Last Saturday, after having lunch at Osaka Ohsho in SM Megamall Fashion Hall, we followed Berylle of itsberyllicious.com to Made in Candy. She was invited to learn about the store and experience the art of candy-making hands-on. Since we were with her, we were welcomed by Darlene from the marketing team to also join in the fun at The Candy Kitchen. π Yay!
Visiting Made in Candy in the Philippines was like me being transported back to Takashimaya (Ngee Ann City) in Singapore. π Almost once a month in the years I worked in SG, I’d go to the ground floor of this mall along Orchard Road to discover new tasty treats. Each visit won’t feel complete without witnessing how Made in Candy candymen / chefs make candies. It’s always an awesome sight! After the live show, they would give away free samples of the candies with such cute colors and designs. Every piece of candy turns out to be different and unique. See how they work their magic to titillate your senses through a curio-invoking performance here:
With that cool presentation, I thought it would be quite unlikely for passersby, especially kids, not to gawk in front of the counter or at least take a quick look. How they toss and roll candy from large thick rolls into tiny bite-sized bits and manage to perfectly make the patterned designs and words is utterly amazing.
Our Turn to Experience Making Candy in Made in Candy’s Kitchen
It’s good to begin with an end in mind, right? Right! So that’s we did foremost. π One of the candymen drew this image of grapes on a short bond paper and posted it on the wall, to guide us and keep us inspired to finish the design for the candy:
The second step was to mix sugar and water to form the sugar solution, which was stirred until the sugar dissolved. We waited about 15-20 minutes for the mixture to reach a full boil. A candy thermometer was used to ensure a perfect set. The taste of the candy would not be improved by overcooking.
Meanwhile, we put on double gloves so we wouldn’t burn when we touch and work on the candy dough later. I thought that wearing gloves also serves to prevent us from making fingerprints or hand marks on the dough.
BerylleSumi of thepurpledoll.net
When the mixture reached the right temperature, the candyman poured the warm melted sugar into a hot table and made it into a “candy dough.” He stirred in the extract and put food coloring: white for the background of the candy design, violet for the grapes and the candy outline, and brown for the stem of the grapes.
Note: I was also wearing gloves so from this point onwards, I could not anymore hold the camera and take pictures to capture the succeeding procedure. Whaha.Β ε°δΈθ΅·! *^_^*
Moving on, the fourth step was to “shape” the candy dough by rolling it repeatedly, pulling, stretching and cutting them, twirling, and finally putting them together into the proper formation. This part looked easy when I was only an observer. Now that I experienced it myself, I must say that it’s also challenging, especially when you don’t want it to be mediocre work.
The dough felt hot (even with our gloves on), a bit sticky and heavy. We rolled it again and again until it became as thin as a human’s finger. The candyman chopped the 4-kg candy dough into smaller pieces with a VERY sharp knife VERY quickly like a real expert. In my mind, I was praying for him not to cut himself. After chopping everything, he used a strainer to sort out the candy dust which almost looked like powder.
Here’s the result…
OMG! We could not believe our eyes when we saw the grape image on the candies. When asked how many pieces of candies were made out of the 4-kg candy dough, the answer was uncertain. Counting the pieces one by one will take a lot of time. To package the candies, they weigh them on a weighing scale and then seal the jar or the bag accordingly.
Example
There were some deformities which were products of us probably not being too careful (or adept) in placing the doughs of candy together. π
As much as possible, wastes should be kept to a minimum. Some of the deformed candies and ends of the candy dough were reheated and remodeled into other shapes, which eventually became lollipops:
Me and Stacy of tsinoyfoodies.com
Review of Made in Candy Philippines (SM Megamall, Mandaluyong)
Ambiance: β β β β β
Made In Candy’s open kitchen resembles a miniature candy factory. The candymen’s showmanship is not only a way of entertainment or a way of catching attention, but it’s also a form of assurance that the candies sold are mostly freshly made. The store’s ambiance was pretty lively and creatively designed. The assorted candies displayed for sale double up as upbeat, eye-catching decorations for the walls. I loved the vibrant colors all around. π
Service: β β β β β
Upon entering the shop, we were approached with warm greetings by the attending staff. She was friendly and kind to be offering free samples of different flavors of candies for tasting to everyone. All our questions about candy-making and inquiries on the products were answered well.
Food: β β β β β
The candies didn’t really taste super fantastic although itβs different from other artificially-flavored candies. Their best-selling design/flavor is the mixed berry, then watermelon, lychee, and strawberry.
