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.

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How to Create a Faux Chocolate Bunny for your Easter Display

If you’re looking to create an impressive holiday display in your candy shop, many would agree large moulded chocolates make great showpieces. However, working with chocolate as your medium certainly presents enough challenges to cause you to look for another subject to be the center of attention. Whether for fear of the potential effects of exposure to sunlight, humidity, curious customers, or ____________ (you fill in the blank), you may have decided long ago that even a sprightly, three-foot-tall chocolate bunny in all its glory is not worth the investment of time and resources every year, especially leading up to a busy holiday. 

This week’s tip will allow you to deliver the same impact only a large chocolate Easter bunny could, but with eventually the same effort as takes to do some light dusting. Simply follow the steps below to create a chocolate look-alike Easter bunny (or turkey, life-size football, snowman, Santa, etc.) out of Plaster of Paris.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Chocolate Bunny Look-Alike
By RCI member, Marie’s Candies of West Liberty, Ohio

Marie's Candies has made plaster Easter bunnies so realistic, it's hard to tell the difference.

Materials needed:

• Plaster of Paris
• Mixing bowl
• Popsicle stick (or other mixing utensil)
• Access to water
• Brown acrylic paint or spray paint
• Paint brush
• Glue gun (optional)
• Icing eyes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make sure your favorite chocolate bunny mould is clean. The great thing about using moulds you already have is the Easter bunny in your display will look just like the real chocolate bunnies you want to sell.
2. Follow the mixing instructions on a package of Plaster of Paris.
3.  Wet the inside of the mould, so the Easter bunny can be removed easily. Fill the mould a quarter at a time, tapping it to remove air.
4. Remove the bunny from the mould after one hour and let it dry for 24 hours.
5. Wash the mould and any other tools immediately after use.
6. Once the bunny is dry, use spray paint or a brush to paint it chocolate brown.
7. Use a glue gun to add icing eyes (optional).

After following these simple steps, you will have an impressive moulded chocolate so realistic, you’ll want to display it year after year! As far as we can tell, the only downside here is that you might have to perform a lick test if you get your look-alikes mixed up with actual chocolate. Have your real moulded chocolate displays ever met their untimely demise due to curious customers or exposure to the elements? Share your story in the comments below.

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 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.

6 Ways to Dress Your Apples for Halloween

You may already have a Halloween costume in mind for yourself, but what about your apples? For shoppers looking for unique treats this Halloween, here are six ways to dress up both candy and caramel apples for Halloween.

Photo credit: Bakingdom

Pumpkins

If you already make candy apples, simply replace the red food coloring with orange and tie on a green ribbon to transform your apples into “pumpkins.” Fans of your candy apples will be pleasantly surprised by a new take on a classic.

Photo credit: Hilliard's Chocolates

Ghost

These caramel apple ghosts are so cute…and easy, it’s almost frightening. After layering your apples with luscious caramel, dunk them in white chocolate. We recommend piping dark chocolate to make the for the eyes and mouth—by the way, we love their pumpkin apple too!

Photo credit: Keeping Up With Kaci

Mummy

Bring you mummy caramel apples to life by turning white-chocolate-covered apples on their side and spining while adding thin, layered stripes in white chocolate. Before the chocolate dries, embellish with candy eyeballs or, as before, use dark chocolate.

Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Candy Company

Frankenstein

Green confectioners coating topped with candy corn, dark chocolate and more candy eyeballs complete this Frankenstein-inspired caramel apple. Do you dare to give it a try?

 

Photo credit: Woman’s Day

Woodland Creatures

These adorable woodland creatures are proof that Halloween treats don’t have to be spooky. Click here for a tutorial from Woman’s Day.

Photo credit: CountryLiving

Poison Apple

These glossy, black candy apples are spooky chic. Expect lots of oohs and ahs, in addition to social media shares. Click here to view a video tutorial by Taste Made.

Shoppers looking for unique treats will scream with delight when seeing your spooky, sweet apples all dressed up for Halloween.

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 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.

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

Tip #283: Create an Even Better Holiday Display with this Surprising Tip

If you’re looking to create an impressive holiday display in your candy shop, many would agree large moulded chocolates make great showpieces. However, working with chocolate as your medium certainly presents enough challenges to cause you to look for another subject to be the center of attention. Whether for fear of the potential effects of exposure to sunlight, humidity, curious customers, or ____________ (you fill in the blank), you may have decided long ago that even a jolly, three-foot-tall chocolate Santa in all his glory is not worth the investment of time and resources every year, especially during holiday season.

This week’s tip will allow you to deliver the same impact only a large chocolate Santa could, but with eventually the same effort as takes to do some light dusting. Simply follow the steps below to create a chocolate look-alike Santa (or snowman, Easter bunny, turkey, etc.) out of Plaster of Paris.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Chocolate Santa Look-Alike
By RCI member, Marie’s Candies of West Liberty, Ohio

Materials needed:

Marie's Candies has made plaster Easter
bunnies so realistic it's hard to tell the difference.

