Sparkling Solutions: Cleaning Gas Stove Burners for Candy Perfection

When cooking confections in a kettle, inevitably there will come a time when those sticky, goopy substances make their way onto the burner. However delicious, these spills can cause your gas stove to produce weak or uneven flames.

Often small spills accumulate little by little over time and it may not be immediately clear to a
candy maker why their gas stove isn’t performing properly. According to Jacques De Waele at Savage Bros. Co., this is a common problem. The efficiency of your gas stove depends on keeping the burner jets clean. And while general maintenance and cleaning is covered in the manual provided with your gas stove, Jacques also pointed out that unfortunately manuals are often lost or misplaced when needed most. If you have misplaced your manual, consider asking your equipment supplier for a replacement copy.

Savage Bros. Co. recommends periodic general cleaning to keep your gas stove in top operating condition. According to their manual, lint and grease, normally suspending in the air, tend to collect in air passages within the burners. For that reason, all air passages and openings, burner ports, etc. should be periodically cleaned to prevent clogging.

Dirt and Lint Buildup

The color of the flame can be an indicator that your gas stove needs cleaning. If the pilot flame on your gas stove burns yellow, rather than blue, it may be an indication that dirt or lint has covered the lower portion of the pilot burner. This can be removed with a soft brush or by vacuuming.

If there is a wide variation in the color of flame from the jets, this may also be an indication that the jets need cleaning. For reference, natural gas flames should be a concentrated blue color, but liquid propane will appear yellow in color.

Grease and Food Spatters

To remove grease and food spatters that have baked on the equipment, apply cleanser to a damp sponge or cloth and rub the cleanser in the direction of the polishing lines on the metal. Rubbing cleanser as gently as possible in the polished lines (not in a circular motion) will not mar the finish of the stainless steel.

Burnt Deposits

If the aforementioned method does not work for burnt deposits, these can usually be removed by rubbing the surface with a Scotch-Brite™ scouring pad or other stainless steel scouring pad. Savage Bros. Co. advises against using ordinary steel wool to clean equipment.

Stubborn Blockages

Savage Bros. Co.’s Beata Corson offered the following tips for clearing out stubborn blockages. "Individual burner jets can be unscrewed and removed from the burner for proper cleaning." She suggests soaking jets in warm, soapy water (Dawn Dish Soap works well) and removing obstructions with something narrow, like a paper clip or straight pin. Make sure burner jets are dry before reattaching them to the burner. These steps will ensure you don’t have to purchase replacement parts—although that is an inexpensive option, if needed.

Cleaning the burner of a gas stove can help ensure the long useful life of the equipment and performance of the stove. Apply these tips to your regular cleaning routine to enjoy safe and efficient use of your gas stove for many years to come. 

Registration is now available for RCI’s 2024 Annual Convention & Industry Expo! Register now and join us in Buffalo, New York June 17-21, 2024! Save with early-bird rates available through April 26, 2024.

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5 Ways to Transform Your Treats for National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day

Get ready to spread the love for National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2nd! Keep reading for 5 ways to put a creative spin on your existing confections with a PB&J makeover! It's the perfect time to toast to this iconic duo of flavors--plus, you might even discover a new customer favorite!

Photo credit: Mindy’s Munchies

Peanut Butter Cups

Put a twist on the traditional peanut butter cup by adding a generous layer of grape or strawberry jelly on the inside.

Photo credit: Landies Candies

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

Transform your chocolate-covered pretzels by filling them with your favorite jelly filling before drenching them in peanut butter confectioners coating.  

Photo credit: Peter’s Chocolate^®

Truffles

Rich and creamy peanut butter filling and ooey gooey raspberry jam come together in this yummy peanut butter and jelly truffle recipe from Peter’s Chocolate. Click here to view the recipe.

Photo credit: Shugary Sweets

Fudge

Add swirls of strawberry preserves into your homemade peanut butter fudge for the perfect collision of PB&J and fudge.

Photo credit: Zanders

Trail Mix

For your PB&J on the go, mix any combination of roasted peanuts, dried strawberries pieces, raisins, peanut butter chips, mini peanut butter cups and peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets for a nostalgic trail mix.

In celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, let your creativity flow and experiment with incorporating the timeless combination of peanut butter and jelly into your candy creations. Your customers are sure to appreciate the unique and delicious treats you bring to life!

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10 Variations for your Peanut Butter Meltaways

For many confectioners, the peanut butter meltaway is a popular mainstay in their product line. If you have lots of customers who love your peanut butter meltaways, chances are they will perk up when you add a twist to this classic. We're not suggesting you change your recipe, but simply sharing inspiration to add to your collection of peanut butter confections.

