As a professional candy maker, you know every component of recipe development matters. Flavors, textures, and coatings all need to work together perfectly to create a candy that keeps consumers coming back for more.
Achieving that perfect balance means carefully considering flavor, melting point, shelf life, consistency, mouth-feel, and more. The coating you choose should compliment the candy’s core, serve a functional purpose, and deliver an appealing visual appearance. Your candy coating is often the first thing people notice – consumers eat with their eyes first, and your candies must look as good as they taste.
Here, we will explore some of the most common candy coating options available, and what to consider when selecting the best one for your products.
Types of Coatings
Sanding Sugar
If you’re looking for gummy coatings that add texture, visual appeal, and a burst of flavor, sanding sugar is a popular choice. Unlike granulated sugar, sanding sugar has larger crystals that create a sparkling appearance and a satisfying crunchy texture. Some candy makers add citric acid or other flavor powders to the sugar to add a sour punch or fruity kick. A candy tumbling machine should be used to ensure consistent coverage, which will prevent sticking as well as extend the candy’s shelf life.
Hard Candy Coating
Hard candy coatings are created by blending melted sugar and syrup into water, then heating to form a glaze. Colors and flavorings can be added for customization. Using a tumbler such as our Panner Candy Coating machine allows candy makers to apply the glaze gradually, ensuring even distribution and precise control over thickness. Since the glaze cools quickly, careful temperature management is essential, and soft candies like caramels or chocolates may need a protective underlayer to prevent melting during the process.
Carnauba Wax
To add a smooth protective layer to your gummies or other candies, carnauba wax is a good solution. It is typically diluted to about 5% in a carrier oil like MCT or sunflower oil, heated, then cooled to the proper semi-solid consistency before application. This wax-oil blend results in a glossy sheen and a moisture-resistant surface. One of our trusted partners – Melt-To-Make – offers a high-quality carnauba wax blend ideal for coating various candies.
Chocolate
While chocolate can be finicky to work with, the right type of chocolate can provide great coatings for candies like truffles or caramels. High-quality couverture chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa butter, resulting in superior texture and shine. This chocolate sometimes comes pre-tempered but if not, the tempering process is a must for creating the shell-like texture and a ‘snap’ sensation when broken. It also makes the coating process easier, as does maintaining the ideal working temperature of 84-90°F. Chilling your candies before coating in chocolate can help maintain your ideal candy shape, but room temperature setting is best after the coating is applied to create the best glossy sheen. If you are adding additional toppings or decorations like sprinkles, coconut flakes, or nuts, be sure to add those before the chocolate is completely set.
Cornstarch
Tossing freshly-popped gummies with plain cornstarch, or a cornstarch and powdered sugar blend, can act as a dessicant. This prevents sticking by wicking away surface moisture, and results in an appearance that is more like weathered glass than a polished, glossy one. When using this method, make sure to cure your candies for at least 24 hours before packaging.
Shellac
Also known as confectioner’s glaze, shellac forms a hard, shiny outer shell around candies. It can make candies look very attractive while preventing damage to the internal core. It prevents sticking and moisture loss while extending the shelf life of the candy, and results in a high-end polished look.
Considerations
Visualize Your Final Product
Each coating offers unique advantages, but your selection should depend on the specific qualities you want your finished product to embody.
Flavor Balance: Imagine how the flavor of your coating will pair with the inner flavor of your candy. For example, if you are going for a super sweet pop or delicate flavor, you may want to avoid the sour edge a citric acid and sanding sugar blend will bring.
Texture: The texture of your chosen coating should compliment your candy. Depending on your desired outcome, you may want a bit of a crunch from a sugar coating, a chocolate shell that melts in your mouth, or a firm waxy layer that pleasantly contrasts a chewy gummy.
Appearance: Do you want your candies to look glossy, sparkly, or have a matte finish? Different candy coatings provide drastically different finished appearances, and it’s important to choose the one that best fits your candy as well as your brand aesthetic.
Function: Think of the overall function of the candy. A wellness gummy infused with vitamins or functional mushrooms may not benefit from a sugary coating, as that contradicts the desire of the better-for-you audience. Similarly, a pectin-based gummy that is vegan-friendly should not be coated in shellac or a wax mixture that includes beeswax.
Consumer Appeal: Who is consuming your candy? A younger demographic may prefer smooth, colorful, and shiny products, while adult consumers may prefer a matte finish. It’s important to remember your target audience demographics during this selection process.
Production Process & Equipment Needed: While some candy coatings or toppings like sea salt for caramels are more easily applied by hand, others meant to cover the entire candy may be more evenly and efficiently applied with the help of a candy coating machine like this one. Consider your production line setup, volume goals, and the final vision of your product to help determine which coating makes the most sense.
Regulatory Compliance
If your products are infused with cannabinoids or other active compounds, coatings must meet specific regulatory standards. They should:
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Maintain product potency without altering the chemical profile.
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Allow for clear visibility and legibility of compliance markings.
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Prevent cross-contamination between batches.
Coatings such as thin shellac layers, compound chocolate, carnauba wax, or cellulose-based films are well-suited for infused products, as they preserve engraved icons and ensure proper labeling visibility. Avoid thick sugar coatings that can distort product marking definition.
How Truffly Made Can Help
At Truffly Made, we provide the tools and expertise to make your entire production process more efficient and precise, including dialing in your candy coating recipe and process.
Our Panner Candy Coating machine works to quickly and evenly apply coatings to large batches of professionally-produced candy. Manufacturers can easily pour sugar blends, waxes, or other coatings into the ribbed bowl, allow the Panner Candy Coating machine to tumble the candy for 60 seconds, and remove the finished batch of candies with a sifter. This process speeds up production time, makes finishing touches easier and more efficient, and ensures professional-grade consistency every time.
In addition, our expert chemists offer recipe consultation services to help refine your formulation, perfect your coating, and streamline your workflow. We work closely with you to fully understand your vision and optimize your recipe to meet your goals, ensuring the coatings you choose are aligned with your brand vision and your process can be executed the most efficient way possible.
Have other questions about how to choose the best coating for your candies? Reach out to info@trufflymade.com today; our team is here to help you create your best batch yet.