Candy Making for Beginners: Easy Recipes for Homemade Caramels, Gummies, Lollipops, and More

by Karen Neugebauer

A sweet and simple guide to homemade candy
Get ready to turn your home into a fully-stocked candy store! This candy cookbook for beginners shows you how easy and fun it can be to make sweet treats that everyone will love.
Filled with expert guidance for those just starting out on their confectionary journey, this is a candy cookbook that will have you fixing up dozens of delightful delicacies in no time. Create everything from fudge and honey caramels to sour gummy worms and peppermint patties as you discover your inner candy maker.
This complete candy cookbook includes:
* All kinds of tasty treats―Fill your candy bowl with a variety of sumptuous sweets that are perfect for every taste and occasion.
* Beginner friendly―Keep things simple thanks to a candy cookbook filled with recipes meant for brand-new confectioners who don’t own specialized equipment.
* No-cook candies―Take a break from boiling sugar and get your young chef involved with a selection of recipes that only require mixing and blending.
Calling all dessert fans: this candy cookbook is a seriously yummy addition to your kitchen!

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

167 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2020

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"These days most candy comes from giant factories...but it wasn't always so. Candy, like any food, has a long tradition of being lovingly created by someone in the home, with recipes passed down from one generation to the next."

As an avid baker, I absolutely adore trying out new recipes for muffins, cakes and cookies out on my coworkers.

But there is one thing I have never tried - candy. (Dun. Dun. Dunnnn.)

It's always seemed so difficult and the potential for disaster ran too high (have you ever smelled burnt sugar? Yeah. Not an experience I ever want to revisit).

And then, I saw this gorgeous book.

"Many people think making candy at home, in your own kitchen, is complicated, difficult, and expensive. It's not."

This book walks you through the basic techniques and equipment for over seven types of candy.

From Fudge to Lollipops to Gummies - this book has it all.

I really enjoyed the little paragraph before each section where the author broke down what made each type of candy unique.

"Fudge

The ideal fudge is like a white whale - mythical, elusive, and obsession-inducing to the point of madness in some."

Plus the tips and tricks scattered throughout the sections helped really explain aspects of candy-making that I never thought of before.

"Technique Spotlight
Stirring

Stirring correctly is a very important part of creating the perfect candy,,. The speed and pattern of stirring both matter."

I do wish there were more pictures - there were pictures before and after each section, but I would've loved to see pictures of the individual candies.

There were plenty of recipes that had just enough blank spaces for a small picture of a finished project - and when you are teaching someone how to do a (relatively) unfamiliar technique, it's really helpful to have that extra visual to confirm (or deny) how well you followed the recipe.

Overall though, I am really excited to get into the kitchen and try out these recipes! They look like so much fun and I cannot wait for our next family party!!

"Life is worth celebrating!"

With thanks to the Callisto Publisher's Club, Rockridge Press and the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[MK ( MaKayla) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I ever remember to make a grocery list and get the ingredients together I'm going to make some of these yummy candies !

There are SO many interesting and unique candy variations that I've never heard of before like Strawberry Lemonade Truffles and Espresso Caramels !! 😍 I also really want to try making sour gummy worms which are my weakness , well basically anything gummy 😂.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good basic introduction to modern candy making, though it would benefit greatly from more photographs. Most of the recipes are quite simple, though you'll need to get basic equipment like candy thermometers and learn simple techniques. The book is colorful with an attractive layout, but there are only photographs at the start of each chapter and not for individual recipes. Some recipes really require illustrations to make them easy to follow. I have a 20 year old candy making book that's full of more recipes and full color photos that I'll continue to use as my candy making resource (I can go look up the title if anyone wants it) but this is a nice introduction to candy making for those who don't mind a lack of photos.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candy is dandy--and you'll learn to make scrumptious sweets at home with "Candy Making for Beginners: Easy Recipes for Homemade Caramels, Gummies, Lollipops and More". Author Karen Neugebauer, a Master Chocolatier and the owner and operator of Forte Chocolates, shares recipes and techniques for making a wide variety of tempting treats--including simple no-cook candies. Chapters include: "It's Candy Time"; "Barks & Fudge"; "Chocolate & Truffles"; "Caramels & Butterscotch"; "Brittle & Toffee"; "Gummies & Chews"; and "Mints & Party Favors". You'll find top tips and helpful hints for essential equipment & tools, key ingredients, chocolate basics, kitchen safety, and how humidity and room temperature affects candy making. Here are some of the irresistible confections you can create to fill the candy dish: "Peppermint Bark"; "Mom's Fudge"; "Cashew Clusters"; "Honey Caramels"; "Chunky Peanut Brittle"; "Old English Toffee"; "Lemon Drops"; "Rock Candy"; "Cranberry Energy Chews"; "Party Favor Buttermints" and "Peppermint Patties". As the author says: "Candy is one of Life's great equalizers--it's there for the good times and the bad."

