How to Make Chocolate
Covered Candy
Life
may not be a box of chocolates, but a box of chocolates
can make life seem a little better. While you can always
go out and buy a box of chocolate, it is incredibly
satisfying -- and delicious -- to make your own. Try one
of these techniques to make your own delicious homemade
chocolate covered candy.
Bonbons: chocolate with
fondant centers
Many
chocolates use fondant candy centers. Fondant is simply
a thick, white sugar and water mixture that has been
cooked until it crystallizes into various consistencies.
Fondant can be a thick liquid or a soft solid that can
be rolled. You can make your own fondant or purchase
readymade fondant at a store that specializes in cake
decorating supplies.
To make
hand dipped chocolates with rolled
fondant, roll little
bits of your fondant into small balls. Dip the candy
filling into melted chocolate and allow them to dry on
parchment paper. Alternately, you can coat a candy mold
with chocolate, allow it to harden and cool, then press
fondant filling into the mold. Coat the remainder with
chocolate and cool until it is ready to be removed from
the mold.
You can
use common and basic ingredients such as almonds,
peanuts and bits of dried cherries. Or, you can get more
exotic. Try mixing dried raspberries, cranberries or
marionberries with your fondant and then coating them
with chocolate for a more unusual and decadent candy
treat.
Chocolate covered fruit
and nuts
You can
combine dried fruit and nuts with fondant to make candy
centers, or you can just dip fruit or nuts directly into
chocolate to make delicious candy.
Melt
good quality chocolate (using the microwave or a double
boiler to ensure you do not burn it) and dip small
pieces of dried fruit or nuts into the chocolate. It
works well with raisins, dried apricots, pineapple, and
dried apples as well as large nuts such as pecans,
walnuts, macadamias and Brazil nuts.
Allow
them to cool and dry on parchment paper. Store them in
sealed containers in a cool (but not cold), dry place.
Molded chocolates
It is
easy to make chocolates in a variety of fun shapes using
chocolate molds. Chocolate molds are available in nearly
any shape you can imagine. Look for them at party
supply, candy making and cake decorating stores. If you
do not find a good selection of chocolate molds locally,
look online for retailers that can provide nearly any
shape you could want.
While
it is certainly fine to make chocolate in traditional
mold shapes like seashells, cameos and champagne
bottles, think outside the classic chocolate box. Need
to present an award? An award chocolate mold lets you
create something unique and exciting. Want to send
people home from a bridal or baby shower with something
a little bit different? Use a reproduction of an antique
chocolate mold, model a chocolate version of a baby's
hand or make erotic chocolates with a mold sure to
please your guests.
Taking
a trip upriver? Mold chocolate candy canoes for your
whole tour group. Throwing a costume gala? Give molded
chocolate masks to all of your guests. Your kids are
having birthdays? You can find molds of princesses,
teacups, Elmo, farm animals like pigs and cows and even
everyone's favorite dinosaur, Barney.
Chocolate molds are generally made of silicone or
plastic and are easy to use, clean and reuse. You can
use the chocolates sold in candy making stores that are
intended for chocolate mold candy-making, or melt any
good quality chocolate if you want to make something a
little more gourmet.
See the
recipe for
chocolate fondant filling. |
