Best products from r/CandyMakers
We found 23 comments on r/CandyMakers discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 21 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. CDN DTC450 Digital Candy/Deep Fry/Pre-Programmed & Programmable Thermometer
- Digital candy thermometer--essential tool for making your favorite sweets
- Large easy-to-read display with temperature range of 40 to 450 degrees F
- Dual progress display; preprogrammed and programmable; auto-off
- Adjustable stainless steel clip; pocket clip; temperature guide on sheath
- Wipe clean with damp cloth
Features:
2. Premier Small Wonder Table Top Wet Grinder 1.5 Liter by SS Premier
✅ [Idli and Dosa] Make Idli and Dosa for the Entire Family to Enjoy with a Premier Wonder Wet Grinder. Take control of the quality and quantity of your ingredients to create delicious, nutrient-rich batters. Prepare dishes directly from your pantry to optimize health and nutritional content. Recei...
3. Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner
- Great product!
Features:
4. The Complete Photo Guide to Candy Making: All You Need to Know to Make All Types of Candy - The Essential Reference for Beginners to Skilled Candy ... Caramels, Truffles Mints, Marshmallows & More
- CableMod WideBeam Technology
- RGB and UV LEDs
- Dual Magnetic and Adhesive Backing
- RF Remote Control and Receiver
- Vibrant and Rich Color
Features:
6. The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs
- Little Brown and Company
Features:
7. CounterArt Black Marble Design Glass Cutting Board, 15 x 12 Inches
- GLASS CUTTING BOARD-Great for food preparation, cutting and serving.
- MADE OF HIGH-QUALITY 3 MM TEMPERED GLASS that is safe for temperatures up to 400 degrees F or 204 degrees C.
- FEATURES & CARE: Surface of Cutting Board is slightly textured to help keep foods stable as they are being chopped and diced. Rubber Non-Skid feet on bottom of the board protects your surfaces from scratches and stains. Glass Counter Saver may be cleaned with mild detergent and water or be placed in the dishwasher.
- PERFECT for your friends and family, a hostess gift or to keep for yourself. Design allows the Cutting Board to remain displayed when not in use. Look for CounterArt decorative Coasters and Placemats to complete your own Home Interior Design.
- MEASURES 15” L x 12” W x .125” H or 38 cm x 30 cm x .3 cm.
Features:
8. Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America
- Essential vitamins to revitalize lashes
- Clump-free length
- Adds volume
Features:
9. Cacao Barry Milk Chocolate "Lactee Barry" Pistoles (Discs) , 35.3% Cocoa,gold Bag 2 Pounds
Cacao Barry Milk Chocolate "Lactee Barry" Pistoles (Discs) , 35.3% Cocoa,Gold Bag 2 PoundsGold Bag 2 Pounds
10. Bakto Flavors Natural Cherry Flavor (1 FL OZ) Pack of 3
- Natural
- Kosher
- GMO-Free, Gluten Free
- 1 of over 50 Natural Flavors & Extracts.
- No Sugar or Corn Syrup added
Features:
11. Maverick CT-03 Digital Oil & Candy Thermomter
- Fold-up Splatter / Heat-Shield. Easy to use! Beeps and flashes when the perfect temperature is reached!
- 14 pre-programmed settings for both candy-making and deep-frying. Easy digital readout.
- Heat resistant white plastic with 8” stainless steel probe, clip and fold-up splatter / heat shield. Batteries included.
- Temperature Range: +32˚F˚ to +392˚F˚ / +0˚C˚ to +200˚C˚.
- 12.0” x 2.25” x 1.5"
Features:
12. Polder Classic Combination Digital In-Oven Programmable Meat Thermometer and Timer
- ULTRA PROBE made from stainless steel with comfort grip handle and 40-inch long cord, safely monitors internal food temperatures - no need to remove from meat or open the oven door. Extra thin tip for smaller puncture holes when sampling.
- TEMPERATURE RANGE from 32˚F to 392˚F (0˚C to 200˚C). Option to set alert to sound when temperature is reached.
