Tagged with 'candy melts'

Shamrock Pretzel Tutorial

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, & what better way to celebrate the delightful holiday than with an easy-to-make holiday treat? Say hello to our Shamrock Pretzel Sticks, a charming combination of crunchy pretzels & sweet melting wafers that not only captures the essence of the holiday but these treats also make for a visually stunning addition to your St. Patrick's Day festivities!

Follow along with Alicia in this video with this easy to follow St. Patrick's Day recipe!

Ingredients:

Tools:

Instructions:

  1. Create the Shamrock Shape:
    Begin by grabbing three pretzels & arranging them in the shape of a shamrock. One on top & one on each side. Feeling lucky? Add a fourth pretzel!
  2. Melt your Sweet Shoppe Spring Green Melting Wafers:
    Follow the melting instructions provided for the Sweet Shoppe Spring Green Melting Wafers.
  3. Create your Shamrock Shape:
    Once your melting wafers are melted down to a smooth consistency, dip just the sides of one of your pretzels & attach it to the other two pretzels to form a shamrock shape. Add a bit of melting wafers to the edges for extra support. Dip a cake pop stick into the melted wafers & lay it flat on top of the pretzels. Allow it to dry, securing the shamrock onto the stick.
  4. Coat with Melting Wafers:
    Once dry, dip the shamrock pretzel into your melted Sweet Shoppe Spring Green Melting Wafers, tapping off any excess. Lay it flat on parchment paper or place in a cakepop stand to dry.
  5. Create a Marble Effect:
    Melt your Sweet Shoppe Forest Green Melting Wafers & add melting coating to a piping bag. Drizzle the Sweet Shoppe Forest Green over your melted Sweet Shoppe Spring Green. Dip your shamrock pretzel into the coating ensuring a smooth, consistent coating. Gently rotate the cakepop stick from side to side as you remove your treat to create a beautiful marble finish.
  6. Let Them Shine:
    Allow your Shamrock Pretzel Sticks to dry completely. Once set, they are ready to steal the show at your St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Will you be making this festive St. Patrick’s Day treat? We’d love to see what you create! Tag us on social or share your images in our Facebook Community group: Stover’s Confection Connection!

May your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations be filled with luck & deliciously green treats!

New Size, Same Sweet Shoppe!

We’re kicking off 2024 with a minor update to our beloved line of compound coating wafers! Our Sweet Shoppe Coating Wafers are transitioning to a brand new, smaller size wafer! 


No need to worry, nothing about the product will change other than the size of the wafer itself! This shift in size doesn’t just offer a change in appearance; it amplifies your usage possibilities. Reducing our Sweet Shoppe wafer size by almost 50% allows for a smoother & quicker melting experience, enabling you to coat, drizzle & decorate with ease! 


At Stover & Company, we understand that consistent quality matters most to our customers! While the size of our wafer may be new, we are committed to providing the same premium ingredients & qualities you’re used to with our Sweet Shoppe products.


Here’s what you can expect during the size transition: 

 

  • There will be some crossover between wafer sizes as we work through our existing inventory. This means if you order more than one unit, you may receive an order containing both wafer sizes!
  • Rest assured, our original-sized coating wafers continue to uphold the high standard of Sweet Shoppe quality you know & trust. The original-sized wafers are fully usable through the "Best By" date indicated on your package.
  • Smaller wafers = faster melting! That’s right, these new smaller size wafers will save you time in the kitchen as they quickly melt down to the perfect Sweet Shoppe consistency! Please be sure to adjust your melting time accordingly to avoid burning the coating. 
  • During warmer months, our small wafer size may increase in chances of the product melting during transit. We always recommend adding our cold packaging add-on to protect your order as it makes the journey to your door. 


So that's it! New size, same sweet vibes


We value your loyalty to our brand & we’re excited for you to embark on this delightful new journey with us! Stay tuned for more exciting updates & inspiration as we roll out this exciting change! 


Have questions? Contact our customer service team at info@stovercompany.com! 

