|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
This week we have another quick and easy tip to help you make quality confections. If you are enrobing square confections (i.e. toffee, marshmallow squares, etc.), send them through your enrober corner first. Your products will receive better chocolate coverage from the fountains on the enrober and you will decrease the chance for bubbles to appear on the tops.
Do you have a quick and easy enrobing tip? Please share it with us in the comments below!
Connect with us! Have you liked Retail Confectioners International on Facebook or followed us on Twitter? We love to keep in touch with fellow confectioners through social media. Like or follow us and we’ll like and follow your business back!
Tags:
Candy Making
Photos
Quality Control
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
Since August 10 is S’mores Day and August 30 is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, we’re providing a quick marshmallow tip today.
Have you had issues with chocolate-covered marshmallows cracking? We’ve got a quick solution for you: boil your corn syrup for the marshmallow to get rid of the yeast. Here’s how it works, according to our expert panel:
Most 42DE corn syrup is contaminated in a small way with yeast bacteria. It doesn’t affect most products because the yeast is killed when the syrup is cooked above a boil. The problem comes when you are using it in marshmallow. - the syrup is added to the bob* after it is removed from the fire and never gets warm enough to kill the bacteria. To fix this, pre-weight the corn syrup for the marshmallow into a copper kettle and bring it to a very low boil. Don’t allow it to come to a rolling boil because that would remove too much moisture. Just as it begins to boil it should be removed from the fire. Do this early in the day and allow it to cool to room temperature before it is added to cooked portion of the marshmallow. A fellow candy maker did this and never had a cracked Easter egg again.
*What’s a “bob?” The bob is the sugar slurry that is cooked prior to adding the other ingredients. Bobs for cooked creams and fudges are pretty much the same - the flavor or texture comes from the added ingredients (i.e. chocolate into chocolate creams, strawberries into strawberry creams, etc.). Bobs are the basic beginnings for most cooked candies.
This tip was shared during an expert panel at an RCI regional event. Retail Confectioners International has great events just around the corner to help you stay connected! Visit retailconfectioners.org/events for information on our 2013 Fall Regional in Buffalo, New York and 2014 Winter Regional in Barbados this January.
Tags:
Candy Making
Marshmallow
Photos
Quality Control
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
Looking to buy or sell used confectionery equipment, post a confectionery job or purchase or sell a confectionery business? Then be sure to utilize this week’s tip to add the Classified Ads page on the Retail Confectioners International website to your website browser favorites.
The Classified Ads page is consistently one of the most viewed pages on our website. Both RCI members and non-members are invited to post an ad and available categories include For Sale, Wanted and Job Postings. Updates are made to the page on a regular basis and you’ll find a variety of used equipment and supplies available for purchase.
So, what are you waiting for? Take a moment to visit the Classified Ads page and add it to your web browser’s favorites. Then, when you have equipment to buy or sell or a job to post, be sure to post it with RCI.
Looking to get more familiar with the RCI website and the resources available there? Check out this blog post that lists some of the popular industry resources.
Tags:
Candy Making
Organizing
Owning a Business
Photos
Productivity
Quality Control
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
This week’s tip is quick and easy, yet it’s one you’re going to love if you do shell moulding at your candy store.
Have you had problems with filling leaking through after you have capped your shell moulds? We’ve got a simple fix for you that was shared during our 2013 Chocolate Boot Camp course. Before capping with chocolate, gently use a heat gun or blow dryer on low to the tops of the shell moulds to make the hardened chocolate sticky. Then, quickly put the back end chocolate on to help it adhere together and close well. No more leaks!
Want to learn more tips and tricks on moulding? Retail Confectioners International is hosting a Mechanics of Moulding course in Buffalo, New York this September. Find schedule details and register online today at retailconfectioners.org/moulding.
Tags:
Candy Making
Photos
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
Over the past year, the popularity of licorice as a treat has continued to grow. This week we’re encouraging you to get creative with this classic favorite. Remind adults why they loved this treat so much when growing up and reintroduce it in new ways to the younger generation and you may find new faithful customers.
Below we’ve provided a few ideas we found online along with some of our own ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Chocolate Storybook creates and sells a chocolate covered licorice stick using red Twizzlers. It’s even beautifully presented!
- Have fun with packaging! Dylan’s Candy Bar sells bin-like containers full of licorice while Southern Season has put together a licorice sampler that also presents itself as a tray when the lid is removed.
- Licorice is created in a variety of colors so package and display them according to the seasons. For example, pair red, white and blue for Memorial Day and Independence Day; black and orange varieties for Halloween; brightly colored varieties for Spring and Summer; and, of course, red and white or red and green for the Christmas season.