- 24 HOUR COUNTDOWN TIMER to use independently or together with the thermometer
- MEMORY FUNCTION saves the last programmed temperature for quick use and perfect batch cooking
- EASY READ FLIP TOP display sits on the counter or mounts to the wall with high strength magnets
Features:
13. Hutzler Ball Ice Tray, Natural
- Makes 24 round ice balls
- Ice balls are approximately 1-inch in diameter
- Easy to fill and easy to remove
- BPA free and dishwasher safe
- Made in the USA
Features:
14. Premier Tilting Chocolate Refiner - Melanger
The Premier Tilting Chocolate Refiner-Melanger is made of quality, durable materials for a trouble-free and lasting performance. It is engineered expressly for the craft chocolate-maker or the avid home cook DIYer.This Premier Tilting Chocolate Refiner-Melanger can refine particle size down to less ...
15. Etekcity Digital Instant Read Infrared Thermometer/Thermocouple, 2-in-1 w/ Mini Foldable Probe & LCD Screen, -35 to 260°C / -31 to 500°F
- Omni-Wind Block
- Omni-Heat thermal reflective
- Contoured hem
Features:
16. Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Cacao Liquor/Paste, 1 Pound
- Organic Cacao Paste: Raw Chocolate Paste; Net Wt. 16 oz / 454 g
- 100% Pure Cacao, Mayan Superfood: Certified Organic, Kosher, gluten-free, vegan, raw, no sugar/additives
- Hand-selected quality beans, cleansed with purified water, then peeled & cold-pressed to form a paste, which is the concentrated liquor
- Recyclable packaging; Navitas is committed to socially & environmentally responsible business practices
- Made in the U.S.A. and Imported; Product of Peru, 16 Servings.
- 100% certified organic, kosher, non-GMO, certified gluten-free, vegan and raw
- Raw cacao is one of the most plentiful sources of antioxidants and magnesium
- Made from raw, whole, cold-milled cacao beans, this dark chocolate paste also contains fiber and essential minerals including iron
- Simply add sweetener to raw Navitas Naturals Cacao Paste and use it as you would conventional baking chocolate to create chocolate desserts, drinks and confections
- Food for modern life. Great for home consumption or use in your healthy restaurant or café.
Features:
17. Taylor Precision Products RA17724 Taylor Candy And Jelly Deep Fry Thermometer, 1 EA, Multicolor
- INSULATED HANDLE AND PAN CLIP Clip is adjustable to attach to any size pan
- EASY TO READ Helpful candy temperatures are printed directly on the surface for convenient reference
- STAINLESS STEEL The classic design is 12” long overall and can be wiped clean with a damp wash cloth
- HIGHLY ACCURATE Thermometer measures in both °F and °C from 100 to 400°F
- LIFETIME LIMITED This thermometer is backed with a lifetime limited so you can make your purchase with confidence
Features:
18. Silicone Ice Cube Tray with Lid Cover, BPA Free, 37 Cubes Each, Easy Release Ice Cubes Molds for Cocktail, Whiskey, Coffee, Fruit Juice by Ezeagbor (2 pack)
- Cool Cotton Technology
- Multi pack
Features:
19. Heat Gun Variable Temperature, Yome 1800W 140℉~1112℉(60℃- 600℃) Hot Air Gun with 2 Speed-Setting, Overload Protection, 4 Nozzle Attachments for Shrink Wrapping, Crafts, Cell Phone Repairs, Orange
- 【Are you a Do-it-Yourself Individual?】Different jobs need different temperatures. So, a heat gun with one temperature will not meet your needs. Yome 1800W Heat Gun has 2 airflow speeds, and 6 temperature dial ranges, allowing it to fulfill all of your various requirements.
- 【High-Temperature Resistant】The Yome Heat Gun is made of ABS plastic, heat-resistant nylon, and stainless steel. When Yome Heat Gun is working at a high temperature, this effect will not hinder the integrity of the gun and the user will not sense the heat through the handle. Designed with an ergonomic handle and sidebar to prevent accidental touch of the nozzle, this heat gun also features built-in overload protection to ensure safety during use.
- 【4 Types of Nozzles】Install one of the four nozzles for any work scenario. The Heat Gun can reach a temperature of 1112 Fahrenheit, however, if the environment outside is freezing, the heat gun may not achieve its max temperature. After each use of the heat gun, be sure it has cooled fully, before putting it away. Contact with the Heat Nozzle can cause severe burns.