The 5/5 rating I gave is for the uniqueness and ingenuity of the product line as a whole. Made in Candy is not only a retail store when you can buy candies in jars or pouches. It also accepts custom-made orders. For instance, you can request to have your company’s logo, initials, and any drawing to be incorporated into the candy design. The customized candies are great for gifts, giveaways, or souvenir items for birthday parties, weddings, and corporate events.
Price for Value: β β β β β
Prices of candies are as follows:
I normally would not pay so much for a regular packet of sweets that don’t taste phenomenal. However, given that the design, packaging, and overall presentation of these candies from Made in Candy are just so good, I thought the prices are fair and the items have good value.
Other branches of Made in Candy in the Philippines:
Powerplant Rockwell – 2/F Power Plant Mall, Amorsolo Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati
Alabang Town Center- New Wing, Alabang Town Center
Glorietta 4- 3rd Level, Glorietta 4, Makati
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
LUCKY!!!!!! seriously!! I was and am always fascinated with how they make those candies. The first time I saw this store in Rockwell made me want to buy a lot! It is pretty cool how they make those candies and you don’t need to worry, the stuff you guys made were awesome! Galing galing ^_^ now, if only they had sugarfree versions … ick!!!
I haven’t seen the other branches of Made in Candy in the Philippines so I was just surprised when I learned that it’s not really very new anymore in the country. Making candies was a unique and awesome experience, indeed. π It’s like an activity we used to do during school field trips when we were students. Haha I think the sugar-free version will be a booming hit if ever they make one. π
Hehe that was fun! Didn’t realize time pass by =)) My family loved the grape flavor
Yeah originally I was planning to go home an hour after our lunch because we were worried about the rainfall by Ruby, right? But then we didn’t have the chance to look at time in our watches, too busy with candy-making. Then whoops, two hours flew so fast. Oh yes, my mom also loved the grape flavor.
I love going behind the scenes of manufacturers. It’s amazing how many steps it takes to make a simple product. There’s so much science packed in to these processes.
It really was super duper amazing. We were like :O :O :O ! I asked how long the guys trained to do the candies perfectly. We learned that it takes them only two weeks to train and practice. In a day, they make about 2-3 batches of candies.
Super fun experience! Wanna do it again! Haha! Try their watermelon next time.. It’s my favorite! See you around Roch! π
OK thanks for having us and thanks for the recommendation! π Surely, we will try the watermelon flavor. I’m actually curious if it really tastes like pakwan hehe. See you again soon!
As a candy-feen myself, I have always wanted to visit a candy making shop/kitchen. It looks really fun, and I mean – hello tasty, right? Though, it looks a bit tricky with the temperature taking to make sure everything is done accurately. I want to take some sort of class in this! I think it’d be super fun.
Whether you’re a beginner at making candies or have no experience at all, you will find expert tips to inspire you and satisfy your sweet tooth when you enter the candy kitchen. It’s a short session but we learned many cool lessons along the way. π It was really fun!
what a cool experience! you can pretty much design whatever you want and make it into candy? π or is it just for the candymen to decide. it’s interesting to see the entire process and how it’s done by hand.
We can also choose and decide. But I think for this session, the candymen chose one that’s fairly easy to do as the grape consisted of a max of three different colors. The more colors you want to put into the candy, the harder and longer the process will take. The end result was like magic!
OMGoodness…when I saw the title of this post, I hoped that it would give me something sweet to salivate over. I’ve seen a lot of food-related shows that demonstrate how certain candies are made, but nothing beats actually being there. I LOVE the way the purple lollipops look – the shapes are so interesting. I’ve always wanted to learn more about how to use a candy thermometer properly. I have one, but have never used it.
Here we discovered proper techniques to create incredible candies. I assumed before that there’s like a mold and baking sheet used to create the shapes of lollipops. Candy making, I conclude, can also be a fairly technical field. Seeing the steps firsthand just made it seem easier to approach.
What a cool candy store!I love how they make everything handmade. That is definitely very impressive! I would love to visit this store one day but it is very far from where I live (NYC) lol.
Oh haha at least you can see the videos. π If you’re interested in candy making, but don’t have any experience in the field, you can also find some books.
I have tried candies from Made in Candy a couple of times, and their stall in Glorietta is quite close to home. I think the designs are spectacular, but I don’t think the candies are too expensive for the taste.