- An assortment of licorice shapes are available world-wide. From Scottish terriers to lighthouses to sea creatures, you may be surprised by what you can find. See what’s available and what your customers would like (i.e.starfish are great if you are by the ocean) and provide them in your store. Be sure you present them in a way that draws attention to the unique shape.
If you have additional unique or fun licorice ideas, please share them in the comments below! As a reminder to members, the RCI Buyer’s Guide is a great place to find licorice suppliers.
P.S. If you’re not with Retail Confectioners International in Cincinnati this week for our 93 rd Annual Convention & Industry Expo, be sure to check out our Facebook page for event photos!
Tags:
Candy Holidays
Candy Making
Holidays
Marketing
Packaging
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
We have another very quick tip for you this week. It’s all about making sure your chocolate is perfectly tempered for the best results.
Using inclusions in your chocolates? From nuts to coconut to dried fruits, the possibilities are endless for items to include or mix into chocolate and create unique flavors and presentations. However, did you know that you should use slightly under tempered chocolate when using inclusions? Because inclusions are room temperature they could easily, and quickly, over temper your chocolate when adding them to perfectly tempered chocolate.
What does this mean for your chocolate inclusion creations? Chocolate that is not in temper effects the final product in terms of bloom, texture and even the glossiness of the chocolate. Therefore, take this week’s tip to heart and pay close attention to the temper of your chocolate when using inclusions.
This tip was provided at our 2013 Chocolate Boot Camp education course. Find information on additional courses and events hosted by Retail Confectioners International on our website.
Tags:
Candy Making
Quality Control
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
National Macaroon Day is May 31 and this week’s tip is to get creative and have fun with this confectionery holiday. We’ve gathered a number of pictures and links below to help get the creative juices flowing. If you do something fun and unique with macaroons in your candy store, be sure to share it in the comments below!
Detailed Design: Animal Print
Fun Colors: Light & Feminine
Don't Forget the Classic: Coconut Macaroon
Unique Pairing: Cupcakes & Macaroons
Great Presentation: Make a Cake
Tags:
Candy Holidays
Candy Making
Photos
Seasonal
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
We have a quick Good Manufacturing Practices tip for you this week. When you receive pallets of chocolate or the 10-pound bars of chocolate from your chocolate supplier, you need to break them into smaller pieces to melt down and create your store’s confections. How do you go about doing that?
Many candy makers will break the chocolate into smaller pieces by smashing it with a hammer. However, if you are using a wood handled hammer, you risk the wood chipping off in the process and small shreds of wood landing in your chocolate. Additionally, if you are using a rubber handled hammer, it likely has small crevices in it that can easily hold chocolate and create bacteria as time goes on.
Therefore, this week’s tip is to use a stainless steel or titanium crowbar to break your chocolate into pieces for melting. It is still a good idea to clean the crowbar on a regular basis, but with no other element such as wood and rubber on the bar, it will be much easier to ensure it is completely clean and sterilized and ready for safe use with food.
P.S. This tip was shared during our recent Chocolate Boot Camp. View photos of this RCI education course on our Facebook page!
Tags:
Candy Making
Cleaning
GMP's
Quality Control
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By Amy Watson, Retail Confectioners International,
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
This week’s tip is quick and easy, and it’s going to make your candy making life easier!
You likely already have a book near your kettles that says precisely which temperature each of your candies should reach and for how long. We suggest taking it one step further and marking the desired temp for your most common candies right on the thermometer. This takes guesswork and estimations out of the picture and ensures your staff is aiming at the right temperature for each candy.
As you know, one or two degrees can make a huge difference when it comes to candy making. So, use today’s tip to do everything you can to keep the quality of your candies consistent.
Using a digital thermometer? Consider hanging a chart nearby for your candy makers to quickly reference and ensure accuracy.
Tags:
Candy Making
Photos
Productivity
Quality Control
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
|
Are you looking for a new product to debut this Spring and Easter season? Extremely popular Easter items for many of our members are personalized Easter eggs. Parents and grandparents love to put their kids and grandkids names on the eggs, making it an annual tradition for many. You can buy egg moulds in a variety of sizes. Bonus: Buy hollow moulds and give your customers the chance to fill their eggs with even more treats from your store!
For the best adherence when personalizing items, use chocolate on chocolate and compound coating on compound coating. Sometimes when using a compound coating on chocolate the message will not adhere and it will fall off so be extra aware and cautious. Make a small decorating bag out of parchment paper to do your writing and try to do as many as possible at one time.
Have fun decorating chocolate Easter eggs!
Tags:
Candy Making
Holidays
Seasonal
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
Print Page
Blog Home
All Blogs
RSS
