Homemade truffles. Photo: Jo Anslow, Flickr
So you want to make candy at home -- boil the sugar, sculpt the chocolate, and make sweet bites that rival commercial brands. Sounds daunting, right? Pesky techniques like tempering and recipes that require precision are certainly a few steps up from some a batch of chocolate chip cookies or even a tasty cake. But wait -- candy making is not as terrifying as it seems. While many challenges and sweet-flavored mayhem awaits, so does the ever-worthy result: Piles of tasty treats that don't break the bank.
There are candies for every level of expertise, from the fresh-faced beginner to the old pro, and books that help the journey to candy perfection. With the following tomes you'll be able to make almost any sweet confection imaginable, and with a little practice, your only challenge will be fending off all the eager mouths waiting for a bite.The key to making great homemade candy is experience and research, so pick up a few books, research techniques, and the world of confections will be your sweet oyster.
1. Candy Making for Dummies
When a book is marketed to the "dummies," you know it's going to be rife with tips on how to jump into the wonderful world of candy making. The basics are explained here -- the utensils you need, the basic skills you must perfect, and most importantly, a whole lot of recipes that will let you test your skills. If there's any book that will start you off slow and strong, this is it. Soon, you can move on and leave the dummies in the dust.
2. Who Wants Candy?
Jane Sharrock's candy tome is the sort you'll see referenced across any number of bloggers looking to enter the delectable world of candymaking. Just look at the results. Her popular "Marry Me Toffee," for one, looks downright delicious even when it falls to baker error, and the recipe won another lucky gal a blue ribbon. Each recipe is rated for its difficulty, offering treats for every skill set.
3. The Ultimate Candy Book
Another fairly basic recipe collection, The Ultimate Candy Book might not be as ultimate as the name suggests, but it offers a whole slew of recipes plus a number of variations to not only change the flavor, but also the candy itself for your festivities (Easter, Halloween, etc.). Our favorite are the decadently citrus Lemon Truffles, but there are many that will please the palate and inspire your candy-making endeavors.
4. Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner
Once you get comfortable with a batch or five of candy, and have some of the basic principles down-pat, fill in the blanks with a comprehensive read like this one. Merging instruction with full-color images, Peter P. Greweling's book offers step-by-step techniques, troubleshooting problems, candy theory, and almost 150 recipes for everything from basic brittle to ganache and gianduja (hazelnut chocolates).
5. Making Artisan Chocolates
Finally, there's the world of artisan chocolates. These days, it's easy to find delicious and pricey chocolates that seem too fancy to ever make at home, but many are as simple as some high-quality ingredients and a little candy making know-how. Rather than spending a buck a bite, you too can find the sweet wonder of chili peppers, chai, and any number of irresistible liqueurs. You can't go wrong with tips from someone who makes confections like these.
