Did you know you can melt Merckens Candy Coatings in the microwave?
Yup! No need to use a double boiler, in fact, we hardly recommend the double boiler method because having water anywhere near our candy coatings gives us anxiety!
What are Merckens Candy Coatings (also known as Merckens Chocolate Melts)? They're an easy to use candy melt that does not require tempering (like real chocolate requires), so you can easily melt it in the microwave and begin candy molding and dipping right away. It's easy for anyone to do, and Merckens candy coatings taste delicious!
Important to note: Don't get confused with the different names! Candy coatings, candy melts, chocolate melts, confectionery coatings, and compound coating wafers all mean the same thing. These are all terms used to describe this type of chocolate. Candy coatings are not REAL chocolate, they do not contain cocoa butter but instead palm kernel oil.
Replacing the cocoa butter with palm kernel oil is what makes candy coatings so easy to use and that’s why you don’t have to temper the coatings like real chocolate.
Merckens does a great job of ensuring you don't have to add anything to their candy melts to make them taste great, they taste wonderful all on their own!
How to melt Milk or Dark Merckens Candy Coatings
Place at least 1/2 pound of Merckens candy coatings into a microwave-safe container. (We like to use a two-cup glass measuring cup.
Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Remove candy melts from microwave and stir. This is an important step. It removes hot spots and prevents the candy coatings from burning.
Return Merckens coatings to microwave and repeat process continue until melted. (Again, remember to remove the coatings from the microwave after each 30-second interval and stir.)
Once there are only a few lumps left behind, decrease to 20 seconds per interval and stir in between.
Now it’s ready to use! Start dipping and molding right away.
If chocolate becomes thick while you’re working with it, simply return to the microwave, and microwave for 10-15 seconds to remelt.
How to Melt White Merckens Candy Coatings
Place at least 1/2 pound of Merckens coatings into a microwave-safe container. (I like to use a two-cup glass measuring cup).
Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Remove coatings from microwave and stir, this is an important step, It removes hot spots and prevents the coatings from burning.
Return coatings to microwave and repeat process continue until melted. White chocolate can burn a little easier than milk or dark chocolate, so we recommend decreasing to 10 to 20-second intervals once the chocolate starts to melt.
White chocolate can sometimes melt thicker than milk or dark so be sure to have some paramount crystals on hand. Paramount crystals thin chocolate down when it’s too thick to work with. If your candy coatings are too thick, add one teaspoon of paramount crystals to a pound of melted candy coatings, stir until they melt into the candy coatings. If there are still lumps of paramount crystals left behind, place in the microwave for 5-10 seconds and stir until melted and lump-free.
If chocolate becomes thick while you are working with it, simply return it to the microwave, and microwave it for 10-15 seconds to remelt.
How to melt Colored Merckens Candy Coatings
Melting colored merckens candy coatings can take a little extra care, you can start out melting them at 20-30 seconds at a time but once they start to melt, drop the time down to 10-20 seconds.
Once colored coatings have melted, the consistency might seem thick, this happens more often with colored candy coatings.
If your melted candy coatings seem thick, add one teaspoon of paramount crystals to one pound of coatings. Stir. If coatings are still thick, add more paramount crystals until coatings reach desired consistency.
Important Tips for working with Candy Coatings
Keep candy coatings away from water. Water will cause coatings to seize.
Store candy melts in a cool, dry location. Confectionery coatings and chocolates will absorb odors. So, don’t store your chocolate next to your onions, unless you want savory onion chocolates!
Merckens Candy Coatings have a shelf-life of three months from time of purchase.
If you would like to thin your candy melts- after melting, add paramount crystals (1 teaspoon to 1 LB of candy coatings should be enough).
Your Candy Coating Questions Answered!
I melted my candy coatings according to the directions but they are too thick to work with. What do I do?
We see this happen with colored and white coatings most. Assuming they haven't been overheated (burnt), this is a common and easy problem to fix. Every so often a fresh bag of colored coatings just won't melt into a fluid consistency. This is when you'll want to reach for a bag of paramount crystals! One teaspoon of paramount crystals added to a pound of candy coatings is usually enough to do the trick! If it's still not thinning out, you may have burnt your candy coatings. Unfortunately, once burnt they can't be saved. You'll have to start over with a new batch. Try dropping the temperature of your microwave or melting your coatings for shorter intervals.
My candy coatings were left in a warm place or arrived upon delivery melted and melted into one big chunk, can I still use it?
Absolutely! Just place in the refrigerator for about 5 to 10 minutes or until it hardens again. Break it up if you can or melt the whole pound in a block, Merckens Candy Coatings can be remelted over and over again as long as you don’t overheat in the microwave.
Can I use gel or paste food color to color my candy coatings?
Water-based food colors (gels, liquids or pastes) should never be used in candy coatings. However, you can use oil-based candy colors or powdered food colors.
I accidentally got a few drops of water in my candy coatings, are they ruined?
They may or may not be. Try adding some paramount crystals, if they still won't melt and thin out you may have seized your chocolate. This would mean you would have to toss the batch and start over.
How can I keep my chocolate melted so I don't have to constantly re-microwave it?
We always recommend resting containers of melted candy coatings on a heating pad lined with a paper towel. This is also a good idea for melting a smaller amount of coatings (for example, if you’ll be painting in chocolate molds). Just place a few wafers in a small container or a candy pallet and place them on the heating pad.
If you make a lot of candy, you'll love our candy-melter pallet! It's a great investment if you paint with chocolate because they keep small portions of candy coatings perfectly melted.
How long do Merckens melts stay fresh?
Our Merckens chocolate melts are good for 2-3 months from the time they are purchased from us. They have a shorter shelf life than craft store chocolate because they contain quality ingredients and fewer preservatives.
What is the difference between a confectionery coating, candy melt, and real chocolate?
This is something that confuses people often. confectionery coatings, candy melts, and candy coatings are all the same. These are just different names for the same product. Candy coatings are different from real chocolate since real chocolate contains cocoa butter. In order to mold real chocolate in candy molds, it must be heated using a method called tempering. This process breaks down the fats and crystals and heats the chocolate to a specific temperature and you need a tempering thermometer to do this. This process must be done in order for the chocolate to be molded and still have a shiny glossy finish.
The cocoa butter in candy coatings is replaced with palm kern oil, making it easy to melt, affordable to use, and great for DIY candy making.
What are paramount crystals?
Paramount Crystals are flakes of palm kernel oil and you can add them to your melted candy coatings to thin the consistency. Many people use them to thin out their coatings before dipping cake pops.
