Elevate Your Boxed Chocolates with a Premium Centerpiece

This week’s tip is a simple but impactful one that can elevate your boxed chocolates and potentially boost your profits without adding much to your cost per box.

If you're aiming to give your boxed chocolates a more luxurious appeal, consider adding a single premium chocolate to each box and place it at the center making it the focal point. By incorporating just one high-end or expensive piece, you increase the perceived value of the entire selection. This elegant centerpiece naturally draws attention and suggests that your chocolates are of premium quality. By adding a high-end piece, you also may be able to raise the price and potentially increase your profit margin. 

You may already have a signature confection that checks all the boxes, if so make it the star of your boxed chocolates. Keep reading if you need inspiration to level up your confections.

Photo credit: Simply Recipes/Cindy Rahe

Gold-Leaf Champagne Truffles

A splash of champagne is sure to elevate any confection, and a hint of sparkle in the form of gold leaf or gold cocoa butter will take it to the next level. Check out this recipe for champagne chocolate truffles.

Photo credit: Lammes Candies

Sea Salt Caramels with Gourmet Salt

Gourmet sea salt can instantly add value to confections, along with an undeniable punch of flavor and satisfying crunch. The Hawaiian salted dark chocolate caramels are a top seller for RCI member Lammes Candies. Coated in dark chocolate and delicately sprinkled with pink Hawaiian salt flakes, it brings a perfect balance of flavor and texture, adding a luxurious showcase piece to any box.

Photo credit: Simply So Good

Hazelnut Gianduja

Made from premium hazelnuts and velvety chocolate, layered gianduja squares are as eye-catching as they are delicious. We like how Simply So Good tops each square with a whole blanched hazelnut for dramatic effect. The same concept could be applied by topping your already enrobed confections with other nuts, such a roasted pistachio or a whole candied pecan, even a single large coconut flake.

A single luxurious piece can transform each box into a memorable, upscale experience for your customers. By highlighting a unique, high-end piece as the focal point, you communicate quality that customers are willing to pay a little more for. Try using phrases like "Signature Piece" or "Exclusive Collection" on your packaging or displays to enhance this impression further.

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

How to Make a Very Merry Christmas Truffle Tree

 

While truffles make for a sweet holiday gift, a stunning truffle tree is sure to make any Christmas celebration unforgettable! This week, we’re sharing steps to make your own truffle tree from RCI member, Annedore's Fine Chocolates, plus inspiration for creating a very merry holiday showpiece.

For ease of construction, undipped ganache balls may be stored in the freezer. Simply follow the instructions below for thawing and dipping the ganache balls and you are ready to build a tree on demand.

Materials Needed

• Truffles
• Silicone mats
• Plastic wrap
• Foam block
• Parchment paper or aluminum foil (optional)
• Round toothpicks
• Tempered chocolate
• Foam cone
• Wrapping paper or fabric (preferably coordinating with the color of your truffles)
• Flathead pins
• Scissors
• Ribbon or tree topper (optional)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Prepare truffle centers using your favorite ganache recipe. Pipe ganache onto silicone mats. Cover the mats with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours. Transfer mats to the freezer for 12 hours. Remove mats from the freezer and pop out ganache balls (Note: Ganache centers may be returned to the freezer for future use). Cover balls with plastic wrap and allow them to come to room temperature.

Cover a foam block with parchment paper or aluminum foil, so it can be reused. Adhere a toothpick into each ganache ball by dipping one end of the toothpick into tempered chocolate and then inserting that end into the center of the flat side of the ganache ball. Allow toothpick to set up firmly in the ganache ball.

Once the toothpick is firmly set in the ganache ball you are ready to dip each ganache ball in tempered chocolate. Dip each ball carefully and then insert tooth-picked end of the ball into the block of foam. This will allow for perfect-looking, uniform truffles to create your truffle tree. Allow chocolate to set up. Truffles may be decorated while standing in the block of foam.

Before you begin to build your tree, first, wrap the foam cone completely with wrapping paper or fabric – secure with flathead pins, as needed.

Beginning at the bottom of the cone, push the tooth-picked truffles into the cone working your way around the cone to create the first row. On the second row, stagger the truffles by placing them in the open spaces created by the first row. Carefully work your way up the cone row by row until the entire cone is covered in truffles. Toothpicks may need to be cut as you reach the top of the cone. 