Roasted Peanuts
This may seem obvious. Just as there are jars of creamy peanut butter and crunchy peanut butter at the grocery store, why couldn’t there be creamy and crunchy varieties of peanut butter meltaways? If you already make your peanut butter meltaways with chunks of peanuts, consider adding a smooth variety to your product lineup.

Crispy Rice Cereal
Candy makers have been adding crispy rice cereal to their peanut butter balls for decades. Consider this variation a nod to yesteryear or, better yet, blow their minds by experimenting with chunks of Rice Krispies Treats® added to your recipe.

Graham Crackers
Adding graham cracker crumbs will create a firmer texture and a different, yet familiar, flavor variation. Some say this addition makes peanut butter meltaways taste more like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups®.

Sea Salt
Add course-ground sea salt to your peanut butter center for crunch and sprinkle on top to achieve crave-worthy saltiness, plus it just looks good!

Flour Salt
RCI member and Chocolate Boot Camp^© instructor, Randy Hofberger, uses fine flour salt in his recipe for peanut butter meltaways. In case you're not familiar with this ingredient, flour salt has been pulverized to achieve an ultra-fine, powdery consistency. This ingredient will enhance the peanut flavor while maintaining a super smooth, velvety texture.

Photo credit: Callebaut

Feuilletine Flakes
These crispy little wafers are sure to elevate your peanut butter meltaways. They can also be used for a simple, yet sophisticated garnish.

Banana Chips
Adding chunks of dried banana chips to your meltaways will deliver both crunch and flavor. If you’re really adventurous, experiment with adding banana chips and crispy bacon bits as an homage to Elvis Presley's favorite sandwich.

Marshmallow
Let your inner child lead the way! This could be a layer of marshmallow, marshmallow fluff or mini marshmallows…better yet, Lucky Charms^® mini marshmallows.

Vanilla + Almond Extract
Boost the nuttiness of your recipe by adding a splash of almond extract, along with the vanilla.

Quinoa
The addition of puffed crispy quinoa will bring with it a satisfying crunch, plus a halo of health benefits. Consider ways to make this option even more appealing to health-conscious consumers, such as reducing the sugar and covering in dark chocolate.

We hope this week’s post helps spark your creativity and allows you to go a little nuts with new variations to your peanut butter meltaway recipe.

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Quick Tip: No pre-bottomer? Try this!

 

No pre-bottomer? No problem! With RCI Chocolate Boot Camp course taking place this week, we’re sharing a quick and easy solution, demonstrated by one of our instructors, Joe Sofia with Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, for candy makers who do not have a pre-bottomer on their enrober.

This handy tip uses chocolate wafers as the pre-bottom for, in this case, moulded peanut butter meltaways. Joe explained, "When you pop the meltaways out of the mould, they are ready for full enrobing since the wafer will adhere to the meltaway." Joe also added that it's important to apply the chocolate wafer while the center is still liquid so the two stick together.

For this demonstration, a 22-millimeter silicon dome mould from Truffly Made was a perfect fit when using a standard chocolate wafer as the base.

If you’re interested in more insider tips like this, consider attending RCI’s Truffles + More course August 12-14, 2024 in Erie, Pennsylvania. Save the date and stay tuned for more details coming soon at retailconfectioners.org/events.

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Irish Potato Candy for St. Patrick’s Day

This may come as a surprise, but Irish potato candy did not originate in Ireland, nor does it typically contain potato. These miniature potato wannabes are often made with cream cheese or a coconut-flavored cream filling moulded into the size of a small potato and rolled in cinnamon and/or cocoa, giving the illusion of a dirty potato.

Despite any likely link to Ireland, these deceiving little candies can help create interest within your customer base and social media followers, while being relatively easy for many candy makers to incorporate into their product line leading up to St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. 

Check out this video to see how RCI member Marie’s Candies makes Irish potato candy.

Interested in trying your hand at making these sweet "potatoes?" Try the following recipe for Irish Potato Candy courtesy of Peter’s Chocolate^® by Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate.

Photo credit: Peter’s Chocolate^®/Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate

Irish Potato Candy

• 44 oz. Peter’s^® White Icecap® Confectionery Coating
• 12.5 oz. Irish cream liqueur
• 2.5 oz. corn syrup
• 2 oz. each powdered sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder

Blend together powdered sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Set aside. Melt white confectionery coating to 100°F. Heat Irish cream and corn syrup together to 90 F. Whisk melted coating into cream/corn syrup mixture until well mixed. Allow to cool to room temperature. Portion with a #70 scoop and roll into potato shapes. Immediately roll into powder mixture. Yield: Approximately 72 pieces

There are lots of different ways to put your own spin on Irish potato candy. Click here for inspiration from RCI members in a past RCI Blog post. 

Spread the luck o’ the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day by sharing these humble, but tasty spuds with your customers.  