• Plaster of Paris
• Mixing bowl
• Popsicicle stick (or other mixing utensil)
• Access to water
• Brown acrylic paint or spray paint
• Paint brush
• Glue gun (optional)
• Icing eyes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make sure your favorite chocolate Santa mould is clean. The great thing about using moulds you already have is the Santa in your display will look just like the real chocolate Santas you want to sell.
2. Follow the mixing instructions on a package of plaster of Paris.
3. Wet the inside of the mould, so the Santa can be removed easily. Fill the mould a quarter at a time, tapping it to remove air.
4. Remove Santa from the mould after one hour and let it dry for 24 hours.
5. Wash the mould and any other tools immediately after use.
6. Once Santa is dry, use spray paint or a brush to paint it chocolate brown.
7. Use a glue gun to add icing eyes (optional).

After following these simple steps, you will have an impressive moulded chocolate so realistic, you’ll want to display it year after year! As far as we can tell, the only downside here is that you might have to perform a lick test if you get your look-alikes mixed up with actual chocolate. Have your real moulded chocolate displays ever met their untimely demise due to curious customers or exposure to the elements? Share your story in the comments below.

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. Review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. 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.

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

The Best of 2016: Top 5 Tips of the Week

We've curated the most-read tips from 2016, to pinpoint topics that are most important to candy makers. 

From troubleshooting tips to sky-high merchandising inspiration, plus a customer service must-read, the following posts deliver quick and easily executed tips to simply the lives of confectioners, like you!

#5: Stop Sea Salt Caramels from Sweating

Suffer from sweaty sea salt caramels? Take tips from fellow candy makers and RCI members on how to avoid this common problem.

#4: Take Merchandising to New Heights

Get step-by-step instructions for creating this eye-catching truffle tree.

RCI MEMBER BONUS: Click here to login to RCI’s member site and snag three variations of ganache recipes on page 9 of RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine.

#3: Coat Marshmallows in Dextrose 

Nobody likes hard, dried-out marshmallows! Keep your ‘mallows soft and pillowy all year long with this popular tip of the week.

#2: Remind Employees of the Value of Customer Service 

An oldie, but a goodie, this throwback from 2012 covers four customer service basics that are too important not to review with your team on a regular basis.

 #1: Say “Buh-Bye” to Chocolate Bloom

Bloom is easily identified as one of the most common problems facing candy makers. No surprise, this post tops the list with common causes of chocolate bloom, as well as simple solutions.

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip # 201: Take Merchandising to New Heights with a Truffle Tree

Photos courtesy of Annedore's Fine Chocolates

A tower of truffles or “truffle tree” is a stylish way for your customers to serve truffles to a large group. The Truffle Tree also makes for an eye-catching 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 for creating this showpiece as provided by RCI member, Annedore's Fine Chocolates. RCI members: Click here to log on to RCI’s member site and view three variations of ganache recipes on page 9 of 2014’s 3^rd quarter issue of Kettle Talk.

For ease of construction, un-dipped 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

1. Prepare truffle centers using your own ganache recipe or see recipes below. 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: Balls may be returned to the freezer for future use). Cover balls with plastic wrap and allow them to come to room temperature.
2. Cover a foam block with parchment paper or aluminum foil, so it can be reused. Glue a toothpick into each ganache ball by, first, 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.
   
   
3. 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.
   
   
4. Before you begin to build your tree, first, wrap the foam cone completely with wrapping paper or fabric – secure with flathead pins, as needed.
   
   
5. 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.
   
   
6. 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. 

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip #183: Chalkboard Like a Pro

Even if you aren’t a skilled artist, creating beautiful and trendy chalkboard signs  can be achieved with these 5 tips and tricks from the pros.

• Use a Level and a ruler for straight lines and even spacing

• Pick your tool – mechanical chalk pencil, chalk pencil (intended for marking fabric when sewing), chalk marker or real chalk.

Four types of chalk as illustrated by Jones Design Company. From top to bottom: mechanical chalk pencil,
chalk pencil by Fons and Porter, chalk marker, and good, old fashion chalk

• A damp cloth and a handful of Q-Tips can work wonders when it comes to correcting mistakes and cleaning up smudges. 

• DIY stencils – If you plan to use an image more than once (your logo or a chocolate truffle with a swirl) make your own stencil with vellum paper. You can easily trace any printed image by placing vellum over the print. 

Depending on your skill level, creating artful chalkboards can take lots of patience and practice. If you don’t have time for either of these, try this quick and easy chalkboard hack from Buzzfeed.

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

Tip #164: Spark Customer Interest with Fall Merchandising

Pictured clockwise from the top: MidwestLiving, Faribault Woolen Mill Co., Free People

DIY Flameless Fire Pit by Free People

Strategic merchandising is an important to component to increasing sales. Thoughtful merchandising can grab attention, stimulate emotions and give buyers a reason to make a purchase and feel good about doing so. Fall is the perfect time to create a warm and cozy environment in your store. A fun, bonfire themed display could be seen as a welcome shelter from the cold.

Spark buyers’ interest with a bundle of fire wood, cozy flannel fabrics and an old tin thermos overflowing with goodies. This makes for a great space to sell DIY s’more kits, luscious caramel apples, various barks featuring cozy fall flavors and chocolate-covered pretzel rods. Candy House Gourmet of Joplin, Missouri makes “Walking Sticks” out of large pretzel rods dipped in caramel and pecans, then drizzled with milk, dark and white chocolate for a decadent snack on-the-go.

Interested in creating a darling flameless fire pit? Click here to view a step-by-step tutorial by Free People.