Using boxes for your Candies can prove to be very beneficial. They protect your candies in a much more secure way thus, ensuring that they will last longer. If you compare using candy gift boxes with just using plain wrappers, the difference is very dramatic.

Candy gift boxes are used for two general purposes:

1.       Added Protection

2.       Added beautification

On the protection side, the theory behind using boxes should be in conjunction with using wrappers. The most effective way to ensure that your candies last longer is to wrap them and then store them in boxes. This is not to say that wrappers are not efficient at protecting candies but the added protection brought in by boxes will surely make the shelf life of the candies much longer. On the angle of beautification, candies that are stored or presented in boxes give off a much special meaning. Couple it with exquisite wrapping and then use a box that evokes the occasion will surely be a “hit”. The most classic example of this is Valentine’s Day. Wrap a few dozen candies in a red shiny wrapper and if you want to be more meaningful, have the word “Valentine” printed on each wrapper. And to top it off, use a heart shaped candy box. Although this is quite common, be creative and use a different approach. Let your imagination be your limit.

So how do you choose the right candy box? Indeed, picking the right candy gift box is very crucial for your business or for your next party. Always remember, that candies require a special kind of protection. A factor that you might need to consider is the stickiness of the candy. Candies have certain types of ingredients that give it its sticky appeal so when choosing a box, make sure that it can do a great job at making sure that the candies that it carries will not stick to its sides. Most candy gift boxes already have a special wax coating that helps prevent candies from sticking. You’ll notice that chocolates as well as candies that have sugary components will not stick. Your biggest challenge will be on choosing a box that is fit for the occasion.

For parties, you candy gift boxes should match the color of the party theme. Quantity is another factor for consideration and you need to make sure that everyone has a box. From a business perspective, your box needs to represent your brand. Choose a color that will mirror the strengths of your business and give it a different appeal and it has to represent your brand name and logo.

A final tip on choosing your candy gift boxes is to have fun. Do not treat it as another activity that can cause stress for you. Love it! You’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you will be at choosing the right box for your candies.

The Occasion

The first criteria that you need to deal with when it comes to personalized Candy Wrappers are the occasion.  Candies can be used for marriages and parties. For a marriage, candies can be a good route to consider when making a proposal to the one that you love and there is no sweeter way to do it than through candies. Let your imagination drive you wild as there are limitless ways on how you can approach this and using personalized candy wrappers is a great route to go.  Fill up your girlfriend’s room with chocolate bars wrapped around using the wrappers you personalized. Make sure that the wrappers reflect your intention to propose her and that it is the first thing that she sees when she wakes up. You can also place it in her purse or you arrange for a special delivery with someone you know. This will surely surprise her and give you her “YES”. For parties, candies can be anything. They can be an invitation or they can also be used as decoration piece. This is where personalized candy wrappers will come into play. Parties are vibrant events so make sure that you use colors that will reflect the mood of the party.

The Benjamins

Aside from using wrappers to reflect the occasion, they too can be used to define your business image. Remember, candies can be a viable source of income. With that being said, you need to personalize your candy wrappers to reflect your business name and what image you want to convey to your customer base. For example, if you’re company specializes in making candies that evoke passion then you can choose a red wrapper with your business’ name printed on it. This will require some financial investment on your part but once you do well, the returns will be pouring in like rain.

So there you have it. The look and design of your personalized candy wrappers will be dependent on the two things that were just mentioned on this article. There is no limit on how it should look and feel. Let your imagination go wild! Just as they say, “There is method in madness”.

Rock candies are the hard ones that challenge your teeth every now and then while the soft candy varieties are the ones that are less hard on the teeth. Some prefer Rock candies and others will favor soft candies. If you want to give your teeth a vacation and you want to chew on something softer with almost the same test, you would go for the latter. The smooth and soft taste will surely get you off of your feet. There a lot of soft candies being sold commercially and perhaps one of the most are the gummy worms. I just love eating them! They’re scrumptious just like their harder counterparts and the great things about them is that they are soft and that gives my teeth a little breather. Gummy bears are not the only ones out there. There are more such as Jelly Candies, Gummy Worms, Tootsie Rolls and so many more. When I say “hard” I do not mean that rock candies are literally hard like true rocks but compared to these soft candies, they will look and seem like real rocks.  There is a company based in Chula Vista California that has been selling confectionary items which includes bulk and rare candies. This company is called “Candy Direct” and they’ve been in business since 1997. Historically, they are the oldest distributors of candies existing on the web. They are literally like a shopping mall of candies. Here you can find everything from the mainstream sweets to the classic ones. They also carry candies from virtually every know brand on this planet. If you’re in Chula Vista in California make sure you find this place and for sure you will get a little bit of Candy Heaven.

