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Caramel's popularity continues to grow both as a confection and as an ingredient, despite the challenges faced in producing this versatile and flavorful sweet.
When Mars Chocolate North America announced last year that it will be launching Caramel M&MS - this spring - many consumers wondered, "What took you so long?"
But as most candy makers and confectioners know, we're talking caramel here. And as Hank Izzo, v.p. of research and development of parent company Mars Chocolate North America, told CNN Money last year, creating a caramel-filled chocolate, candy-coated lentil isn't as easy as it sounds.
"It was a big technological challenge for us," said Izzo in the CNN Money story. "We never before had an M&M lentil with a true soft center, so we had to figure out how to not make the chocolate too sticky or too soft that it could collapse."
And then there was the caramel. As Rod Oringer, v.p. - sales and marketing for the Rice Co. explains, "Caramel is the most difficult of the confectionery items out there. It's both science and an art form."
Scott Lutz, business development manager, ingredients, The Warrell Corp., agrees. He calls it a "unique bugger. People generally don't understand it."
So what can go wrong? Just about everything, Oringer says. Whether it's atmospheric conditions, temperature controls, the heating element, barometric pressure, the list goes on.
As Randy Hofberger, president of R&D Candy Consultants, emphasizes, caramel is one of those "more complicated" confectionery ingredients.
"You need good recipes, good equipment," he says. "It's easy to screw it up."
Hofberger, who has taught countless caramel courses and has given dozens of presentations [Editor's Note:...