How to Make Candy Decorations

Candy decorations are a way to garnish cakes, brownies, pancakes, pies, donuts, and waffles. Owing to their appeal, such decorations are usually seen during kids' birthday parties and baby shower ceremonies. They can be made in any shape and color, which makes them very popular as decorations. They are greatly loved by kids and adults alike.

The molds required to make candies are available in a variety of forms. The designs depend on the theme of the party. For examples, smiling faces are perfect for joyous ceremonies, while a gloomy candy is ideal for retirement or farewell parties. So, you can try improvising with the candy molds. Here are some candy decoration ideas, and steps to make them.

Get the ingredients together for making the decorations. This includes candy melt gels or powders, and food coloring agents. You will also require a big spoon, a rubber spatula, a double boiler, and a candy mold.

Select the best quality candy mold from any local craft store. Discs of cocoa butter are used as candy melts, and they are available in many colorful designs. The best options for colorful candy melts are gels and powders.

First, melt the candy in the double boiler by constantly stirring it with a rubber spatula. Keep the heat low to get a creamy consistency. Place the top of the boiler in hot water. Add the coloring agent to the hot candy and stir it well, mixing it thoroughly. It should not be added if the candy has solidified, as it will mix only if the candy is in a completely molten state.

Now, remove the boiler from the heat, and pour the molten candy into the molds. Avoid formation of air bubbles by tapping the mold on both sides. The top of the molten candy is smoothened with the rubber spatula so that no bumps are formed on the surface.

Now, place the molds inside the freezer. The candies can also be cooled at room temperature. Keep them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, so that the candies can be removed from them with ease.

This was the general technique for making candies. You can make candy icicles with simple ingredients as well. Candy canes are much-loved by people during Christmas, Halloween, and other festive seasons. Given below are the steps to make candy cane.

• Sprinkle a thick coat of powdered sugar over a cookie sheet.

• In one cup of water, mix granulated sugar (1 cup) and corn syrup (1 cup), and heat this mixture.
• Check the temperature while cooking the mixture over a medium heat. Once it reaches 285 °F, remove it from the heat.
• Add 2-3 drops of the food coloring agent along with ½ teaspoon of peppermint oil to the boiling mixture. Stir it constantly.

• Now, pour the molten mixture onto the cookie sheets in the form of thin strips (6-8 inches long).
• Allow them to cool, after which you can roll the candy like a rope.
• Twist it and make a hook shape on the top. Place it on a cookie sheet and allow it to harden.

You can wrap the candy canes with colorful plastic wraps. You can also decorate them with a curling ribbon and hang them. Candy canes are used as decorative pieces over cakes, or are simply hung around the house to give a festive feel to the ambiance. Shrink-dink candy cane, faced-candy steaks, and candy icicles are some good improvisations of the basic technique.