Now which is better, Rock Candies or soft candies? The taste is almost the same with the different lying on texture and hardness. Quite frankly, they are equal. The appeal of both will be dependent on the actual person eating the candy. Some will surely like the soft variety and there are those who will favor the rock hard one. Nonetheless, both of them are equally loved by all, young and old alike. So if I was to be asked the same question again on whether I would lean towards Rock Candies or soft candies, my answer is both. Now go buy a candy!

The great thing about making rock candy is that you can do it at home using simple tools such as sugar,

measuring cups, jars, water, food coloring, flavoring extract, and a skewer or thread. If you want your candy to be just plain white then you will have to forego of the food coloring. The process is also relatively simple and will simply entail some mixing and heating of the various ingredients that were just mentioned. In addition, it also requires patience. Making a colored rock candy is just another ordinary rock candy recipe and the same goes for the plain colored one.

There is a special kind of recipe that gives a twist to the conventional way of making rock candies. This is what I call the “ultimate rock candy recipe”. So what twist are we talking about here? Lollipops, I’m talking about lollipops.

So how can we achieve this? It’s an interesting question which needs answering. Here’s what you need to do:

1.)    Mix in 3.5 cups of sugar with a cup and a half of corn syrup with a cup of water. Stir the mixture over average heat until the sugar melts and the solutions boils. Do this until the temperature reaches 300 degrees.

2.)    Once it reaches 300 degrees, remove it and add in the necessary food coloring and flavoring extract that will give you the taste that you want. Be careful with the mixture at this point since it will be extremely hot.

3.)    After doing step 2, pour the mixture into your molds along with your sucker sticks. Alternatively, you can use popsicle stick in absence of the sucker types.

Lollipops are actually rock candies that just have a different form. Nonetheless, they still appeal to kids and adults alike. So that’s the special rock candy recipe that I was talking about. Making lollipops is as easy as making any other rock candy. But if you don’t have patience, rock candy will simply not work for you. It won’t matter what kind of rock candy recipe you want to try because if you don’t have the diligence and the patience then this is simple not for you. So I urge everyone who wants to try their hands at candy making to exercise patience with this craft. The rewards are just too great to go unnoticed.

Candy is not just for kids. It is a treat that is enjoyed by all ages. Remember when I mentioned about my boss earlier who used to have blackened teeth because of too much candy intake? Well, up until now, he still keeps a stash of candies hidden in his car and desk and Rock Candy is one of his favorites. He is quite a boss huh? He even went to a cooking class just to learn how to make rock candy. Candy is a uniting factor between kids and adults. My young daughter and I sometimes argue about stuff concerning school and life but when we talk about candy, it’s like the world became Utopia where father and daughter were completely in synch with each other. The process of how to make rock candy is not difficult all that you need are the proper ingredients and the rights tools and processes.

For the tools that you’ll need to make rock candy, you’ll need the following:

• sugar
• measuring cups,
• jars, water
• food coloring
• flavoring extract
• skewer or thread

If your goal is to make plain rock candies without all the fancy colors, you won’t need the food coloring.

1.)    Take a piece of thread and tie and tie it into stick or pencil and position the pencil around the lip of the jar. Give an allowance of at least one inch between the jar’s bottom and the tip of the thread.

2.)    Once you are done with step one, wet the thread and roll it over the granulated sugar. This is to provide support to the sugar crystals later on when it starts to form. Put it aside and let it dry.

3.)    Prepare the sugar syrup. Making sugar syrup is fairly easy but if you do not have the slightest clue on how to do it you can always consult the internet or someone you know that knows how to do it.

4.)    After you’ve finished heating up your syrup, you can now add in your flavoring extract and food coloring if desired.