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a waste of paper! Recipes being around from before the Internet, presented in a static form 15 years after YouTube opened business. And only sugar when it has been decades since humanity knows about dental cavities, obesity, diabetes.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Candy Making for Beginners is a recipe and tutorial collection for candymaking by Karen Neugebauer. Due out 18th Feb 2020 from Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook available now). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

The book has an accessible, appealing format. An introductory chapter gives a good overview of tools, supplies and ingredients, some safety and food handling. The following chapters contain tutorials and recipes arranged roughly thematically: barks and fudge, chocolates and truffles, caramels and butterscotch, brittle and toffee, lollipops and hard candies, gummies and chews, and mints and party favors. The book includes some conversion charts and resource links as well (but no ingredient index).

Ingredients are listed in a bullet sidebar with both metric and American standard measures given (yay!). Info and tips about the ingredients or the recipes themselves are given in sidebars below the preparation information. Prep time, yields, and cooking time are given in the header info. Nutritional information and special diet concerns/allergens (nuts, celery, wheat, etc) are not given.

These are yummy and (mostly) made from easily sourced ingredients.

I am very much a visual learner and one of my concerns with several cookbooks I've reviewed recently has been the lack of photography and serving suggestions. I know that photography can increase the cost of a published book significantly but it enhances the end result so much that in my case at least, it's a necessary part of any cookbook which I buy and use. This book is somewhere in the middle. There aren't many photos, but the ones which are included are clear and appealing.

Four stars. This is a good niche cookbook with a wide variety of goodies included.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an opportunity via the publisher to read Candy Making for Beginners: Easy Recipes for Homemade Caramels, Gummies, Lollipops, and More. I was under no obligation to review this cookbook and my opinion is freely given.

The facing page to the title one has a great photo of some of the candy included in this cookbook, but this is one of the only ones. As I have dabbled in candy making before, knowing how the finished product should look is essential. Some of the candy contained within these pages may be recognizable to some, so imagination can fill in the gaps, but there is no substitute for a great photograph.

Candy Making for Beginners starts with a list of key equipment and ingredients, as well as other information for making delicious candy. Throughout the book, there are sections called Keys to Success. These hints and tips are completely helpful and will make all the difference for beginners. There are also Technique Spotlight pages, giving information where a beginner might not have knowledge, like how to properly melt chocolate. The recipes are plentiful, with easy ones mixed in with those that are more challenging.

The cookbook is divided into logical sections, each including recipes that will inspire beginners to try their hand at candy making. Some of the standouts in each section are as follows:

Barks & Fudge: Peppermint Bark; Mom's Fudge
Chocolate & Truffles: Cashew Clusters; Almond Truffles
Caramels & Butterscotch: Honey Caramels
Brittle & Toffee: Chunky Peanut Brittle; Buttercrunch Toffee
Lollipops & Hard Candy: Root Beer Balls; Rock Candy
Gummies & Chews: Sour Gummy Worms
Mints & Party Favors: Party Favor Buttermints; Peppermint Patties

Overall, there is a lot to like about Candy Making for Beginners. I was definitely inspired by many of the recipes and I look forward to sampling all that this cookbook has to offer.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love candy? Gummy bears and lollipops got us through childhood. Chocolates help heal our broken hearts. What would Valentine’s Day be without truffles, Halloween without caramel apples, Christmas without peppermint bark? And at a time when we’re looking at the preservatives in pre-packaged foods, and the desire to create something ourselves that will personalize a gift, why aren’t more of us making candy?

Maybe we just don’t know how.

Master chocolatier Karen Neugebauer is here to help with that. Her new cookbook Candy Making for Beginners is packed with tips and insights into making fresh, homemade candy with real ingredients. She tells you what tools you’ll need to get started and offers tips for success for each chapter. For example, if you’re wanting to make caramels, you should know to use a pastry brush on the sides of the pot to catch any sugar crystals that didn’t get incorporated, or you can use a little bit of acid (vinegar or lemon juice) to keep crystals from growing in your smooth candy mixture.

There are chapters for all sorts of candy—hard candy, mints, chocolates, caramels, butterscotch, brittle, toffee, barks, fudge, and even gummies. You can make your own Rock Candy, Sour Gummy Worms, Lemon Drops, Peppermint Patties, Old English Toffee, Orange Truffles, Honey Caramels, or Fancy Dipped Strawberries.

There are also tips for tempering chocolate, which you can use for Cashew Clusters and Almond Truffles.

