If you’ve spent any time at all on social media lately, you’re probably familiar with the Dubai chocolate bar with its mesmerizing green filling. This viral treat has captured the attention of chocolate lovers and foodies, making them eager to try it. Adding to their allure, Dubai chocolate bars aren’t widely available across North America, prompting some eager fans to drive for hours just to try them.

What are Dubai Chocolate Bars?

Dubai chocolate bars are inspired by the rich culinary heritage of the Middle East, combining high-quality chocolate with exotic ingredients such as saffron, rose water and pistachio. These bars are often beautifully designed and colorful, making them visually appealing as well as delicious. They capture the luxury associated with Dubai, appealing to consumers looking for unique, gourmet sweets that offer a taste of culture.

The viral nature of these products has caught the attention of retailers everywhere. Many stores report selling out regularly, showcasing just how popular these bars have become. The buzz around Dubai chocolate bars is amplified by social media, where stunning visuals and unique flavor combinations inspire consumers to seek them out. This trend is a golden opportunity for candy makers looking to capture market share and engage new customers.

RCI member Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park, Florida is embracing this trend, and for good reason: creating your own Dubai chocolate bar can elevate your brand and satisfy the growing consumer appetite for unique, gourmet experiences. Click here to see how Peterbrooke Chocolatier makes it.

RCI member Kemnitz Fine Candies, based in Plymouth, Michigan, sells their version of the Dubai Bar with toasted phyllo dough, pistachio cream and tahini inside a crisp milk chocolate shell.

Making your own Dubai chocolate bars lets you stay on trend and show that your brand is all about creativity and luxury. These attractive bars are great for marketing, as customers love to share their finds online. Embrace the trend and let your chocolate bars take consumers on a delicious journey to Dubai!

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There’s little reason to cry over a broken heart when it’s made of yummy chocolate!

Despite the irony, smash hearts aren’t reserved exclusively for soon-to-be exes. In fact, they make for fun, interactive gifts that make friends and family members really feel the love! Read on for inspiration before for adding these trendy smash hearts to your product line, including simple solutions for transforming your existing chocolate moulds and ideas for filling your smash hearts.

Photo credit: Morkes Chocolate

Smash Hearts with a Chocolate Hammer

Already have a mould for chocolate heart-shaped boxes? Simply add a wooden mallet to transform them into “Smash Hearts” this Valentine’s Day. Better yet, we love how RCI member Morkes Chocolates includes a solid chocolate hammer (more commonly used for Father’s Day) in their set of two smash hearts.

Photo credit: Wilton

No Large Smash Heart Mould? No problem!

If you don’t have a large heart-shaped chocolate mould, Wilton suggests making a hollow chocolate shell with a hear-shaped cake pan. Use colored coating chocolates to achieve the fun tie-dye look pictured. Arrange Valentine treats in the shape of a heart in the base of a large bakery box before placing the chocolate shell on top. Click here for step-by-step directions from Wilton.

Photo credit: ProFlowers

Don't Go Breaking My (Tiny) Heart

Size doesn’t matter when it comes to chocolate smash hearts. Don’t think for a minute that smashable chocolate hearts have to be big. Make use of even your smallest heart-shaped moulds to make smashable treats available at different price points. ProFlowers sells sets of 4 breakable chocolate hearts filled with M&M’s^® Minis and mini chocolate chips.

Photo credit: Hungry Happenings

Something to Talk About Conversation Hearts

If your customers love these classic candies, they will go “CRAZY 4 U” with these breakable conversation hearts filled to the brim with (you guessed it) loads of candy conversation hearts!

Photo credit: Graham’s Chocolates

What to fill smash hearts with?

While the items needed will vary based on the size of your smash heart, here’s some ideas to spark your creativity. Chocolate-covered strawberries are always a popular option for Valentine’s Day, but should be reserved for larger smash hearts so the delicate berries aren’t smashed in the process. Other confections that work well inside just about any size smash heart include foil-wrapped chocolate hearts, conversation hearts and other Valentine-themed gummies and hard candies, chocolate-covered sandwich cookies and Jordan almonds. The addition of colored sanding sugar or sprinkles create an exciting burst of color when the chocolate heart is smashed.

Have smashing success helping your customers celebrate Valentine’s Day by adding your own spin on smash hearts!