5.)    After you’ve finished adding up the flavoring extract and the food coloring, let the syrup cool for 10 – 15 minutes. Place the sugared thread inside of the jar and make sure that it hangs an inch from the bottom of the jar. The jar needs to be stored in a cool place and make sure that the top is covered tightly with a paper towel or plastic. It takes a day for the crystals to start to form and about a week for the rock candy to reach its desired size. Once the desired size has been reached, let the candy cool for a bit (5-10 minutes) and then you can sit down and enjoy your homemade rock candy.

So there you have it the process of how to make rock candy is not hard, it just requires a small amount of patience. The real challenge is on controlling your urge to eat the candy. Even if you’re a fanatic health buff, seeing candy will knock you off your momentum. So it is patience and discipline that you need in order to survive the process of how to make rock candy.

If you are a mother like me, you can understand why I would love to cook with the kids. It’s not only a learning experience for them, but it also strengthens our bond. The fun that we have in the kitchen is truly memorable and something that the children would happily remember even long after they move out of the house.

I am thankful to my Mom for exposing me to baking and cooking at such a young age. Now that I have kids of my own, I can give them fun childhood memories as well. For us who love sweets, Chocolate candy molds serve as our ticket to successful desserts!

Chocolate candy molds have been made creative over the years; you wouldn’t believe your eyes! You would likely get what mold you like for any occasion. To illustrate my point, not only are there molds for Christmas and birthdays, nowadays, you also have mold options for Hanukkah, Halloween and baby showers. There are also animal, baby bottles, Father’s Day, sucker chocolate candy molds amongst other designs!

Here’s a surefire hit using your chocolate candy molds:

• Melt chocolate in oven. Put 1 lb. of chocolate in a bowl, microwave for a minute and stir. Repeat this until chocolate is mixed well and fully melted.
• Spoon the chocolate into the mold cavities. Lightly tap the molds on a table top to remove air bubbles and to level the mix.
• Let the chocolate cool. This is my children’s favorite part. We place the molds that have been filled with chocolate in the freezer for a quick cool. Putting the chocolate filled molds in the freezer actually gives them a nice, shiny surface. Larger molds will have to take 10 minutes before taking shape, while the smaller ones may be enjoyed just after 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove the shaped candies from the chocolate candy molds. This is easy. Just turn it upside down and tap it on a clean surface. The candies should come off and voila! You have yummy candies to enjoy.

These candies re not only good for household consumption.  Sure, you and your family will enjoy these delights but you have to think out of the box by getting a box involved! That’s right, you can also give these molded candies as giveaways and gifts. See, chocolate candy molds are really your ticket to homemade delightful desserts. Go ahead, make fun memories and thoughtful gifts with and for the people that you love.

When that question was hurled at me, my mind went blank. There were just so many delectable, luscious, almost sinful recipes to choose from that I could not decide right there and then! I remember it was not this hard when I chose a husband. I just knew that my John was the one! Ah, but asked for my favorite chocolate candy recipe and I just can’t seem to point my finger to the one.

You see, my line of work takes me around the country and I make sure that I get a taste of local homemade delicacies wherever I go. There was a time, I’m sure that I had a favorite; but over the years , there are just so many delightful chocolate recipes that I came across that each one surpasses the others, every time, it seems. Maybe it’s old age. But let me illustrate to you my dilemma.

Say, I give you 10 mouth watering recipes. Yes, let’s cut it down to 10 to make it easier for you. I will describe them and then you tell me which one comes out sounding like the best chocolate candy recipe.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Cherries are sugar wrapped then dipped in chocolate flavored confectioner coating and chilled.

Cherry Almond Caramel Apple Concoction

Caramel apple extravagance in this delicious cherry, almond and chocolate concoction.

Clustered Nutty Caramel

Don’t you just love how caramel melts in your mouth with its decadent taste?

Chocolate Fudge

This can very well be your favorite chocolate candy recipe. Personally, chocolate fudge belongs to my Top Ten Fave. You have a choice between old fashioned stove top cooking or microwave fudge recipes.

Chocolate Dipped Candies

Whether you are dipping caramels, nuts, fruit, or fondant into melted chocolate, one thing is for sure. You and your family will surely enjoy these chocolate dipped wonders!

