I am a newbie and just worked with candy melts this past weekend. I had a cake to make and wanted some candy accents to add. I had purchased some molds and candy melts both online and at a local store. I didn't have any problems melting or molding, but the flavors...yikes.

I purchased Wilton white candy melts and the candy coloring set too. I had also purchased a package of Merckens online ( I had read about that brand being highly recommended here on cc). The taste difference was unbelievable. The Wilton brand had a bad after taste, so I thought maybe the melts were old and I checked out the date and realized they were only about 2 to 3 months old...

My question to everyone, what is your favorite brand of melts? Are there other brands out there? I would try using real chocolate, but I think I'm not ready to try tempering yet.

Kim

I only use melts infrequently, and then, only for decorations which are not intended to be eaten (chocolate clay pieces only). But when I do use them, I use Merckens. Because you know there is always going to be some knucklehead who will put a piece of a decoration in their mouth, anyway.

I do not like Wilton melts at all - they taste like metal to me.

Theresa

I was going to ask the same question today. Can you use regular chocolate chips and mix with some bark?

I have never used almond bark. I've seen it, but wasn't sure about it. What flavor does it have? Anyone know?? Can it be colored too?

sugar-n-spice wrote

This is a very good question, and I wish I could answer it for you. The problem I see with this is that the two fats - cocoa butter in the real chocolate, and hydrogenated palm oil in the melts, have two different melt points. Cocoa butter has a lower melt point.

I have never done this, but my fear is that the higher temperature from the melts would cause the cocoa butter to separate, sieze, or bloom (that fuzzy white stuff that you sometimes see on chocolate).

Can anyone out there answer question this with more surety?

Theresa

I like the Candymaker (I think that's the name) brand dark chocolate melts from Hobby Lobby. They come in a fairly big bag and are only about $6-$7. They actually taste decent- Ive had tons of complements on them. Like playingwithsugar said, you'll inevitably have someone eat the decorations... with the candymaker melts just about everyone eats my decorations!! If Im making large pieces or dipping cake balls, I use the Godiva baking chocolate that I buy from Sams. It's a BIG box and is only about $6. It's only available around the holidays, so I buy a TON!

I can't even find almond bark anymore. I'm hoping Wal Mart will have it again this holiday season so I can buy like 100 pkgs!!

Everytime I try an online search the chocoalte covered almonds come up.

To answer your question, almond bark is just another type of baking chocolate bar - it comes in white, too. It's not almond flavored, it must've gotten it's name from being used to cover almonds with (?).

Guittard makes amazing dipping chocolate. It's a tad more expensive than Merckens. They;'re called Chocolate A-Peels. The milk chocolate and dark chocolate flavor taste like actual temepering chocolate.

Also, I found this product intersting, although I haven't tried it yet:
http://deco.uk.com/chocolate/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=10

They also sell a printer system for making transfer sheets.

MacsMom...I just saw almond bark at a local Walmart this afternoon. They keep it stocked year round in the baking isle. They have white and chocolate both.