- 【Wide Application】7 multi-purpose attachments are perfect for shrink and vinyl wrapping, crafts, cell phone repair, paint stripping, rusted bolt removal, thawing frozen pipes, and many other uses left to your imagination.
- 【Support】Yome has a 30-day free Return and Replacement Policy. If our products have any problems, we will replace them for free.
Features:
20. Duxtop 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Black 9100MC
PORTABLE INDUCTION BURNER Duxtop induction cooktop uses 120V 15 amp electrical outlet–standard in all North American homes. ETL listed and built to North American electrical standards. Lightweight, portable induction cooktop makes handling and storage easy. Perfect for dorm rooms, home kitchens, b...
Oh yes, the cocoa powder should always be 100% cocoa, except when you turn it into hot cocoa mix. I meant that mass manufacturers have to add lots of sugar and milk powder in the process of making chocolate to cover up the crappy flavor.
One of the many chocolate jobs I've had over the last 12 years used Terrasoul cocoa powder for a while. They're pretty good, as is Navitas Organics. Both are readily available on Amazon and at Whole Foods and most other natural grocers (Sprouts, etc.)
Raw/unrefined or cold pressed cocoa butter is the way to go. It will retain a decent amount of flavor, and a good one should definitely smell like really light chocolate, and should almost smell sweet. It has a SLIGHT waxy smell, but if it starts to smell rancid or like paraffin wax (no chocolate smell) that's not the one to use. Terrasoul's cocoa butter has always been pretty decent.
So, a concher refiner is SORT of a mixer, but it's more of a grinder. They're usually a huge drum with weird arms inside that grind the chocolate against the walls of the machine. There are smaller versions that will do the job if you're deciding to become a more serious hobbyist, like this tabletop refiner (Premier Small Wonder Table Top Wet Grinder 1.5 Liter by SS Premier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OPIBV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KEptDbNKH13MX) but I definitely don't recommend trying to make any money off this kind of venture.
Lastly, Hershey's uses sour milk powder in their chocolate to give it a different taste. Milton Hershey basically had a bad batch of milk and just rolled with it instead of getting new milk and ended up liking the flavor more. Apparently, the company has moved over to using butyric acid instead of the rarer-to-find sour milk powder, but this is even grosser to think about - butyric acid is the same chemical compound that makes milk smell sour, cheese smell like a foot, and vomit taste... Well, like vomit. Delicious!
Ahahah tempering is absolutely necessary if you want any kind of molded chocolate. I've been a chocolatier for 4ish years & I've worked in some excellent kitchens with great equipment & also some truly ghetto places. Follow tempering instructions from a trusted website or (better yet) a confectionery book that's gone through editors & stuff. (I like this one! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0764588443/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1427249091&sr=8-2&keywords=confections&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41aoftm6jBL&ref=plSrch) after your chocolate is tempered, stick it in the fridge until it's matte rather than shiny, then pull it out & stick it in front of a fan in a well ventilated area. The air moving helps it cool evenly & you don't risk condensation damage by leaving it in too cool a place. (Your ideal temperature is actually 55 degrees)
I made cherry cordials a couple of years ago with good results. I used the recipe from The Complete Photo Guide to Candy Making by Autumn Carpenter. I do recommend picking up a copy if you're interested, because there's a lot of helpful advice in it, but here's the fondant recipe:
5 cups granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Makes 2 1/4 pounds, enough for approximately 70 bonbons
The notes do encourage you to whip the warm fondant in a stand mixer, which is what I did, instead of paddling it by hand. I think it took about 15 minutes to reach the right consistency for me.
Reductions seem like my best bet when it comes to the beer chocolate. And the wine reduction with the cherries seems like it would be amazing! I picked up a bag of frozen cherries to use, but I haven't really done any research on what I want to do with them.
Also, this book has a recipe for a white chocolate ginger truffle, in case that helps at all. I have used this book for a lot of my research, modifying where I want to, and it has been a great help!
