Candy melts are meant to be used as a candy coating for sweet treats like candy pops, truffles, coated pretzels, brownie toppings, and more. These candy melts are pretty easy to use, but sometimes they might not melt the way you'd like to, and you might be wondering what to do. Not to worry, we've looked into this for you.
When using candy melts, the mixture should be melted so that it is runny enough to completely coat whatever you are dipping. If you find that your candy melts are a little too thick or gummy, or the mixture tends to set while you're still dipping your treats, you might need to add a little shortening to thin it out.
There are many reasons why candy melts are not melting, ranging from under-melting the candy melts to the temperature of your environment. We've researched the reasons why your candy melts are not melting and other tips on how to prevent them. Keep reading to learn more about the best ways you can use these candy melts!
What Do I Do If My Candy Melts Won't Melt?
If you've ever tried those popular cake pops or even the coated pretzels in dessert bars, you might have wondered what they've used to make these treats. These sweet treats are coated with candy melts—a flavored, colored confectionary ingredient that is used for baking and decorating. They are also used to make molded candies.
Primarily made with sugar and oil, candy melts come in little round wafers that are easy to melt. They are made in different colors as these candy melts are often used in decorating. You can also find that some candy melts are flavored, so it takes away the hassle of having to mix in flavorings in your sweet treats.
Check out these candy melts on Amazon.
Candy melts are often confused with white chocolate due to their look and consistency. However, candy melts are not chocolate because it does not contain cocoa butter. If you are looking for a chocolate candy coating for your treats, candy melts are available that are chocolate flavored.
When melting candy melts, you can use your microwave or the double boiler. Sometimes, you may find that the consistency of your candy melts is too thick and clumpy even after heating it up. Thinning out your candy melts is important to prevent breaking your dipped treats and to make it easier to coat them.
The best way to thin out candy melts is by adding solid vegetable shortening or store-bought thinning aids like Paramount Crystals to thin it out.
Check out Paramount Crystals on Amazon.
Avoid overheating the candy melts because it is most likely to burn easily due to its high sugar content. Also, make sure that the temperature of your working environment is not too cold as it can affect the consistency of the candy melts, causing them to set too quickly.
Can You Reheat Candy Melts?
If at any time you find that you need to melt your candy melts again because it has started to set, you can do so by putting it in the microwave at 40% power and stirring it in 10-second intervals. Check the candy melts from time to time if it has melted again to the right consistency.
If you think that it needs a little extra help getting thinned out, add thinning agents or shortening in very small amounts to prevent it from altering the texture of your candy melts.
Get this candy melts thinning aid on Amazon.
Another great way to ensure that the candy melts stay in the same consistency while working is by using a specialized melting pot. They keep the temperature at an optimum range to ensure that the candy melts are warm and will not set while working.
Get this melting pot on Amazon.
What Can I Do With Leftover Candy Melts?
Sometimes we end up preparing more ingredients than what we actually need. When baking and decorating, you might find that you've melted more than the treats you need to work on, and now you've got a whole pot of melted candy melts left waiting to be used. It would be such a waste to throw it out!
Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can use these leftover candy melts. If you have plastic or silicone candy molds, you can pour the candy melts and make molded candies. Just add a few extras like sprinkles or nuts to add a little texture to your candies.
You can also turn leftover candy melts into candy bark. Simply pour the melted candy on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add some toppings like crushed nuts, sprinkles, peppermint candies, or anything you'd like on top to make a uniquely flavored candy bark.
Wait for the melted candy melts to set completely and break it into pieces for a yummy candy bark confection. If you want to put a spin on your candy design, pour the leftover melt into a mold instead of a flat baking sheet for a unique, one-bite morsel.
See these silicone candy molds on Amazon.
Alternatively, you can also store your leftover melted candy melts inside a ziplock bag, flatten it, and allow them to set completely. You can store this and melt it again, just like regular candy melts for your other treats.
Leftover candy melts can also be stored in an airtight container left at room temperature or in the fridge. Just make sure that it is not exposed to air to prevent it from drying out.
What Alternatives Can I Use For Candy Melts?
There are times when candy melts can be hard to come by at your local stores or you prefer to use a different ingredient for your treats. These substitutes are different from candy melts, but many baking professionals also use these products when creating sweet treats. Here are some substitutes you can use if you don't have candy melts.
Compound chocolate
Compound chocolate is the easy-to-use version of real chocolate because it doesn't need to be tempered like other chocolate variants. This is also the closest you can get to candy melts because of its consistency. It's popular for making cake pops and other desserts.
Using compound chocolate is similar to using candy melts because you can melt it down in the microwave or double boiler. As a bonus, it thins out better than candy melts.
Get this compound chocolate on Amazon.
Couverture chocolate
Couverture chocolate is a kind of chocolate formulated with a higher percentage of cocoa butter. A lot of chocolate professionals use this in their craft for making truffles, molded chocolates, and garnish. It is high-quality chocolate, but it also needs to be tempered properly because otherwise, it can be brittle and bumpy if not done correctly.
Check out this couverture chocolate on Amazon.
Almond bark
Another ingredient you can use to substitute candy melts is almond bark. This is another confection that is quite similar to candy melts as it is mostly made up of fats and flavoring to resemble chocolate.
One of the best things when working with almond bark is that it is white, so if you are looking to color your dipping mixture, you can simply add an oil-based food coloring agent, powder, or paste to it.
See this almond bark on Amazon.
Frosting
It doesn't exactly look like candy melts, nor will the result be the same, but you can use frosting as an alternative to coating treats like cake pops and cake balls. A kind of frosting called glace is made with powdered sugar and water, with the option to be colored with food coloring.
If made and thinned correctly, it can harden and coat the sweet treats just like candy melts.
Final Thoughts
Candy melts are quick and easy-to-use confections that you can use for baking and decorating sweet treats. While this is the case, some people may find that candy melts can be too thick in consistency while using, but fortunately, there are a number of ways you can do to thin out the mixture.
Using candy melts is a great way to make a lot of sweet treats from cake pops to candies that are easy enough even for beginners to do.
There's a lot more to learn about baking and chocolates. Here are a couple of interesting articles you might enjoy:
Should You Add Butter Or Oil To Melted Chocolate?
Can You Freeze Chocolate Truffles? How Long Will They Last?
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