 

 

Savor the Spectrum: Introducing Sweet Shoppe Colored Compounds

You asked for them, we listened. Our beloved Sweet Shoppe Coating Wafers are now available in SEVEN vibrant colors, each designed to take your treats to new heights!

Color Your World with Deliciously Vibrant Chocolate
Available for purchase starting August 16th, this new collection features a wide range of hues to help you unlock a world of color.  

                                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rose Pink: Playful & charming, this pale pink shade is perfect for celebrating life's sweetest moments.

Sunset Orange: Capture the radiance of a sunset with this lively orange, guaranteed to make your treats pop.

Cardinal Red: A bright red hue perfect for holiday creations & paying homage to your favorite sports team.

Sunshine Yellow: Make everyday brighter when you add sunshine yellow to your sweet treats. 

Spring Green: Sparking feelings of freshness & vitality, this calm shade is ideal for desserts that call for a soft touch of nature.

Forest Green: Add a touch of elegance & sophistication to your confections with this rich & regal shade of Forest Green. 

Sky Blue: Dive into the depths of creativity with this calming Sky Blue, reminiscent of the sky above. 


At Stover & Company, we understand the importance of maintaining the consistent quality that our customers have come to love. That's why our Sweet Shoppe Colored Coating Wafers are based on the original Sweet Shoppe Ultra White formula. By using this trusted formula, we ensure that not only will your treats dazzle with color, they will also have the same creamy texture & irresistible taste that you've come to expect from our Sweet Shoppe brand.

 

Create Colorful Creations with Compound Coating Wafers
With our Sweet Shoppe Colored Coating Wafers, the possibilities are truly endless. Whether you're a professional baker, a home baker, or simply someone who loves to treat their loved ones to something special, our colored compound wafers will allow you to transform your radiant ideas into reality.

Create captivating cake pops that mirror the colors of the rainbow. Craft candies that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Dip fruits into an array of hues, turning ordinary snacks into extraordinary delights. Purchase our Color Lovers Bundle for the perfect sampling of this collection! 

For just, $22.00, our Color Lovers Bundle includes: 
1 lb Cardinal Red
1 lb Sunset Orange
1 lb Sunshine Yellow
1 lb Spring Green
1 lb Sky Blue 

 

Looking for custom colors?

Our Sweet Shoppe Coating Wafers paired with Artisan Accent’s Chocolate Chameleon x Sweet Shoppe oil based candy colors will help you achieve a custom shade of your choice! Start with Ultra White for a pure base, or add Artisan Accent’s Chocolate Chameleon oil based colors to one of our colored compounds to create a custom hue. You will use less food coloring when you start with a colored compound coating!

 


We would love to see what you create on our Facebooks Page, Facebook Group: Confection Connection, Instagram or TikTok so be sure to tag us! 

 

Merckens Compound Coatings vs. Sweet Shoppe Compound Coatings: A Delectable Comparison

When it comes to the world of confectionery, compound coatings play a crucial role in creating mouthwatering treats. Today, we’re dipping into a comparison between two American-made compound coatings: Merckens (made by Cargill) vs. our very own Sweet Shoppe.

While both brands have earned recognition by industry leading treat makers, today we will focus on comparing their most loved qualities & how they stack up against each other. 

So, let's embark on this delectable journey!

 

Texture & Consistency: The texture & consistency of compound coatings will significantly impact the final product you create. Merckens & Sweet Shoppe both excel in this area, ensuring smooth & silky coatings. They both possess a creamy texture, making them easy to melt & work with, allowing for smooth & even coverage. 

 

Flavor Variety: One of the delightful aspects of compound coatings is the range of flavors they offer. Merckens & Sweet Shoppe both understand the importance of diversity in taste & both brands provide a great selection. Merckens offers a classic assortment, including cocoa lite, cocoa dark, white  & super white. Comparably, Sweet Shoppe Compound Coatings come in Ultra White, White, Milk & Dark. Though the flavors may be similar, our Sweet Shoppe line has a less sweet taste than Merckens. Treat makers love this subtle difference in Sweet Shoppe as it allows their treats & baked goods to shine through the layer of compound coating. 