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5 Super Simple Valentine’s Day Gifts for Kids & Teens

We all know Valentine’s Day isn’t all about romance. Many shoppers will also be looking for gift ideas for the kids in their life, which is why we’re sharing inspiration for fun and easy gift ideas that are sure to make any kiddo feel the love this Valentine’s Day.

Photo credit: Nandy’s Candy

Valentine Bento Box

The perfect gift for young friends, teens and candy lovers this Valentine’s Day! RCI member Nandy’s Candy fills stock Valentine boxes with an assortment of individually wrapped treats, such as chocolate-covered sandwich cookies and foil-wrapped chocolates, but also small heat-sealed bags of conversation hearts, gummies and hard candies come together as a small sampler of treats. 

Photo credit: Water’s Edge Chocolates

Chocolate Tic-Tac Toe

Win shoppers’ hearts with this clever chocolate tic-tac-toe board! RCI member Water’s Edge Chocolates has transformed a chocolate-covered graham cracker into a miniature tic-tac-toe board, packaged with chocolate heart pieces and a cute, coordinating gift tag. This concept could also be applied to square chocolate bars or chocolate-covered crispy rice treats as the board, while conversation hearts or jelly beans could also be used for the game pieces.

Photo credit: Reids Chocolate

Chocolate Grams

Make it easy for families with kids to show their love by creating ready-to-gift valentines with the chocolate already included. Create and print your own custom Valentines on card stock before attaching your chocolate lollipops. Not only will these generate interest in store and on social media, they also add value for many busy families. RCI member Reids Chocolate sells assorted styles of their “Choc-o-Grams” individually or as a 4-pack. For ease, it is noted for online customers that assorted styles are selected at random.

Photo credit: Marie’s Candies

Chocolate Heart Necklace

This chocolate heart necklace is just about as simple as it is sweet! RCI member Marie’s Candies carefully crafts these necklaces out of two foiled chocolate hearts (back to back) and a festive ribbon to be sold separately or added to Valentine bundles for kids. What little one wouldn’t love to wear this necklace with pride…even if it doesn’t last very long?!

Photo credit: HGTV

Chocolate-Dipped Fortune Cookies

There’s something fun and nostalgic about opening up a fortune cookie as a child. For something unexpected dip fortune cookies in chocolate and package them in a cute take-out container, which can be found at most craft shops.

Consumers with kids in their life are sure to fall in love with these adorable treats this Valentine's Day! Make sure to share plenty of photos of your Valentine’s Day treats on social media and your e-commerce site for greater exposure and sales potential. If you plan to make a small batch of these fun treats, let consumers know they’re available for a limited-time only in your social media posts and your online store. This will cover you if you do sell out (we hope you do!) and also encourage shoppers to buy by creating a sense of urgency. Make note of the quantities you made and sold to help determine whether to bring them back this time next year.

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3 Tips to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Last Longer

 

If you sell chocolate-covered strawberries for the holidays, more specifically Valentine’s Day, and have found yourself working from sunrise to sunset to keep up with demand, these tips are for you! Keep reading for three pro tips to maximize your efforts and extend the shelf-life of these delicate fruit confections.

1. Clear communication

Although this first step will not affect the longevity of your strawberries, it will help you better prepare for the holiday. Requiring advanced orders for chocolate-covered strawberries helps create expectations for your production needs. Clear communication to your customer base is key to ensure their expectations are met too. 

2. Gently clean and air dry

The way you clean your berries could be contributing to unwanted mold. Follow these step-by-step instructions to minimize moisture and bacteria.

1. Start by wiping away dirt with a clean towel and discard unwanted mushy or moldy berries.
2. Gently submerge berries in a solution of cold water and non-pasteurized apple cider vinegar (use approximately 3 tablespoons for every one gallon of water) for five minutes. The acidity of the vinegar will kill spores and bacteria on the fresh berries.
3. Next, place the strawberries in a colander to drain excess water before air drying berries in a single layer on top of a dry towel.
4. Once the strawberries are dry, they can be placed in their original containers, which have since been cleaned and dried as well, until they are ready to dip.

3. Chilled storage

To keep chocolate-covered strawberries overnight, place dipped strawberries on containers, which are on top of gel ice packs and they can store for up to 48 hours. Avoid refrigeration which can create problems as chocolate-covered strawberries return to room temp.

These simple tips can significantly improve the way you prepare for Valentine’s Day. Now with all that extra time saved up, you may be able to devote more of it to other areas of your business or spend it with family and, hopefully, get more sleep on the morning of Valentine’s Day!

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Have a Smashing Valentine’s Day with Smash Hearts

Photo credits: Simply Chocolate, Graham’s Chocolates, Morkes Chocolates

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!

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