The recipes are good for kids (Pixie Sticks) and seniors (Root Beer Balls), but even adults who eschew candy as a rule could be tempted by the Cranberry Energy Chews, Microwave Champagne Gummy Bears, Espresso Caramels, or Whiskey Pops. There is truly something for everyone and every occasion in Candy Making for Beginners. I can’t wait to carve out some time to get started!

A copy of Candy Making for Beginners was provided by Rockridge Press through the Callisto Media Publisher’s Club, with many thanks.

[Renee Knoblauch · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband is always trying to get me to make homemade fudge like his grandfather does. He is a master fudge maker at 93 years old and has been making it since my husband was a kid. Mine just doesn’t come out even if I follow his step by step recipe. I can only make fudge if I use marshmallow crème. (My husband doesn’t think of it as real fudge even if he eats it all.) I love to cook and bake and haven’t tried making candy.

This book has lots of tips and techniques throughout and recommendations on the correct tools.

The steps are laid out nicely and do a great job explaining how to make the recipes. I wish it had more photos of the candy is my only dislike.

There is a good variety of recipes. All of them seem very doable for someone who isn’t a candy maker. I plan on making the root beer balls. There is even Pixie Stix recipe. How fun is that for kids!

Chapters include: It's Candy Time, Barks & Fudge, Chocolate & Truffles, Caramels & Butterscotch, Brittle & Toffee, Lollipops & Hard Candies, Gummies & Chews, and Mints & Party Favors.

I made fudge using the recipe in this book. My husband was pleased with the results. I think it was the order of the ingredients and using cold butter and tips on how to make it so it’s not grainy.

I received a copy of this product

[Ramona Mead · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a really pretty book, I will say that! The photos are lovely, but there should be a lot more of them. The recipes aren't illustrated so you don't always know if your candy is coming along like it should. I made one recipe, the Champagne Gummy Bears (using alcohol removed Fre brand) and could have used additional guidance. For example it says to bloom the gelatin but doesn't explain what that means or what it should look like. And it says to microwave the mixture for 30 minute increments but doesn't give an approximation of how many times you might need to do it.

This is my first venture into candy making and I suppose this could be a basic guide for beginners. However some of the recipes are quite complicated and call for ingredients a novice cook might not know about. For example tartaric acid is an ingredient in several recipes but it doesn't state that the common name is Cream of Tartar.

I'll probably pass this book on to a friend or family member who wants to give some recipes a go, but if I were to make more candy in the future, I'd probably go online for more thorough instructions.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candy Making for Beginners offers recipes for all of your favorite candies.

The most important thing for me is that the author provides a recipe for
"Mom's Fudge" This is real fudge, not the fake kind with marshmallow creme that tastes like frosting. No, the recipe is for real fudge from sugar, milk, and chocolate boiled to the appropriate temperature, with or without extra flavors added in. I hope people make this recipe and taste the difference between real fudge and the fake kind they sell in tourist shops. There is also a no fail fudge recipe included, but I hope the readers learn to make the real fudge.

This book also teaches you to make caramels, toffee, gummy candies, truffles, lollipops, peppermint patties, mints, and more. I am looking forward to trying many of these recipes.

I think this book would benefit from more pictures, but still gets five stars for the variety of candies and the recipe for true fudge.

I received a free copy of this book from Callisto Media. My review is voluntary.

[Penmouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candy Making for Beginners by Karen Neugebaur has written a good candy book that is probably a good starting point for beginning candy makers that are willing to try somewhat advanced beginner recipes. The reason why I write this is her recipes while clearly written, with plenty of safety tips, do require the use of some "exotic" ingredients not normally found on a grocery shelf. In fairness, the author does provide sources where you can purchase the needed ingredients.

I LOVED how the author provided many recipe tips such as how to make crystal-free fudge or how to melt chocolate the easy way.

Some of the recipes you'll find include:

Trusty Cupboard Fruit & Nut Bark
Mom's Fudge
Fancy Dipped Strawberries
Chocolate Mendiants
Strawberry-Lemonade Truffles
Honey Caramels
Rock Candy
Pate de Fruit

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a PDF galley from NetGalley.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I’ve made a lot of cookies in the past, but I never tried to make candy. My husband has mentioned a few times how much he likes fudge, but I was afraid to try it. Candy Making for Beginners finally gave me the resource and courage I needed, and he liked it!

At the beginning of the book is a list of equipment and tools needed for successful candy making, so I had to start there. The explanation of the key ingredients is also something that is useful for beginners. I like the technique and ingredient tips listed throughout the book. The only thing missing is pictures. It’d be nice to have a picture of each candy.

I like Candy Making for Beginners, and I plan on making more candy in the future using this book.

[Alyssa Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Tooth!

This book has a large variety of recipes, all of which seem very easy to make for someone who has never made candy before. It has tips and techniques throughout the book and says which tools you should use for each recipe and all of the steps are laid out nicely and the explanations are easy to understand.

