Last week, twenty-seven chocolatiers participated in Retail Confectioners International’s Chocolate Boot Camp^®. Although students in the course varied in age and experience, each of them graduated with a better understanding of working with chocolate.

 

“No matter what size your company is or how long you have been in business, there is always something to learn at Chocolate Boot Camp," says Michael Crudden, Vice President of Operations at Rosalind Candy Castle and 2016 course graduate.

 

We’ve snagged 3 quick tips from this popular course to share with you! Even if you’re a seasoned vet, you may be surprised to learn something that you can incorporate into your business.

 

Tip #1: Some centers need to be cooled in order to make them firm enough to hold their shape. If centers are too cold, they will cause the chocolate coating to crack and have a dull finish. Ideally, centers should be between 65-75 degrees Farenheit when coated in chocolate.

  

Tip #2: When using chocolate moulds, avoid bloom by making sure the moulds are 4 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the chocolate.

 

Tip #3: If you don’t have a tempermeter, dip a knife blade into chocolate, leaving a thin film on the blade. If the chocolate is firm and not tacky in 5 minutes, at normal room temperature (65-68 degrees Farenheit), it is in good temper.

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Tags:  bloom  Candy Hacks  Candy Making  Chocolate  Chocolate Boot Camp  Chocolate Production  crack  dull finish  Education  Moulds  temper 

In an effort to protect the public and ensure safe food is provided by food manufacturers, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires registration of all food manufacturing facilities. These regulations are part of the Food Safety Modernization Act enacted in 2011. We’ve provided answers below to some common FAQs regarding registering with the FDA.

 

Why is food facility registration a requirement?

Food facility registration will help the FDA determine the location and source of a potential outbreak of food-borne illness and quickly notify facilities that may be affected.

 

Who has to register?

The registration requirements apply to food facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for human and animal consumption in the United States. Therefore, if you are a facility making chocolates and candies, then you should be registered with the FDA.

 

Do I register one time?

Food facilities are required to submit an initial registration to the FDA only once. After that, you must renew registration with the FDA every other year during the period beginning on October 1 and ending on December 31 of each even-numbered year. This means every food facility should be renewing their registration this year as 2016 is an even-numbered year.

 

Do I have to resubmit all information to renew?

FDA will provide an abbreviated biennial registration renewal process for a registrant of a facility that has not had any changes to its registration information.

 

Does it cost to register? There is no fee for registration or updates to a registration.

 

How do I register? Register online at FDA.gov by entering a search query for “Registration of Food Facilities,” or request the paper materials by calling 800-216-7331 or 301-575-0156.

 

How is registration confirmed? After you register your facility, the FDA will confirm the registration and assign a registration number. The information provided here is directly from the FDA website, FDA.gov. For direct links to materials from the FDA, including industry guidance for food facility registration, visit the GMPs page on the RCI website when signed in as a member (found under the Member Resources tab).

 

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

Tags:  FDA  Owning a Business  Quality Control 

 

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 if we needed another reason to “heart” chocolate, the scientific journal Heart published a recent study linking “habitual chocolate consumption” to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Read it here.

 

This isn’t the first study to link chocolate to heart health. Other studies have also led scientists to believe that the plant compounds found in cacao beans, known as polyphenols, seem to improve the health of our blood vessels. Polyphenols cause blood vessels to expand, reducing blood pressure. Individuals with healthy blood vessels and healthy blood pressure are less likely to develop heart disease.

 

Unfortunately, there are no claims that chocolate is by no means the end-all, cure-all when it comes to heart disease or health in general. It is a good excuse to educate customers on the health benefits of chocolate next month and encourage trial of dark chocolate (65% cocoa or above).

 

Check out this fun video on the health benefits of chocolate, perhaps worthy ofsharing during American Heart Month.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business. 

Tags:  American Heart Month  Chocolate  Health Benefits of Chocolate  Video 

It’s day five of 2016. Are you still holding strong to your New Year’s resolutions?

 

If so, you may be with a dwindling crowd. Did you know that although 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, only 8% succeed in sticking to their goals (Statistic Brain)?

 

Set yourself up for a win-win in 2016, by setting SMART goals!

 

The SMART acronym can also help you set goals for your team. Click here for a list of questions that will help you define SMART goals for your team.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tags:  Employee Management  Infographic  New Year's  Owning a Business  Seasonal