Chocolate Chow Mein

Chocolate and peanuts fuses their unique flavors and give us the foundation for this recipe. Add in butterscotch and you have a surefire hit!

Molded Chocolate Candy

Ahh, the fun of shapes and sizes. You can actually add flavor points by appealing to the eyes of the eater. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a bunny chocolate in Easter or a pine tree chocolate at Christmas?

Swedish Chocolate Balls

A combination of rolled oats with sugar, butter, cocoa, coffee and melted chocolate. Just roll it coconut flakes and you are in for a treat. No Swedish speaking required.

Matzo Candy Surprise

The simplicity of matzo crackers are transformed into crisp toffee treats when topped with caramel, nuts and of course, chocolates!

Marbled Almond Roca

These are staples in my house as rice is to my friend’s family across the globe. My kids just love these mouth watering delicacies!

So now I ask you, what seems to be the most mouth watering, most scrumptious dessert? I believe that now, you understand why I have a hard time choosing my favorite chocolate candy recipe. Chocolate candy recipes are plenty and if you are like me who loves sweets, this is such an indulgence. Of course, the only problem is, you never get to decide which your favorite is. Well, have fun trying and deciding which!

I come from a family of proud cooks. My grandparents migrated from Ireland and because of their love for cooking, found jobs in a restaurant in downtown Manhattan.  My father took after them. He studied culinary arts and landed a job as chef. Being the youngest in a brood of 5, I have a lot to live up to! But there is something unique about my cooking that sets me apart from who knows how many generations of food lovers. It seems that in my family, I am the only one with an inclination to the sweet side of cooking. I just love desserts. And, everyday, I try to be better in my craft. I love learning new things and also, sharing what I gather through the years.

Today, I am sharing with you some valuable tips in making chocolate candies.

Go for Quality

As it is in life and love, go for quality. There are boxed chocolates and there are confectionary chocolates. Most of the time, I would go for confectionary. I would not want to compromise my name just to save some money on ingredients. Make great signature tastes. There are various brands in the market to start you off in your journey to confectionary greatness. You also have choices of milk, white and dark chocolates depending on what you are making.

Factors

Room temperature. This is very important and should not be taken for granted. You may follow your recipe to the letter but if you do not cool your chocolate candies in the right room temperature, the outcome will not be as expected.

Readiness. One of the important factors in making chocolate candy. This is also very valuable. Make sure that before concocting a batch, all that you need is ready. Your work area, the pots and pans that you will use, etc. You would not want to stop stirring to grab something from the cabinets or worse, from the neighbor, once you have started.

Belief in your chocolates. Do not use cooking oil or paraffin wax for successful chocolate dipping. Once you invest in high grade chocolate, believe in them. Other ingredients you think would help in your recipe, might actually ruin your chocolates’ sumptuous taste.

Storage. This is something that you need to do well if you prepare batches for long time consumption. Remember that chocolates should be kept in a cool place. Also, chocolates are sensitive in picking up off flavors from other food, so do not store them in your fridge. But if the situation calls for freezing your chocolates, you can do that. Just make sure that they are properly wrapped to keep out moisture. When you want to eat them, let it thaw in room temperature for few hours. Needless to say, chocolates should not be exposed to heat as they would melt.

Positive Outlook. In making chocolate candy, it is but normal to fail a few times before perfecting it. So be patient, be positive and do not only laugh, but more importantly, learn from your mistakes.

Making chocolate candy is relaxing and rewarding. Know that if you are just willing to learn, you would be able to make your home made chocolate candies a treat for everyone in your family to enjoy. Make your family happy and proud with your confectionary expertise.

Double Boiler

When melting a chocolate is called for in your candy recipe, a double boiler is one of the most commonly needed candy making supplies. It is a saucepan filled with simmering water and has a fitted metal bowl on top of the pan that holds the melting chocolate. This ensures gentle heat as your chocolate melts from the hot water underneath the top pan. Be sure that water droplets and steam from the lower pan do not splash into your mixture.

If you prefer to use the microwave, a heavy glass bowl is needed for it. Your microwave should have adjustable power to avoid overheating your chocolates.