Crave more?Click here  to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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.  Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

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Upgrade your confections with a cool, glimmering hologram. For this week’s blog post, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate shares a simple technique that gives chocolate a dazzling, rainbow effect without the use of colored cocoa butter or pigments.

How does it work?
A diffraction sheet is made of plastic which consists of micro-etchings, which are tiny grooves that causes white light to disperse into a rainbow of colors. When liquid chocolate meets a diffraction sheet, the chocolate takes on the sheet’s micro etchings as it solidifies. These etchings in the chocolate replicate the dispersion effect of the sheet and separate white light into individual colors, which gives the lovely rainbow effect. When selecting a diffraction sheet (also known as a gradient sheet), the greater the number of lines, the more of an opportunity for the light to diffract and give a stronger iridescent look. Diffraction sheets can be found from a number of online retailers, such as Amazon.

How to do it?
There are a few ways to make this dazzling design.

The first, is using a magnetic transfer mould. Place the diffraction sheet into your transfer mould, similar to how you would use cocoa butter transfer sheets or other traditional design applications. Once placed, proceed to pour tempered chocolate into your mould. Be sure to knock the air out of the mould to ensure a seamless transfer of the design. When the chocolate cools, the liquid will mould around the micro etchings allowing the rainbow shimmer to be present on your chocolate.

Another method is to apply chocolate directly to the diffraction sheet. The easiest way to utilize the sheets directly is to slightly melt the top of an already moulded or enrobed product, place the melted side onto the diffraction sheet and let it cool. This way you can design items that have already been completed, like chocolate chip bottoms or chocolate enrobed cookies. Chocolate can also be poured directly onto the gradient sheet. When slightly cooled, the diffraction sheet can be bent or curled to add a shimmer to chocolate curls or tubes.

As discussed above, you aren’t transferring the design but instead, transferring the grooves into the chocolate. Because of this, the sheets can be used multiple times. As long as the micro etchings are clear, the design can continue to be moulded onto the product. Gently wash the sheet with soap and water after use. Make sure that the sheet is completely dry before the next use. A dry wipe down can also be completed between batches.

How can it be applied?
There are an endless number of ways to apply this shimmering design. Moulded truffles, chocolate curls, and enrobed treats can be elevated with holographic effects. The possibilities are only limited to your glittering imagination!

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The sun is shining (hopefully), temperatures are rising, and the smell of spring is in the air—and certainly in your candy kitchen—as you create your delectable springtime confections. RCI member, LorAnn Oils, shares how you can take your chocolates and confections to the next level of perfection with a favorite secret ingredient—soy lecithin!

What Is Soy Lecithin?
Lecithin is an emulsifier used in foods to stabilize other recipe ingredients that do not inherently mix well. This naturally thick extract comes from soybeans and has super-charged emulsification abilities that produce perfectly blended gravies, dressings and sauces. For candy lovers, it’s the qualities lecithin adds to confections that are the cause for excitement!

Benefits of Using Soy Lecithin in Confections
When it comes to the confectionery world, lecithin is used as a natural emulsifier, preservative, antioxidant and flavor protector in chocolates and candies. Two ingredients we know do not live in perfect harmony: oil and water. The ability to keep oils and fats from separating makes lecithin ideal. Think of lecithin as the requisite sidekick for chocolates and buttery candies. Its emulsifying properties improve mixability, which enhances the texture of buttery candies and chocolates, while protecting the flavor. Lecithin’s emulsification magic also keeps candy from developing an oily residue on the outside, giving confections a beautifully smooth finish customers will appreciate.

The addition of lecithin can also extend shelf life thanks to the presence of antioxidants which help to slow the oxidation of fats and control crystallization. This is great news for professional confectioners, because it reduces the risk of mold developing and keeps chocolates, caramels and other buttery candies fresher longer.

Ask your supplier, as some soy lecithin products may be gluten-free and vegan-friendly, making it a perfect option for customers who have special dietary needs. Keep reading for a variety of ways you can use lecithin in the following candy creations.

Chocolates
Incorporating lecithin into melted chocolate can help it flow more smoothly and consistently. Lecithin acts as a binder in chocolate, helping cocoa solids, sugar and milk better adhere to the cocoa butter. Adding just a small amount of lecithin to melted chocolate keeps the chocolate from spreading too quickly so it doesn’t seize or thicken. Lecithin is also a more cost-effective option than cocoa butter and less is needed. Usage recommendation is 0.25 – 0.50% lecithin per total batch. Too much lecithin can have the reverse effect and cause chocolate to thicken.