Thanks for the book tip, I'll check it out. I started with Alton Brown's recipe (since, well, he's Alton Brown), and most of my messing around from there has been in trying different flavors. I started with different liqueurs in place of the brandy, but I found that juice reductions gave me more flavor. Sometimes you want the subtlety a liqueur provides, and sometimes you want to highlight the flavor a little more against the chocolate - or you want to use a flavor that isn't available in a liqueur, like the red wine or a beer.
For a beer truffle, in addition to using a beer reduction I would also try adding a few other flavors to try to punch it up. For instance - and this is just an example, because I don't know how well chocolate would work with a beer this light - for Blue Moon I would definitely steep orange zest in the cream. Figure out what beer you want to use, taste it and describe it the way you might a wine, and try to highlight and exaggerate the big tastes.
I poked around Google a bit and there are a few candied ginger chocolate bars, so there's clearly a flavor synergy there. I also just checked the Flavor Bible and they indicate it's a solid match, so I think it's worth trying.
You could get her some fancy boxes/ bags/ foils so she can package them up nicely for gifts. Homemade truffles make amazing gifts because everyone who doesn't make candy seems to be pretty sure dark magic is involved.
This book has far more than truffle recipes, but that will just give her something to aim for. It's an amazing book for at-home candy making.
You can buy smaller quantities of great chocolate but expect to pay about 15-20+ a pound.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MROZBGU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1549334910&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=cocoa+barry&psc=1
Some great brands are cocoa Barry, valhrona,callebaut, guitard. A cheaper brand is Peter's.
I was thinking of using some of this: Natural cherry flavor. Thanks for your feedback! I do appreciate it!
IR (laser) thermometers are fantastic, but not for candy cooking, as the steam throws off the reading. Digital is the way to go; I recommend one of these three: CDN, Maverick, Polder. I use the Polder and a refractometer.
I stopped using a thermometer ages ago, and use the incredibly old school method of testing sugar by hand, after it's been in some ice water. But for those who aren't familiar with soft ball & hard crack by touch alone, Amazon has a lovely digital candy thermometer for $22.07.
Premier Tilting Chocolate Refiner - Melanger
Here's a cheaper model that doesn't tilt: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016E1NUZA/
I haven't been able to find a single one cheaper than those. And they both have great reviews.
You probably need to go to a 1" ball ice tray mold. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Hutzler-324-Ball-Tray-Natural/dp/B0042T4D8U
Temperature is so, so critically important for candy making. You should really invest in a solid digital thermometer. This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9WTCN2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-Liquor-16-Ounce/dp/B002PACC3G
This product states that it is cold pressed and raw. is this not??
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0764588443/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1427249091&sr=8-2&keywords=confections&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41aoftm6jBL&ref=plSrch
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
Sure thing!
stir 3 packets of knox gelatin into 1/4 of water. Go slowly when adding at first to avoid clumping. I take three packs in a bunch, tear off the top and pour while stirring.
I have a 1 cup glass measuring cup that I use, because the spout comes in handy when pouring into the molds later.
Let the gelatin "bloom" which more or less means let it solidify a little. I usually stir it into chunks so they dissolve faster.
Add food coloring to the gelatin
Add 1/2tsp LorAnn flavoring to gelatin http://www.lorannoils.com/
Add 1tbsp Citric Acid to gelatin
Add 1tsp Malic Acid to gelatin https://nuts.com/cookingbaking/salts/malic-acid.html
let everything sit while you prepare the sugar syrup
combine 1/3 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar
boil until 248^o or until very light amber color if you don't have a thermometer.
While the syrup is cooking gently mix the gelatin, food coloring, acids and flavor. The acids will have broken the gelatin down a bit and the mixture should be a little soupy.
When the syrup comes to temp pour it slowly into the gelatin while mixing at the same time. I use a regular fork. Mix thoroughly and pour into molds. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073YPDQVM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Refrigerate for about 3 hours or until firm
Cover with sugar
Cut in half
Cover in sugar again
Let sit out at least 24hrs uncovered so they get that extra chewy texture.
I batch will fill one mold.
A heat gun may help with managing temperature
Heat lamps and warming cabinets are also useful but a heat gun is the cheapest and possibly most accessible option that I can think of.
No need to remodel. These are counter-top models ---> Like this guy.