Food has always been about taste, so I still think these are overpriced. I’m sure a lot of people would still buy these though!
Thanks for the review Roch!
You’re welcome, Chef Jay. Thanks for dropping by! Yeah I thought many people will want to buy the candies not only because they’re in for the trend but also because the overall packaging and presentation is too pleasing to the eyes. Sweets as gifts are always welcomed. Especially if people are already bored seeing the same candies sold in supermarkets or local groceries, then the look of these items from Made in Candy will really tease their palate. π It’s also “eye-candy” after all!
haha, now that is cool – I am sure that would be such a wonderful experience on your part. I wish I could experience it as well. This is the first time I have heard about them though.. (despite the fact I was just in Mega Mall few days ago, lol!)
Haha don’t feel any bit guilty. π We had been to SM Megamall a lot of times but we’ve never seemed to notice this store before. It’s just beside Le Coeur de France and near a mall entrance. π
I’m so jealous you got to experience this! I don’t think we have anything like this here in Ireland. As a candy lover I’d love to see how they’re made… and eat a few too. The lollipops look so cool!
I’m so happy we had this experience as I’ve always been on that other side of the kitchen counter–watching how the chefs create the candies from start to finish. For those who are on a diet, this candy stall will be really hard to resist. You should visit the Philippines not only for this but also to discover the many wonderful attractions we have here! π
This has to be the COOLEST idea for a personalized gift ever! I love the idea of giving these out as a wedding favor or even as a gift to newlyweds! So cool that you ladies were able to create your own candies, they look so amazing too!
We’ve seen a lot of companies in the store ordering customized candies with the name of the company β₯ the company name of their clients. Personalized candies are really a nice choice to give out in company events and parties. People will tend to remember the brand more.
Wow! your photos were enagaging….i would love to experience candy making…:)
In the Candy Kitchen, you can start your way to candy heaven. π With this store and a bit of inspiration, the world is your metaphorical oyster and your waistline is at danger. Haha.
love the idea.This is indeed super cool.
The idea is super cool, no doubt.
In my younger years, I had an occasion to witness our local candy maker here in our place. His candy is made of sugarcane juice. I was engrossed on how he made a colorful candies. Made in Candy is no difference when manual candy-making is concerned except for the equipment, raw materials, among others. We’re even hired to pack the candies and paid by piece work ranging from hundreds to thousands.
Oh wow thanks for sharing that story. I can picture it now in my mind. It’s interesting to learn how things are made manually. I thought all candies are made only by machines, at least those sold in large volumes.
who doesn’t love candy . this brings me back to my younger days when I consume much and much of the sweet making me lose my front teeth… this is a new way to sell candies in the mall.want to try one …:D yum!
Hahaha. Our parents actually didn’t want us to eat candies when we were little, in fear of us damaging or losing our teeth when we become addicted to sweets. Kids in the mall will surely be attracted to Made in Candy. π
This is super cool, I absolutely love the image you made and it’s so cool. I would really like to do this with my children.
Yeah, you can learn the art of candy maker with a number of great recipes available in bookstores and online. Knowing enough requirements will absolutely be an added benefit when it comes to making your own experiments in the future.
This is something I would enjoy. This is also an excellent gift idea (cough cough).
Haha you have cough?? Rest muna after recovery run. jk π I will be glad to send you over candies next time!
Yehey. That would mean a lot plus it’s even personalized. Will buy you Pizza the next time we meet. =>
Wow pizza! Okay deal! π
Great, let’s set the date. It’s nice that you met Sumi. She’s a friend via FBW events we organized before.
Yup, we’ve been seeing each other a lot lately because of food events. π She’s really nice!
Wow.. that was one sweet experience.. candies overload! Its also great to know that their products are affordable..
Yup, it’s great to buy the packet or jar of candies with mixed flavors so you can try everything at once. π
Made in Candy seems like the cutest little store! I once went to a candy shop that showed how hershey kisses were made (it’s so fun to see how out favorite sweets are made!) Those lollipops look super yummy <3
Oh wow I would also love to see how Hershey’s kisses are being made. <3
I’m like in awe, this is like so cool, reminds me of the shows of how to make different candies you would see on late tv on the food network. Looks like a load of fun to watch and the hands on too. So jealous of you. What an awesome job that is.
