Gel Color In Candy Melts

Sugar Work By Ballymena Updated 15 Sep 2011 , 3:40pm by imagenthatnj

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Ballymena Posted 1 Sep 2011 , 6:00pm
post #1 of 12

I am finding conflicting information on this subject. Can anyone tell me if they have tried the Wilton gel colors in Wilton candy melts. Do they seize up like real chocolate?

11 replies
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sweetflowers Posted 1 Sep 2011 , 6:22pm
post #2 of 12

I have, but I'm a rebel. Some colors seize and some don't. If it seizes I just use a tiny bit of oil or shortening to thin it again. There is no doubt the candy colors work best, but I don't want to buy them, so I have used Americolor gel and Wilton.

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TinkerCakes Posted 1 Sep 2011 , 6:30pm
post #3 of 12

I mix the color with a little bit of shortening then add it to the melts...I believe I've tried wilton and americolor.

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Moovaughan Posted 1 Sep 2011 , 6:40pm
post #4 of 12

I tried both Americolor and Wilton regular gels and they made the wafers sieze up, you can sorta fix it with oil or shortening, however when mine set they were easy to melt at the touch. If I had to do it over again, I would, and did, pay the extra and got chocolate coloring!

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dchockeyguy Posted 2 Sep 2011 , 1:21pm
post #5 of 12

Get some fat dispersable color from Chef Rubber instead. It may cost a little more, but is it worth your time to deal with seized up chocolate?

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ginger6361 Posted 8 Sep 2011 , 6:09pm
post #6 of 12

My candy melts are not thinning enough to pour. Any idea what I am doing wrong? I tried adding some oil, but still very thick..

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Jeannem Posted 12 Sep 2011 , 3:24pm
post #7 of 12

There is a product called flo-coat that you add to the chocolate along with your gel color. Especially helpful if you're try to match colors-- choc to fondant or buttercream. Need to buy just one product!!

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joycesdaughter111 Posted 12 Sep 2011 , 3:30pm
post #8 of 12

I just use the Wilton candy colors. They have always worked for me. Never tried regular gels, though.

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Dani1081 Posted 12 Sep 2011 , 3:34pm
post #9 of 12

Americolor Flo-Coat - a few drops of that and you can use any of your gel colors in chocolate. I hate the candy colors because they always look muddy and "off" to me. With the Americolor Flo-Coat my chocolates match my cake. I ordered mine online, btw. . .I think from Country Kitchen SweetArt.

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imagenthatnj Posted 12 Sep 2011 , 3:39pm
post #10 of 12

I haven't tried it, but I have these DVDs from Baking Arts (see Preview DVD on the second DVD). Such colorful cake. Richard uses coating chocolate (he does recommend A'peels), corn syrup, some optional glycerin, and he colors with Americolor. Regular Americolor. He even talks about it. He says not to believe that it will seize.

http://www.bakingarts.net/modeling-chocolate-dvds.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7518775@N04/

I still have to check if it's true. I got the DVD about a year ago already.

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Chasey Posted 15 Sep 2011 , 12:30pm
post #11 of 12

I haven't tried large amount of icing colors in candy melts, but a swipe off Wilton icing gel color onto a hunk of candy clay can be kneaded in easily without changing the texture of the chocolate.

I read that if you want to color a batch of candy melts, add the icing color to some corn syrup first. Wonder if that would work in just a tablespoon full if you aren't trying to make candy clay with the melts? Seems like it would if the syrup acts as the emulsifier for the gel.

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imagenthatnj Posted 15 Sep 2011 , 3:40pm
post #12 of 12

Chasey, yes, that's what she does on that DVD. Melts the candymelts, adds corn syrup and the color at the same time and talks about how one of the ingredients for the color is corn syrup, so you're using the same thing, and there's no problem. I never tried to check if this is true on the back of the bottles.

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