Melting: Melting compound coatings can be a crucial step in confectionery making. Both Merckens & Sweet Shoppe aim to simplify this process, allowing for a smooth & simple melting experience. Merckens compound coatings melt evenly, ensuring a consistent finish, while Sweet Shoppe Compound Coatings provide a similar melting experience, with a perceived slight advantage in terms of ease & convenience. The best part? No tempering required with either brand! 


Versatility: The versatility of compound coatings is a vital aspect for confectioners & culinary enthusiasts alike. Merckens & Sweet Shoppe both offer coatings that adapt well to various applications. Whether you're dipping fruit, coating cookies, or creating intricate designs, both brands will deliver exceptional results. For over 100 years, Merckens has established itself as a reliable choice for a wide range of applications. We’re so proud to have our very own Sweet Shoppe line competing with an industry leading product such as Merckens. 


Quality & Ingredients: The quality of the ingredients used in compound coatings contributes to the overall taste & satisfaction of the final product. Merckens & Sweet Shoppe both prioritize using high-quality ingredients in their coatings. Merckens has built a reputation for consistency & reliability, while Sweet Shoppe takes pride in sourcing premium quality ingredients, which lends our compound coatings a subtle edge in terms of taste & overall quality.

Price: Comparing the pricing of Merckens & Sweet Shoppe compound coatings reveals a notable advantage for Sweet Shoppe without compromising quality. Sweet Shoppe's pricing is lower compared to Merckens, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious confectioners. Despite the lower price point, Sweet Shoppe maintains an exceptional level of quality, ensuring that you can create delectable treats without breaking the bank. The affordability of Sweet Shoppe compound coatings makes them an excellent choice for both professional bakers & home enthusiasts seeking high-quality products at a more accessible price.

Both brands offer exceptional products that cater to the needs of confectioners & home bakers. Merckens compound coatings boast a reliable & consistent performance, while Sweet Shoppe compound coatings exhibit a slight advantage in terms of finesse, flavor variety & visual appeal. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on personal preferences & specific application requirements. 

Whichever brand you opt for, rest assured that your confectionery creations will be elevated to new heights of deliciousness. Happy baking!

Top Mistakes When Coloring Compound Coatings

Coloring compound coatings can be a fun & creative way to add visual appeal to your sweet creations. Whether you're a professional baker or an avid home treat maker, working with compound coatings, such as our Sweet Shoppe line, allows you to experiment with different colors & designs for your homemade treats. 

Achieving the desired colored chocolate results requires a certain level of knowledge & skill. Let’s explore the top mistakes that you’ll want to avoid when coloring compound coatings. 

  1. DO NOT use Water-Based Food Coloring:

    The most common mistake when coloring compound coatings is using a water-based food coloring. Compound coatings are typically made with fat-based ingredients so water-based, or gel-based, food colorings can disrupt the texture & consistency of the coating. Be sure to purchase an oil-based or powdered food coloring specifically formulated for use with compound coatings & chocolate. Oil-based coloring agents (sometimes called Candy Colors) blend seamlessly with the fats in the compound coating, resulting in a smooth & glossy finish.

    Sweet Shoppe x Chocolate Chameleon Candy Colors & Colourmill are two of our favorite brands of oil-based candy colors!

  2. Be Sure to Shake Coloring Well:

    It is particularly important to shake your oil-based candy colors well before use. These types of coloring agents often contain separate layers of pigments & oil. The pigments often settle to the bottom of the bottle over time, while the oil rises to the top. By shaking the bottle vigorously, you effectively blend the two components, creating a homogeneous color mixture that will allow you to create the vivid chocolate & candy colors that you desire.