Candy Making Thermometer

One of the supplies important to your candy making process is the candy thermometer. A lot of candy recipes require candies to be cooked only on a specific temperature. It is possible to make candies without having one, but a candy thermometer comes in handy most of the time. Get a thermometer with a range of at least 60 degrees to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Candy Molds

Having different kinds of candy molds is essential in candy making. Different molds allow you to create candies of different sizes, shapes and designs for all seasons and occasions. Molds can be made of plastic, silicon or metal.

Pastry Bags

Pastry bags are useful for filing your molds. Pasty bags make your work faster. They can also be used for designing your candies.

Food Coloring

Food coloring are use for making chocolate candies. Use water based food coloring. There are also oil based food colors suitable for other types of candies.

Candy Cups

They are thin paper cups perfect for holding bite-sized candies. These cups keep the candies to stick to each other. Candy cups make your presentation appealing and professional.

You also need other important candy making supplies such as a whisk, wooden spoons, baking sheets, dipping forks, a timer, pastry brush, measuring cups and spoons and a sifter.

For homemade chocolate candy recipes, you may also need skewers, squeeze bottles, lollipop sticks and cellophane bags. Sprinkles or candy confetti are also great to add to your candies as decorations. Chocolates are essentials for homemade candies. You could use plain white, milk or dark chocolate.

For packaging your homemade candies you will need the following supplies: candy wrappers and sealing bags, candy boxes and ribbons.

Don’t worry if you don’t have everything on this list of candy making supplies. These are just practical suggestions that you may start to invest on for making homemade candies.

Candy making supplies are affordable and easy to use. It will certainly help turn aspiring confectioners into candy making experts.

You can be creative in making homemade candies when you have the basic candy making supplies on hand. You can just start with the basics and add other items as you go along the way.

The most popular recipes for candies from the south are praline and bourbon balls.

Pralines, from French pralin candy, are popular in New Orleans. Pecan nuts are used instead of almonds and hazelnuts, mostly common in French candy. Cooked to a soft-ball stage like brown sugar fudge, it is mixed with pecans and spooned on wax paper to form patties.

Bourbon balls may have originated in Kentucky around mid 1900s. It’s a no-bake candy recipe, made with crushed vanilla and wafers and bourbon.

There are hundreds of recipes for candies but here are the three basic types of candies based on the ingredients used.

Hard Candies

Hard candies consist of large amount of sugar, with small amounts of flavoring and color. Popular recipes are peppermint sticks, clear mints and fruit drops. Rock candy is almost pure sugar.

Soft Candies

Soft candies consist of sugar and other ingredients added. One popular recipe is the cotton candy. It is almost pure spun sugar melted with small amount of food coloring added. Marshmallows are also popular. It is made by whipping air in a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, egg whites and flavorings. Marshmallow toppings for ice cream are in nearly liquid form.

Chewy

This recipe calls for large proportions of other ingredients besides sugar such as caramel, chocolate, fudge, raisins or nuts covered with sugar or chocolate and pastes. Marzipan is the best known paste candy made from almonds, sugar and egg whites. Chocolate fudge is the most commonly made candy at home. It is made of corn syrup, chocolate, vanilla, milk & butter cooked together until the right consistency is reached. It is then cooled until hardened.

The basic steps in making a homemade candy required in the recipes for candies are the following:

Ingredients and Tools Preparation

Prepare all your ingredients and tools in advance. Pots, pans and utensils should be clean and reachable because you can’t pause to look for your supplies once you have started your process in candy making.

Mix Together the Ingredients

Sugar and water ingredients are mixed together in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Follow your recipe precisely as to avoid sugar crystals appearing on your candy.

Boil Until Desired Temperature Has Been Reached

Boil sugar and water according to the recipe and required temperature. Use a candy thermometer to determine the right temperature according to your recipe.

Cool

All candies are cooled slightly before handling. How the solution is cooled affects the type of candy.

Stir, Beat, Shape

Stirring constantly is often called in your recipes, except for caramels or lollipops. As for other recipes, continue stirring until thick and crystallization has formed.

Beating is the process that controls the development of crystallization and produces crystals of small size.

Shaping your sweets involve cutting in to pieces or setting in molds. Lined and grease molds of rubber, metal or plastic are ideal. Pour mixture into the mold and allow to set for a while.

The internet is a great way to start your hunting as there are thousands of recipes for candies which you can access easily and efficiently.