It’s an awesome job but a pretty tiring one, too, if done repeatedly throughout the day. Then again, nothing must be tiring considering the happiness given out to people appreciating the candies. π
I missed reading your blogs.. π
I like the idea that they can do customized candies.. really perfect for giveaways ans souvenirs too! π
ANd very affordable rates too! π
Thanks, Grace! The customized candies by Made in Candy seem to be the trendiest giveaways now in events. You can eat them or display them in the cutest section of your house.
I love candy and its been a long time since i last visited a candy store must have been cadbury or something similar. So jealous of your visit
I didn’t expect to be doing candies that day. Thanks to Berylle and the team of Made in Candy, this happened. π
Sounds so cool! I love that the candy that didn’t make it is melted down and used again to make other candy.
Yup, it’s a wise way to save ingredients to make something more useful and profitable.
Wow, this is amazing! I never knew there were places where you could design your own candy. I’d love to make some of my own. π
I would also love to make my own with my name printed on it haha. However, the minimum order will produce over a hundred small jars. Maybe I’ll request for personalized candies for huge events in the family next time. π
This looks like so much fun! I bet you had a blast making the candy. This would be a cool store to visit.
Yup, we had fun! It’s amazing how creative their staff can be in making designs and even matching the flavors of the candy.
I think your candy turned out really well. That is such a neat thing to try! Too bad it didn’t taste the best!
For a first-timer, I thought the candies were pretty okay. The grapes’ edges just needed to be more rounded. π
How fun is this post?! I would love to visit a candy factory! What an amazing opportunity!
SUPER FUN. If you love candies and candy-making, treat this candy kitchen as your haven. π
It would be so fun to go to a place like this to learn how to make candy. It must have been so much fun to make candy. Thanks for sharing. My grandma always had these hard candies every time we would visit.
Aw, you must be very special in the eyes of your grandmother. Learning how to make candies is so cool. π
I do stop once in a while to see how they create their candies. However, I’m afraid to try them out as just looking at the candies make my teeth hurt π
What?! Hahaha they’re actually not too sweet. Eating one piece of candy won’t hurt. π
This is so cool! I would love to take my kids to do something like this.
The kids will love it for sure! π
Wow I love this! So fun to see it being made too π
I never thought that making candy is also intense as it involved a very hot substance and the process of molding the dough can greatly affect the outcome of the finished product. We learned a ton about colors and flavors and how to run a shop that doubles as a candy kitchen.
Lovely post, I love candy and watching it being pulled and turned into individual pieces! π
Yup, what I appreciate most is that Made in Candy has a connection to the public as they show the science and art of how they create candies being sold in the store. This appeals to many senses, which is something different from a regular candy store which sells candy only for the retail experience. The free candies given away are also part of the treat. π
Wow! that’s a lot of candies. they also have a branch in Glorietta and I usually stop there to see them do the magic.
Ah yes but I haven’t seen their branch in Glorieta haha gotta find it next time. π
That is such a cool process! I’d love to go and do something like that sometime.
Making candies is very timely for Christmas! Enjoy the holidays, Cassie. π
I love those candies. I need to have my mom bring me back some when she goes home next year π
Remind her that. π I’m so happy that Made in Candy has also opened its new branch in Mall of Asia.
This was so cool. I know I would love to experience something like this. It’s always interesting to see how things are made.
Right. I want to visit other candy factories and go to the chocolate section. π
As I’ve said, it’s a pretty nice idea for giveaways, and souvenirs those customized candies! π
With kids, they’ll definitely love the idea of seeing their names on candies as well. π
Yeah I think everyone would want to have candies with their names on! The personalized candies are a sure hit in the market. π
I’ve never been to the phillipines, or really to a candy shop like this, but it looks awesome! I really love candy shops that I’ve been too, but this looks like such a fun experience! It would be so fun to watch them make the candy right in front of you! thank you for the awesome post!
Yeah you’re welcome, Lauren! I hope you felt like you’re at least an inch closer to reality on how candies are actually made by reading this post. π
Hi Roch,sorry it took me so long to comment back, i just got back from holiday :). I always loved watching the art of candy making, it’s just so fascinating and i could spend hours watching them making those candies! I am not big on sweets though (although i love lollipops for some reasons) and i agree that Made in Candy’s products doesn’t taste fantastic, but the process really is super cool!
Hey, Mindy! Welcome back. π I know there are lots of things to hear from you from your vacation trip in Korea. I’m so excited to see where you have been in the past weeks. These candies are really getting popular since Made in Candy has just opened new branches in malls.