Christmas Truffle Tree Inspiration

While this truffle tree can be made to celebrate any number of holidays and celebrations, here’s some inspiration to make your truffle tree extra festive this Christmas.

Photo credit: Woman’s Day

Gingerbread Truffle Tree

The addition of gingerbread royal icing decorations, colorful non-pareils and foil balls make this truffle tree especially festive.

Photo credit: Sonata Home Design

Berries & Bows

This Christmas truffle tree is understated and elegant with bright, red cranberries and a big wire bow as embellishments.

Photo credit: Pinterest

Chocolate Roses

We love how this truffle tree is adorned with hand-sculpted chocolate roses.

 

Photo credit: Taste.com/au

White Christmas

The use of white sprinkles, silver sprinkles and desiccated coconut helps achieve this dreamy white Christmas themed truffle tree.

A truffle tree is an eye-catching way for your customers to serve truffles to a large group, in addition to an impressive merchandising display for your retail shop. It is a big-ticket item that can add nice revenue to your store’s sales. With a little advance planning, building the tree can be relatively easy to execute.

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.

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

5 Fresh, New Ways to Feature Strawberry

For many, vibrant, sweet and juicy strawberries are a welcome sign that summer is here!

Roll out the red carpet, welcoming summer’s official berry (we think…) with five fresh, new ways to feature strawberry in your summer product lineup.

Photo credit: California Strawberries

Strawberry Peanut Butter Cups
Put a fresh spin on the classic peanut butter cup with the addition of freshly slice strawberries. Click here for a recipe from California Strawberries.

Photo credit: California Strawberries

Matcha-Covered Strawberries
Perhaps an unexpected twist on chocolate-covered strawberries, the addition of matcha powder to the white chocolate is sure to pique customer interest.

Photo credit: Bridgewater Chocolate

Chocolate Strawberry Pearls
With the slight crunch of dried strawberry in the center of layers of white chocolate and strawberry-flavored chocolate, these delicate pearls made by Bridgewater Chocolate are an elegant way to showcase strawberries.

Photo credit: Taste of Home

Strawberry Pretzel Bark
Here’s a new take on the summertime classic, strawberry pretzel dessert. With its natural berry notes, ruby chocolate is a natural fit for pairing with strawberries.

Photo credit: Milk Bar

Strawberry Shortcake Truffles
Combining all the creamy, salty, buttery, fruity, unforgettably tasty flavors of strawberry shortcake in a single bite, Milk Bar’s strawberry shortcake cake truffles are made with strawberry-studded vanilla cake, soaked in strawberry milk and rolled in strawberry shortcake crumbs. Milk Bar’s founder and television personality, Christina Tosi, shares her recipe here.

With strawberries popping up in farmers markets across the country, now is the time to take advantage of your local harvest. Even if you don’t follow some of these recipes exactly, use them as inspiration to create a recipe that is totally unique to your brand!

Here’s wishing you a sweet, strawberry kind of summer!

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.

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

Get Popping with Champagne-Inspired Confections

With New Year’s Eve around the corner, we’re sharing bottle-popping ideas for champagne-inspired confections. This versatile flavor can be used to ring in the new year, celebrate a loved one for Valentine’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries or even make great wedding favors.

Photo credit: Hilliard’s Chocolates

Rosé Truffles

For those who love wine and chocolate, RCI member Hilliard’s Chocolates hits the mark with their rosé flavored ganache covered in rich, dark chocolate.

Photo credit: Sugarfina

Chocolate-Covered Champagne Gummy Bears

What’s better than the popular champagne gummy bears? Champagne gummy bears drenched in your signature chocolate couverture, of course.

Photo credit: Melville Candy

Champagne Lollipops

These gourmet cocktail lollipops from Melville Candy not only fit the bill with flavors like pink champagne, prosecco and champagne bubbles, they almost look too pretty to eat…almost.

Photo credit: Kopper’s Chocolate

Rosé Cordials

These rose cordials from Kopper’s Chocolate quite literally drip with class and the sparkling pink finish makes them even more irresistible.

