Candy makers help please..........

[frugalfranny]

Anyone reading my posts know I like to experiment.......

And thought the candy makers out there could help me!!!

Well........the stores were selling flavored bark covered
pretzels........(raspberry, strawberry, etc. and NOT CHEAP!) I decided I can do it too.............BUT...........


Has anyone worked with putting a liquid/alcohol based extract into the melting bark?
Or the "meltaways"......that JA's and Michaels carries?

In the normal use of it..........it won't work, it changes texture, but I am DETERMINED to do it. You have to add oil....or veg. shortening as it says on the back of the meltaways.

I have some wonderful alcohol based extract that I have tried.(raspberry)...and have the "flavor" down pretty good but when I put the oil in the extract to then add it to the melted bark, and from there to dip the pretzels........it won't stick to the pretzels very good.

I REALLY don't want to have to order "oil based extract".......since I ordered this other.....(but they do make it)

I haven't tried Crisco (just due to the 'fat thing').....I used the extract, mixed in a bowl with veg. oil,.........then added it to the melted coating.............then dipped the pretzels.

Has anyone done this? What did you do? Any suggestions?
What would make it 'stick' to the pretzels when I dip them?

These pretzels are sooooooo good.........and the raspberry were my favorite........have got to figure this out.

[Libby]

I know that you need to temper the chocolate with a spoon of butter/marg to make it soft, shiny & melty. Some recipes suggest adding milk or water to help 'thin' it out to make it dippable/pourable/drizzable etc. Instead of milk/water, why not try the extract to help thin it out? Its a liquid and should infuse flavour

[nodmicks]

I use the chocolate bark and add mint, raspberry etc. I do wait until the chocolate cools a bit and beat it with an electric mixer on low. I have not had the texture change unless the chocolate it to hot. Hope that helps.

[Contrary Housewife]

Former chocolate factory employee here...

The problem is you are adding water/alcohol to oil. It doesn't work, your chocolate (oil based) will seize. You either need an oil based candy flavoring, or you need to introduce something like butter or cream (which is water and fat) that will aid in getting the alcohol flavoring into the chocolate. However, once you've done that it won't dry hard.

What you might try is making one batch of ganache (chocolate with heavy cream and your flavoring) and dipping the pretzels, putting on a thin coat and letting that solidify as much as possible. THEN do a second dip in plain chocolate to get the hard outer coating. Do not be tempted to put the ganache layer in the fridge to cool, as condensation can form which will ruin your 2nd layer.

Tempering is a matter of bringing the melted chocolate to a certain temperature for a few moments, then cooling it to another temperature (you can look up the exact numbers) to get the fat molecules to line up and make it shiny. Adding shortening is not 'tempering'.

[Libby]

Sorry if my wording wasn't as clear - tempering to me is slowly heating/melting the chocolate until its soft and melty (ie double boiler) Adding the butter/marg works - though shortening is preferred - helps make it a smoother consistency for dipping things, as in giving it a more appealing appearance.

[Trishagirl]

try to add some wax to the chocolate, that will harden it about half a bar.

[frugalfranny]

Thanks......am going to try some of these.

When using the 'vanilla bark' you can't add anything else w/o some oil or it will change texture.......so have to be careful.......that is why, when I added the alcohol based extract I first stirred it into the oil..........that worked for the bark part.......but then it wouldn't
adhere to the pretzels very well.

Got the flavor down though...........and could have eaten it by the spoonful!!!!

Will try some of the suggestions here..........BEFORE I break down and order some oil based extracts on line.

I am into easy and fast. If it ends up taking too much time I won't do it. Takes long enough to dip the pretzels as it is!!

[monkeywrangler71]

I'm not sure what 'bark' is - I thought that was the end result of pouring chocolate over nuts. Is it couverature (ie. dipping) chocolate? If so, you are changing the chemistry of it when you add more liquid and it is not going to behave the same way anymore.

Chocolate has a very delicate balance of fat and moisture. If you add more liquid to it you will reverse it (fat dissolved in water instead of water dissolved in fat). It might look the same when it's melted, but it will never act the same again.

[frugalfranny]

I'm not sure what 'bark' is - I thought that was the end result of pouring chocolate over nuts. .

No, and I was guessing that every part of the country had it.........
sorry.........a baking item.

It is in the baking section of our groc. stores..........you can get it in chocolate (but I don't like it very well). I use what is called
Almond Bark..........vanilla flavored (but very mild, so will mix with other flavors). Comes in a two pound 'brick'........that you break squares off of to use.

The meltaways..........are the little round 'candies' that can be
found at Michael's, or Jo Ann's....(Wilton Candy Melts)......in various colors and most will be vanilla flavored. (often used for wedding favors, I guess, as that is the section they are in at Michael's)

Think I am going to have to try the solid veg. shortening.....as the back of the bark package says NOT to use butter. It is real fragile about even a drop of water while melting........BTDT!!

I have both, at this point, and think I will experiment with the meltaways first..............they seem to give you more 'leeway' and not be quite as fragile as the bark.

[ncarr]

I use semisweet chocolate chips when I make peppermint bark. It works well

[frugalfranny]

I use semisweet chocolate chips when I make peppermint bark. It works well

I have used the white chips in other things and they are made to withstand baking and don't seem to melt that well.........well
enough to coat pretzels.........which, in the end, is what I am
trying to do........with flavoring.

I like the way the almond bark and meltaways melt...just have to be
able to get the flavoring in it without changing the texture.

Will be doing another batch tonight..........think I will try
solid shortening.

[bookwormpeg]

All sounds go good...hope you get it right...