Caramels, Toffees and Brittles
A common problem for candy makers is the stickiness of their products, particularly in toffee and brittles where the butter and sugar tend to separate during the cooking process. Luckily, lecithin helps to minimize this issue by allowing the butterfat to mix with the moisture in the batch. Lecithin can also help prevent caramels from sticking to their wrappers or wax papers. Usage should be limited to 0.20-0.40% of the total batch to achieve the best results.

Caramel Popcorn
For caramel popcorn, adding a little lecithin and oil at the very end will help your creamy caramel evenly coat the popcorn and reduce clumping.

Cinnamon Candies
When making hard candy, cinnamon oil is a flavor that may not stay completely mixed into the candy syrup and can float to the top. To help the oil stay mixed, stir a small amount of lecithin into the boiled candy syrup. Since lecithin is an emulsifying agent, it helps keep oils evenly mixed and emulsified throughout the batch. We recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon of lecithin per cup of sugar.

When making hard candy, it can be difficult to keep certain flavors, specifically cinnamon oil, evenly mixed throughout the candy syrup. To prevent cinnamon oil from floating to the top of your hard candy mixture, stir in a small amount of lecithin into the boiled candy syrup. As an emulsifying agent, lecithin helps to keep oils evenly distributed throughout the batch. LorAnn Oils recommends adding 1/4 teaspoon of lecithin per cup of sugar.

Now you can see why soy lecithin is a favorite secret ingredient for many candy makers and chocolatiers. Not only does it provide a range of functional benefits, but it also helps to create a smoother, more consistent product with a longer shelf life. With its natural and clean label ingredients, soy lecithin is an easy and cost-effective solution to improve the texture and flavor of chocolates and other confections.

Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

If you have children, fidget toys have likely infiltrated your home. Designed to help with focus and attention, fidget toys come in many shapes, sizes and colors. You may already sell fidgets in your store—if they sell well, that’s all the more reason to make edible versions. If you don’t currently sell fidgets in your store, this could be a missed opportunity to target consumers shopping for youngsters.

Fidget Spinners

In the midst of the fidget spinner craze a few years ago, RCI member Vande Walle’s Candies began making what they called “Fidget Non-Spinners.” During her Candy Clinic presentation, Tess Vande Walle explained, “They don’t spin, but they taste better!” To create a replica, Vande Walle’s filled the packaging from an actual fidget spinner toy with colored white chocolate. There are, however, a number of inexpensive moulds on the market to make chocolate fidget spinners.

Photo credit: The Soccer Mom Blog

Pop Its

More recently Pop Its—flexible silicone toys akin to Bubble Wrap—began popping up in retail shops, birthday favor bags and school playgrounds everywhere. These wildly popular fidgets are available in a seemingly endless variety of colors, shapes and sizes from sparkly pink mermaid tails to rainbow striped cars. Like the Beanie Babies of yesteryear, many kids aspire to collect them ALL.

Photo credit: Facebook.com / Anderson’s Candies

The already popular toy took a sweet turn when TikTokers started filling them with candy and melted chocolate. See for yourself in this video by HelloWondeful. RCI member, Anderson’s Candies, took advantage of the trend by creating their own versions just in time for Easter. We love this idea because it not only provides a treat to eat, but also a toy to keep and enjoy!

While anyone could create this on their own with a couple ingredients from the grocery store, confectioners can highlight the superior quality of your chocolate and get creative with different fillings. Although M&M candies seem to be a popular choice on TikTok, consider filling the cavities with peanut butter meltaway, caramel, roasted nuts or other popular fillings before capping it off with chocolate. Better yet, why not use a variety of fillings to create a mystery of sweet surprises? Note: Look for Pop Its made with FDA approved or food-grade silicone.

Photo credit: Etsy / Cherry Bay Cakes

With lots of holiday themed Pop Its on the market, this trend could also make for great holiday gifts for kids. We like how Cherry Bay Cakes created an Easter themed chocolate Pop It with pastel M&Ms and a custom tag that reads, “Hope you have a poppin’ Easter!”

Keeping a pulse on trends with kids’ toys are a great way to identify ways to appeal to consumers looking to buy treats for the kids and kids-at-heart in their lives. 

Crave more?C lick here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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.  Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

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