Photo credit: Stress Baking

White Chocolate Champagne Truffles

Looking to create your own champagne-flavored delights? This recipe for white chocolate champagne truffles captures the essence of any celebration worthy of bottle popping! Click here for recipe from Stress Baking.

Photo credit: Jelly Belly Candy Company

Champagne and Rosé Jelly Beans

Toast any occasion with champagne and rosé jelly beans from RCI member, Jelly Belly Candy Company. They have all the flavor of a glass of bubbly in a mini-sized bottle with none of the alcohol.

Cheers to lots of bubbly confections and a sweet new year ahead!

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.

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

Transform Truffles into Truffle Pops in 5 Easy Steps

Looking for something fun and different? Cake pops have been popular for years, but what about upping the ante with unique and decadent truffle pops? RCI partner, Birnn Chocolates of Vermont, shares an idea for an easy, grab-and-go option for your storefront or a custom favor perfect for events. Keep reading for 5 easy steps to transform your truffles into truffle pops!

Photo credit: Birnn Chocolates of Vermont

5 Easy Steps to Create Truffle Pops

1. Choose your truffle
2. Choose your stick (candy apple or rock candy sticks are both great options)
3. Warm ice pick with heat gun, stick pick gently into top or bottom of truffle, move in small circles, remove and wipe clean.
4. Heat your stick, slightly, and insert into truffle.
5. Let sit for 2-5 minutes before using the stick to pick up.

Congratulations! You’ve just completed your first Truffle Pop! Finish by wrapping with cellophane and ribbon of choice.

We’d love to see your truffle pops!  Please tag @retailconfectioners and @birnntruffles.

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.

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

How to Build a Truffle Tree

A truffle tree is an eye-catching way for your customers to serve truffles to a large group, in addition to an impressive merchandising display for your retail shop. It is a big-ticket item that can add nice revenue to your store’s sales. With a little advance planning, building the tree can be relatively easy to execute.

Here you will find a list of materials needed and step-by-step instructions from RCI member, Annedore's Fine Chocolates, for creating this showpiece.

For ease of construction, undipped ganache balls may be stored in the freezer. Simply follow the instructions below for thawing and dipping the ganache balls and you are ready to build a tree on demand.

Materials Needed

• Truffles (see recipes below)
• Silicone mats
• Plastic wrap
• Foam block
• Parchment paper or aluminum foil (optional)
• Round toothpicks
• Tempered chocolate
• Foam cone
• Wrapping paper or fabric (preferably coordinating with the color of your truffles)
• Flathead pins
• Scissors
• Ribbon or tree topper (optional)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Prepare truffle centers using your favorite ganache recipe. Pipe ganache onto silicone mats. Cover the mats with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours. Transfer mats to the freezer for 12 hours. Remove mats from the freezer and pop out ganache balls (Note: Ganache centers may be returned to the freezer for future use). Cover balls with plastic wrap and allow them to come to room temperature.

Cover a foam block with parchment paper or aluminum foil, so it can be reused. Adhere a toothpick into each ganache ball by dipping one end of the toothpick into tempered chocolate and then inserting that end into the center of the flat side of the ganache ball. Allow toothpick to set up firmly in the ganache ball.

Once the toothpick is firmly set in the ganache ball you are ready to dip each ganache ball in tempered chocolate. Dip each ball carefully and then insert tooth-picked end of the ball into the block of foam. This will allow for perfect-looking, uniform truffles to create your truffle tree. Allow chocolate to set up. Truffles may be decorated while standing in the block of foam.

Before you begin to build your tree, first, wrap the foam cone completely with wrapping paper or fabric – secure with flathead pins, as needed.

Beginning at the bottom of the cone, push the tooth-picked truffles into the cone working your way around the cone to create the first row. On the second row, stagger the truffles by placing them in the open spaces created by the first row. Carefully work your way up the cone row by row until the entire cone is covered in truffles. Toothpicks may need to be cut as you reach the top of the cone. 

Crown the top of your tree by inserting a tooth-picked truffle vertically on the top of the cone. Experiment with different tree toppers, such as a large bow or a chocolate initial or number (birthday idea). Use your imagination. 

Once complete, stop and admire your beautiful work…then, take a photo and post it on social media for a sneak peek of what you’ve been working on. Here’s wishing you a spectacular holiday season ahead!

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. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

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