Natural 20!!!! I’ve quickly become a huge fan of Dungeons and Dragons. I’ve been watching Critical Role (Campaign 2) and fell in love with the game. Surprisingly, I had played it until very recently. Now, I’m hooked. My first set of dice for the game were colorful and translucent…basically they looked like candy. I had to resist my urges to put them in my mouth. So, naturally, I had to figure out a way to make them into real candy. I present to you my recipe and tutorial for making polyhedral candy dice.
WARNING: NOT TOYS. NOT INTENDED FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. MAKE AND ENJOY WITH CARE.
You’ll Need:
- 1 c. Sugar, 1/3 c. Light Corn Syrup, 1/3 Water
- OR Isomalt (easily purchased at cake and craft supply stores)
- Various Food Colors
- Candy Flavorings
- White Powdered Food Coloring
- A little clear alcohol like vodka or gin
- Candy Dice Molds. Buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WarcasterMolds
Let me show you how it’s done!
- Make the candy. SUGAR METHOD: put the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-high heat. You can stir at the beginning but then no more stirring. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystallization. Use a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to the “hard crack stage” – 300-305 degrees F. Then add candy flavoring and color. Pour the hot candy into a heat-proof measure glass. ISOMALT METHOD: Measure out 1/2 c. Isomalt for one set of candy dice. Melt isomalt crystals in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Isomalt resists crystallization, so no need to worry about wiping down sides and you can stir if you’d like, I preferred to swirl. Once melted, it’s ready to flavor and color. Mix thoroughly to combine (watch out for steam) and then pour into a heat-safe measuring glass. WARNING: Isomalt is a sugar substitute used in many sugar-free candies. It’s a sugar liquor that does not affect blood sugar, tastes less sweet than sugar, but is totally edible. I’ve read that the body treats it as a fiber, which means it can’t digest it. Consuming too much might cause stomach upset and frequent bathroom visits…so eat at your own risk!!
- Fill the molds. Let most of the bubble subside, then quickly, but carefully, pour the hot candy into the molds. Try to fill right to the top. A little overflow is okay, but you don’t want to underfill. Use a small piece of parchment paper dabbed onto any overflow to smooth out the tops before they set. Be careful – it’s HOT. TIP: If the candy begins to set in the measuring up, pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. Wait about 20-30 minutes or until completely cool.
- Make White “paint”. Mix a little powdered white food color with a tiny bit of vodka or gin. Set aside.
- Unmold dice. The dice should easily pop out of the molds. You’ll probably have some jagged pieces unless your candy pours are just perfect. If that happens you can easily break or melt off any hanging bits. Be careful if you’re using Isomalt – it’s harder and sharper than sugar in my opinion.
- OPTIONAL: Clean up dice surfaces. If you have a lot of air bubbles on the surface of the dice, lightly melt them off with a lighter or brulee torch. Don’t melt too much, you want to keep the numbers on the sides visible for the next step.
- Paint on the numbers. Use a small paintbrush to paint on the numbers with the white “paint”. You’ll have to choose to have the “high” (20) or “low” (1) side blank when you order the molds. I chose “low” side, since painting a “1” is easier than a “20”.
- Enjoy! You can enjoy these as a sweet treat or even play with them in your next D&D adventure.
And there they are – my Dungeons and Dragons Candy Dice!
