Candy Sticks with Chocolate Drizzle: 6 Creative Uses for Plating

Candy sticks might make you picture the curved peppermint canes that are a hallmark of Christmas celebrations, but they aren’t so, in this case. Here, they refer to soft or chewy candies – like marshmallows, nougat, or caramel – mounted on a stick and sometimes with a finish of a drizzle of chocolate. They’re similar in form to cake pops but typically lighter, with a single candy base and sometimes no full coating. They’re edible, handheld, and often used as decorative treats, but because of their makeshift nature, they’re easy to use in plating without melting, breaking, or needing special tools. If you’ve got a pack of them, or made a bunch of them, and are wondering what else to do beyond eating them straight, here are 6 fun and easy ways to use them in dessert plating.

1. Stick Them into Soft Desserts

Your candy sticks are whole as it is, and delicious on their own, but can quickly lose their appeal if you have too many at hand and are sick of eating them the regular way. So add them as an accent to other desserts! For instance, you can push a candy stick top down into desserts with a soft but stable surface, like simple cakes, cupcakes, pastries, mousses, puddings, or parfaits. The stick will stay in place and will add a nice extra flair to your dessert, thanks to its color. If you want to go that extra mile, drizzle the candy stick with melted chocolate. Always pick a contrasting chocolate for this; for a darker candy stick, pick white chocolate, and for a paler candy stick, go for milk or dark chocolate. The stick will immediately boost the look of an ordinary-looking dessert; the shorter it is, the better the visual.

2. Lay It Across the Dessert as a Topper

Play the horizontal game by placing the candy stick or a few of them directly across the surface of desserts like cake logs, rectangular cakes, or even mousses. These work well for panna cotta, cheesecake, or ice cream too. Make sure the dessert is simple and not already decorated with frosting or other elements to help the candy sticks stand out and not get muted by the other dessert accents. We are assuming chocolate drizzle comes with the sticks, because that will make the stick or sticks visually stand out and complement the dessert without needing additional garnishes.

3. Use It as a Built-In Dipper

This one is for the fondue parties where the sticks go for soft, scoopable desserts like chocolate pots, pudding, or fondue, the candy stick can act as an edible dipper. Serve the stick directly in the dish or resting on the side, to let guests to dip and eat it along with the dessert. Since it's soft and coated with chocolate already, it will go well with this. If that feels like a bit too much, try a different kind of fondue, perhaps salted caramel to get another flavour paring with the candy sticks.

4. Serve It as a Paired Side Treat

You can present the candy stick on a small plate, napkin, or alongside the dessert as a sweet. This works especially well when you want to keep the plated dessert clean or minimal. The stick can go on an additional plate beside the main dessert, say with something like a pudding or mousse, to be dipped or be had with the dessert, which will be left to the consumer to eat or enjoy at their will, without it competing for space on the main plate.

5. Incorporate It Into Plated Dessert Boards

On dessert platters or boards with multiple items, like mini cakes, tarts, or truffles, the candy stick can act as a centrepiece, in a holder of sorts, or divider between the different desserts. Its stick form makes it easy to handle, and the drizzle helps it stand out among smaller bites. The best part about this part is that it can be consumed along with the other desserts, if you enjoy candies.

6. Use Broken Pieces as Topping or Texture

If the candy stick is soft enough to slice, you can cut it into smaller chunks or tear it up and use the pieces to scatter over other desserts. This works well for ice cream, frosted cakes, or parfaits. The hardened chocolate drizzle will still show up on the pieces, making them a quick topping that adds both flavor and decoration in one step.