Ideas  Recipe  Seasonal  Specialty  Valentine's Day 

As has become our custom on the RCI Tip of the Week blog, we’ll make the posts quick and brief this month for you since we know it’s a very busy time of year for candy makers.

 

For this first quick tip, we are encouraging you to think outside of the box when it comes to nuts in your confections, specifically nougat. For example, consider using pistachios in your holiday nougat for a fun and different color and flavor enhancement. Chef En-Ming Hsu provided this idea during her nougat demonstration at our recent Fall Regional Conference, and many attendees commented on how great the pistachios tasted as well as how beautiful they were.

If you have other fun uses for pistachios in confections, leave us a comment below!

Tags:  Candy Making  Creativity  Fall Regional  Seasonal 

It is almost the season for making life-size chocolate Santas. Ok, we realize they aren’t really life-size but some of the pretty large ones could definitely be life-size for a child!

 

Either way, this week on the blog we have a small but useful tip to help you evenly distribute the chocolate in your life-size moulded Santa Claus. Since these huge moulds aren’t likely to fit on a mould spinner, most candy makers seem to have a special way of spinning and flipping the moulds to be sure the chocolate doesn’t all gather on one side as it hardens. To help with this process our tip is to make a rule for your staff that each time they walk by the mould they need to flip it.

 

Be sure every staff member knows and understands the reason for this rule is to evenly spread the chocolate inside the mould to help ensure they’ll follow it. Additionally, it would be wise to assign a staff member to be in charge of ensuring the mould is flipped on a regular schedule. For example, if it needs to be flipped every five minutes and no one walks by for 10 minutes, this staff person would be the one to flip it at the five minute mark. It would probably be helpful to have a pen and paper chart nearby for staff to initial and write the time when they flip the mould.

 

By involving all staff to flip your extra large moulds you’ll be creating a team environment where everyone pitches in, in addition to adding an element of quality control,  

 

P.S. This tip came from our Mechanics of Chocolate Moulding education course held last fall. Attend RCI’s next education course, Chocolate Boot Camp®, by registering online today at retailconfectioners.org/bootcamp.

Tags:  Candy Making  Chocolate  Holidays  Moulds  Quality Control  Seasonal 

Gingerbread house kit shown during RCI's 2013 Annual Convention at Marie's Candies.

It’s hard to believe Christmas is just over two months away! The closeness of Christmas is why this week’s tip is a holiday idea that’s fun for kids of all ages. Host a gingerbread house making party!

 

Create the individual kits ahead of time with graham crackers, icing and the colorful candies to decorate the houses. Then, charge a set fee and invite families and children to come make their own gingerbread house. Be sure to have plates available for them to take their creation home. One of our members does this during their annual holiday open house and it is a big hit. You also could make it a weekly Saturday activity leading up to Christmas. The possibilities and ideas for this activity are endless!

 

Not up to hosting a party at your store yet, or don’t have the space? You can still create kits that customers can purchase and take “to go”. Then, ask them to share photos of the finished products on your Facebook page. It’s a great way to stay connected to your customers!

Tags:  Creativity  Holidays  Marketing  Photos  Seasonal 

Looking for a new idea for your fall product list? How about a Smash Pumpkin?

 

Smash Pumpkins are simple hollow pumpkin or jack o’lantern moulds that are filled with additional goodies of your choice. Customers get to ‘smash’ the pumpkin open after purchase to see what’s inside.

 

Package your pumpkins in cellophane with beautiful bows and they become a gift of candies within a gift of chocolate! Be sure to explain on your packaging what this new product is and what’s inside so that customers understand what they’re purchasing. Have fun with it!

 

P.S. Next week RCI is exhibiting at the Philadelphia Candy Gift & Gourmet Show in Atlantic City. Be sure to stop by booth #512 and say hello if you’ll be there, too!

Tags:  Candy Making  Creativity  Holidays  Moulds  Photos  Seasonal