I am just delving in to try out candy molds. I got white candy melts assuming that I could add color as needed. But I don't see any directions saying when or how to do this. Can I add Wilton gel color or do I have to buy the precolored ones from Michaels?
Thanks!
There should be separate candy colors sold at Michaels, near the molds. You cannot use regular food coloring or the icing colors, as they are water/glycerine based, and it will cause your chocolate or melts to sieze, as in turn hard. Too high a heat will do that, too.
Theresa 
bummer, I was afraid of that, after reading the directions. Don't they sell a type of food coloring that would work? Candy melts are like $4 a bag! Is there anything I CAN add to the chocolate to get a different color? Like a marbled effect or something?
You can take the different colored melts and marbleize them. You would have to melt them separately, then mix them together on a flat surface, using a metal spatula.
Theresa
bummer, I was afraid of that, after reading the directions. Don't they sell a type of food coloring that would work? Candy melts are like $4 a bag! Is there anything I CAN add to the chocolate to get a different color? Like a marbled effect or something?
Americolor sells something called FloCoat which is supposed to allow you to use their regular paste color with chocolate. Also, my cake store sells something called paramount crystals (looks like little bits of wax) that you are also supposed to be able to use with regular paste colors. I have read that some people add a bit of Crisco to it in order to use the regular colors but PLEASE do a search to see if you can find the link that talks about it before trying it because I have no idea how much and I'd hate to think you ruined a batch of candy melts because of my advice!
The Wilton CANDY colors are made specifically for chocolate and work great . . . CK Kitchens makes some, too, and I'm sure there are other brands out there.
Really? Maybe I don't want to start getting into this. I just keep picking up all of these "creative" (aka EXPENSIVE) hobbies. I just wanted to try to make some seashells to play around, but I think they look so cute as an add on to a cake, so much better than my BC drawings.
bummer, I was afraid of that, after reading the directions. Don't they sell a type of food coloring that would work? Candy melts are like $4 a bag! Is there anything I CAN add to the chocolate to get a different color? Like a marbled effect or something?
They do sell candy coloring that works. It looks like the wilton gels, but is for candies and chocolates. It is an oil base, instead of a water base. I know, 'cause I just had to buy some. It's in the candy section, where you bought the melts.
If I can figure out how to use regular colors, I guess I will continue on with this new hobby. I really thought that it would just be another dimension of cake decorating, not a whole other thing, you know?
If I find out, I will post the info I find.
Murnie, How do you do this? Do you premix the color with oil? Oil or shortening? What ratio? Is it an exact science or a guestimate?
Also, I have the white chocolates, do they contain cocoa and still fall under the chocoate rules to prevent seizing???
There is a product called Candy Colors that I use. They should have it where you buy your candy melts, and it really isn't that expensive.. about $4 for a four-pack. As well as Chemfast, Elaine's, etc. Or you can get it online... CountryKitchen has the largest variety that I've found.
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/searchresults.aspx?Description=candy+color
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/department.cfm?id=5306E098-475A-BAC0-577A65873A8A7A90&fid=5306E0B7-475A-BAC0-57E2D9C10FA40099
http://www.candylandcrafts.com/candycolor.htm
Also, I have the white chocolates, do they contain cocoa and still fall under the chocoate rules to prevent seizing???
Pasting from foodreference.com:
White Chocolate-
White chocolate originates from the cocoa (cacao) plant, but it is not 'chocolate.' According to the FDA, to be called 'chocolate' a product must contain chocolate liquor, which is what gives it the biter intense chocolate flavor (and color) to dark and milk chocolates.
White chocolate contains cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar, lecithin and flavorings (usually including vanilla). Cocoa butter is the fat from cocoa beans, extracted from the cocoa beans during the process of making chocolate and cocoa powder. Cocoa butter has very little 'chocolate' flavor.
Cocoa butter is one of the ingredients used to make real chocolate, it is gives chocolate the ability to remain solid at room temperature, yet melt easily in the mouth.
Cocoa butter is one of the most stable fats known, containing natural antioxidants that prevent rancidity and give it a storage life of 2 to 5 years. It is used for its smooth texture in foods (including chocolate) and in cosmetics and soaps.
/end paste
I hope this helps. By the way, be real careful using Paramount crystals. You can add too much real easy, so start out light-handed.
I don't know that much about chocolate. I have made chocolate suckers and candy molds. I was at my cake supply store asking about coloring the chocolate and the owner told me to buy something to add to the chocolate when you color it but when she left the room the girl working the counter whispered to me and said just add some oil it will do the same thing, so I did and it worked. I didn't measure so I'm not sure how much to tell you. If it looks like it is starting to seize just add a little more oil. I did this with black to make a grand piano and my piano turned out great.
Just give it a try...thats what I did! 
murnie
wow $4 a bag?! I guess I am lucky, the ones here are 2.50 for the wilton kind. After really playing around with chocolate transfers I found that using the pre colored ones whenever possible worked better for me. It was just too much of a pain for me to make several colors. I did buy the candy colors and used that when I needed a real specific color that I could not make by combining candy melts. I also bought the flo coat (from here) but in my opinion it makes the candy taste kind of funny...if that is important to you! I have read where people use some crisco and they say it works.
How would I go about mixing them to get a marbled effect? I read above someone said to mix them on the counter or something???
I do alot of candy/molds/ and choc. transfers (AC Moore has candy melts on sale for $1.69 this week) I use my gel colors to color them. I find if I am working in small amounts I can get away with it no problem. Melt your candy melts in the microwave. check them often because they will hold their shape even when melted and you can scorch them easy. I add some crisco and stir it in well then I use Americolors or Wilton gel. I think Americolors work best. The wilton kind of still looks grainy even when mixed well. You can look in my photos if you want. All of the candy melt things there were done this way including the Bob the Builder cake I did last weekend.
How much criso do you think? Would regular liquid, vegetable oil work or would it make the candy too liquidy?
I have never used oil. I just put some Crisco in and then add the color if it gets stiff and starts to seize add more crisco.
Thanks! I will just dive in and try something. Do you know how to marble colors together? I want to try seashells. I got a bag of dark chocolate to try to marble with the white chocolate. Can I just melt them together in the sqeeze bottle?
I am looking at the packages and I don't see any directions. Maybe I'll try Wilton's website.
You can melt them separate and then put them together and run a knife blade through to marble them. Don't mix to much you loose your marble effect. OR the ones in my pics - I painted the inside of my molds with one color heavier in some spots than others and then filled with a separate color. You can also paint them with dry luster dust.
Do I paint them before I pour or just paint them when they are dried?
You can also paint them with dry luster dust.
You said that I could paint them with luster dust, do I paint the figures after they have hardened or do I put the dust in the mold and then pour the candy into the molds?
Sorry I was confused as to the luster dust or painting the molds with one color and then pouring in the other color for shells.
With the Luster dust I painted the finished candies with a dry paint brush dipped into the powdered luster dust. I used old gold and pearl luster dust on mine. It gives them a nice shine.
Thank you for all of your help! I hope I can help you sometime!
When you start into it let me know 
I love playing around with the candies, and have a few recipes for fillings if your interested.
Cool! My Grandmother used to make truffles, I bet she'd give me her recipes and probably even her candy making stuff if I expressed interst,
I will start them soon, but I am just practicing for now. Is it better to have a filling or to just pour solid candies or is it just your pwn personal taste?
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%