SaurabhCandy melts are confectionery products with a similar look, taste, and texture to the chocolate. But they aren’t chocolate. They are made from vegetable oils, sugar, powdered milk, colors, and flavors. Candy melts don’t contain cocoa butter as chocolate does.
You can find them in different flavors and colors. Бut you can also mix colors to reach new tones as you wish. They are used for coating cake pops, decorating, dipping fruits, pretzels, and marshmallows, and molding. Оr as glue for decorating. You can melt them to a semi-liquid state. After they set, you will get a perfectly smooth shiny surface.
If you don’t have candy melts on hand or can’t find them in your local store, you can use compound chocolate, couverture chocolate, almond bark, soybeans, and sugar, or some of the following substitutes.
Candy Melts Substitutes
You can easily find candy melts in any shop. You can make very beautiful deserts with them. In case you don’t have candy melts, there are some good substitutes for them.
1. Compound chocolate
Compound chocolate is made of vegetable oil, cocoa, and sweeteners. It’s less expensive than real chocolate. It’s made with coconut oil and palm kernel oil instead of cocoa butter. You can melt this chocolate very easily.
Just put it in a microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. If the melted chocolate is thin, you can add vegetable shortening. This chocolate can be used for molding, dipping, or coating.
2. Couverture chocolate
Couverture chocolate is high-quality chocolate and contains at least 31% of cocoa butter. It’s perfect for tempering, dipping, or coating candies, truffles, and bonbons.
This chocolate is melting quickly and evenly and has a beautiful shiny and smooth texture. It’s available in three varieties including white, dark, and milk.
3. Almond bark
Almond bark doesn’t have almonds in its content. It gets its name because it is used as a cover for almonds, oats, cookies, and fruits. It’s a chocolate-like ingredient and doesn’t have chocolate at all. Almond bark is made with sugar, vegetable fats, flavors, and coloring. There are two flavors of almond bark including vanilla and chocolate.
4. Soybeans and sugar
You can use soybeans powder as a substitute for candy melts. This powder is also known as kinako. You can use it to make muffins, cupcakes, waffles, cookies, pancakes, or pie crust.
Kinako is a Japanese ingredient perfect for making traditional desserts like wagashi and Dango. However, you can also use it in savory dishes. It has a nutty flavor and golden brown color.
Kinako can be whipped together with sugar and heavy cream for making toppings. Or you can mix it with other ingredients for molding. There are many recipes that include kinako, so use the one that works for you.
5. Frosting
Frosting or icing is perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes. It can be made with butter, eggs, sugar, milk, cream cheese, and flavorings.
Glace is frosting made of powdered sugar and water. You can also add milk instead of water, eggs, and butter in the frosting. Or melt it and add some colors of your choosing. If it’s too thin, add some shortening and it will harden better. It can be a good substitute for candy melts if you melt them properly.
6. Marshmallows
Marshmallows are soft and fluffy products made from corn syrup, sugar, gelatin, and the main ingredient whipped air. You can melt the marshmallows.
Use them for dipping cake pops, or as a frosting for your cakes and cupcakes. Maybe the flavor will be different but you can give it a try.
7. White chocolate
White chocolate is made from milk powder, sugar, vanilla, and cocoa butter. It has a low melting point and it doesn’t melt easily like other chocolates. You can melt white chocolate in 2 ways. In the microwave or with the double boiler method.
Whatever method you choose make sure to melt the chocolate easily at low temperature and don’t forget to stir. If your white chocolate melt becomes uneven and seized add a small amount of shortening or butter. You can also add any color you want in the melted chocolate for colorful desserts.
8. Homemade candy melts
The best candy melts substitute is homemade candy melts. You will need 200 grams of white chocolate, 2 teaspoons coconut oil, colors, and flavorings of your choice.
Melt the chocolate at low temperature, add the color, and put it in a piping bag. Make various forms you want and let them harden in the refrigerator. You have your candy melts. Store them in a container and use them when needed.
How to Melt Candy Melts?
You can melt candy melts in three ways. The easiest and most practical way is with a melting pot. You will melt your candy melts and they will remain warm until you are finished. The other two ways are in a microwave and double boiler method.
In a microwave, you can melt smaller amounts of candy melts but you will have to use it quickly before it sets. For the double boiler, method put a heat-safe bowl with candy melts on the pot with water. Then, heat the water on low heat. Candy melts will start to melt as the steam warms up the bowl. Stir it until you get a smooth texture.
Candy melts can be found in different flavors but the most common is vanilla, light cocoa, and dark cocoa. You can add any flavor you prefer but make sure it’s oil-based. Otherwise, you will destroy your melted candy.
FAQs
Can I use regular chocolate instead of candy melts?
You can use regular chocolate instead of candy melts. However, you will have to temper the chocolate first.
Can you make your candy melts?
You can make your candy melts with white chocolate and coconut oil if you like the smell of coconut. Or you can use vegetable oil instead.
Can you use icing instead of candy melts for cake pops?
Yes, you can use icing instead of candy melts for cake pops. But you will need to melt them first.
Let’s Have Dessert
Candy melts are easy to use. They go by different names including candy wafers, chocolate coating, or almond bark. However, they are all used for coating, molding, and dipping.
You can buy them in different colors and shapes, so you can easily mix colors and make colorful desserts. When you are using colors make sure they are in powder or gel.
Liquid colors will thicken the melted mixture. Candy melts are useful products that will help you to make many interesting deserts for you or your kids. If you cant find them in your store you can always use some of the substitutes mentioned in this article.
They will add a different taste than candy melts but you have to be open to a new experience. Try any of these substitutes and share your experience in the comments.