There are a total of 8 chapters:

It’s Candy Time
Barks & Fudge
Chocolate & Truffles
Caramels & Butterscotch
Brittle & Toffee
Lollipops & Hard Candies
Gummies & Chews
Mints & Party Favors

I myself love chocolate and I look forward to trying the tiger stripes bark and peppermint patties. My kids want to try the rock candy. Overall Thins is definitely a fun cookbook.

I received a free copy of this product from Callisto Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this book by the publisher with the expectation that I would give an honest review of its content. When I requested this book I thought it would be a cookbook for various types of candy with a few helpful hints. Was I wrong! It is so much more!!! I have made fudge and peanut brittle but I have never tried anything harder than that. This book goes into great detail about the types of supplies that you need, what supplies each type of candy requires, why some candies change their consistency in certain weather, how elevation changes boiling points and has recipes for multiple types of candies. If you have always wanted to learn how to make all types of candies - from caramels to fudge to chocolate covered strawberries to hard candies - this is absolutely the book for you.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out by going over equipment needed and also key ingredients. There are recipes for barks & fudge, Chocolate & truffles, caramels & butterscotch, brittle & Toffee, Lollipops & hard candy, Gummies & chews, mints & party favors. The book is lacking in photos and some of the recipes could use photo instructions to help you understand what to do. I would say that this is more than a beginner level book. This is probably for someone that has dabbled in candy making a few times already. Many of the recipes call for almond bark which I do not use as my children have allergies and was hoping for more recipes with cocoa as the chocolate base.
I received an free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this VERY easy recipe guide on Candy Making.
If you're a visual learner like me, you will be VERY disappointed as there are NONE.
The recipes are simple enough, from Barks, Chocolates, to Caramels and Gummies, the book provides very clear and simple instructions.
However, some of the tools, equipment and culinary supplies are very specific (and not cheap) to the success of these sweets. (I did know this going in, but I wasn't sure if the book would provide alternatives. They do not.)

If you're more of a devoted maker, go for it. If not, stick to what you know is within your budget/time/energy, not anything you have to spend extra on, and with no visual guidance as candy making can be a very patient/visual reliant activity.

[Mandy Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been a little fascinated by the process of making candy, but it intimidates me too. So this book was perfect for people like me who are ready to take their curiosity and mess around in the kitchen a bit. Karen explains all the basics and gives tips on how to be successful at the beginning of each section. Recipes are given in step-by-step increments which should make them easy to follow. I wish there were photos for each recipe, but the photos included are colorful and whimsical. I have a few recipes I am definitely going to try for Valentine's Day around my house! I'll be adding this book to our library collection too for my aspiring makers.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My girls and I love to bake and are looking to expand our skills with candy making. This book was the perfect way to jump into exploring making candies of all types and styles.

The introductory chapters get you well versed in what equipment you will find helpful and the basics of working with sugar and chocolate. What follows are many recipes, covering all types of sweet treats, that teach important techniques. Each one provides a wealth of information and many tips and tricks for success.

I have bookmarked many of the recipes to try and look forward to trying out our candy making skills.

[Weslyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes the time to explain all the equipment you need to make candy. Unfortunately for me, I don’t have much of it, but that’s okay. There are also descriptions of each different type of candy at the beginning of each chapter. Photos are in limited supply, but for the cost of the book, I understand why.

Overall, this book is great for people who are new to candy making, but know their way around a kitchen.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was highly informative! Many are recipes with items I have on hand. However, many included items not generally found in the common household kitchen. I wish there were more photos, I would have loved to see the process unfold. That would have been very helpful. Overall though, this was a neat cookbook and I learned a lot about the process! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

[Witch-at-Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book it has fantastic tips and tricks for candy making. I really loved this book. I received this book from Calisto Publishing and Rockridge Press for an honest review. This is a great addition to your collection for those that like to make candy. I loved the conversation tables and safety handling sections they are perfect for those new to candy making.

[SOMDReigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candy Making for Beginners starts with a list of key equipment and ingredients. Each candy section includes hints and tips. There are ingredient tips, techniques tips, and how to store each candy. Getting started requires only basic ingredients, a few pieces of common equipment, and some heat. Easy to follow instructions and a good variety of candy recipes.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candy Making for Beginners Easy Recipes for Homemade Caramels, Gummies, Lollipops and More
by Karen Neugebauer from Callisto Media is a nice tutorial and cook book. There are nice easy to follow recipes with step by step photos for the tutorial. I found the book and recipes formatted for easy navigation of the book and easy to follow the recipes. For me, I would have liked more pictures of the finished recipes but still this is a great book for the beginner candy makers and even the more experience candy maker. Thank you to Campus to Media, NetGalley and author Karen Neugebauer.