  3. DO NOT Overheat Your Compound Coating:

    Because compound coatings are made of sugar & oil, they are delicate & sensitive to heat. Overheating your compound coatings can cause them to become lumpy & thick, or even burn. It's essential that you melt the compound coating slowly & gently to distribute the heat evenly. Avoid overheating your chocolate compound by using a thermometer to monitor the temperature & never exceeding the recommended melting temperature specified by the manufacturer; we like to keep ours below 90ºF.  By maintaining proper heat control, you'll preserve the quality & texture of your compound coating, resulting in better color absorption.

    Check out this video or this blog post on how we recommend melting our Sweet Shoppe Compound Coatings!

  4. Always Test Colors:

    Before applying the candy coloring to your compound chocolate, we always recommend that you test the color on a small sample of compound. This step is especially important when working with new or unfamiliar coloring or when trying to achieve a very specific color. Apply a small amount of the coloring to a small amount of compound chocolate. Once well blended, add a small drop of colored coating onto a piece of parchment paper or a spare cookie to let it set. This allows you to evaluate the color accuracy & make any necessary adjustments before you begin a large treat order. Keep in mind that some candy colors may deepen or change slightly as the compound coating sets, so it's better to err on the side of caution & start with a lighter shade since you can always add more. Pink & purple are the most susceptible to fade with sun & UV light, so keep this in mind when deciding how deep you want your colors to be. 

    * PRO TIP: Colourmill’s line of candy coloring is made with a UV protectant formula to help your colors last longer! 

     

     

By avoiding these mistakes you'll be well on your way to achieving vibrant, colorful, professional-looking sweets with an enhanced presentation. 

So, grab some oil based candy colors & unleash your inner artist!

We have very knowledgeable culinary staff at Stover & Company. If you ever have any questions about coloring compound coatings, chocolate or any other product support inquiries, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@stovercompany.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

FAQs About Merckens Chocolate

Whether you are new to the world of chocolate or you’ve been in the industry for decades, Merckens is a brand name that stands out & is familiar to all. Merckens Chocolate has been a leader amongst other confectionery brands for over a century. The brand houses an array of products from chocolate coatings, confectionery coatings, & caramel.


The most popular product that Merckens carries is their line of confectionery coatings. Their compound coatings are a staple in every treat maker’s pantry! 


Our customers often ask us similar questions about these products; how to melt Merckens chocolate? If Merckens carries real chocolate? Is Merckens chocolate gluten free? Do candy melts expire? What’s the difference between candy melts & chocolate?

 

Read more

how to thin candy melts


Candy melts are a common ingredient for home bakers as most people find them pretty easy to work with since they do not require tempering. This means you can melt them right in the microwave (or in a double boiler) to effortlessly make professional quality chocolate candies right at home. 


But that doesn’t mean that candy melts always work the way we expect them to. After all, you came here looking for tips on how to thin candy melts so that must mean your compound chocolate is too thick to dip your treats. This is a common issue amongst treat makers & we have different solutions for you, but first, let’s talk about what can be causing this.

Read more

Sweet Shoppe Coating Wafers Partners with Artisan Accents Chocolate Chameleon!

It’s official! We are so excited to announce our partnership with Artisan Accents to bring you their full line of Chocolate Chameleon Candy Colors to pair with our Sweet Shoppe Coating Wafers! Chocolate Chameleon Candy Colors pair perfectly with our Sweet Shoppe Coating Wafers to bring you rich, vivid chocolate colors with smooth, full coverage. 

Read more

How To Make Candy Clay Using Our Sweet Shoppe Wafers

Humidity got your chocolate? No problem! Instead of throwing away your melts, instead keep them! It is still usable for molds & making candy. First, the melts are still good, they just won't have that sipping consistency for dipping. 

Read more

The Only Wholesale Candy Distributor to Turn To

candy

Owning and operating a bakery, confectionary shop, chocolate shop, or any other store that sells sweet treats can be quite a busy job. There’s a lot that goes into running a business like this, and sometimes all of the demands can become quite overwhelming.

The amount of product, ingredients, paper products, and packaging, decorating tools, or even janitorial supplies you have to stock your business with would put anyone’s head in a whirlwind.

Read more

connect with us