Danno, I'm certainly not an expert on candy making...yes, I play with it and enjoy it. I don't formulate my own filliings, I borrow from the experts...I twist the factors I know you can play with, mainly flavorings and extras.
I'll post the name later (if you want) but I have this smallish ametuer candy book that's really pretty good. I also have Elaine Gonzelles' first book on chocolate molding and confectionary. It's a good read for some basic techniques I'd never read before. BUT then that because I don't own any strickly pro-type candy making books.
Casting candy: go over to
www.foodtv.com and look up J. Torres show on Chocolate. I just read this morning....where he uses flour (instead of corn starch) to cast a mold (making a frame out of chocolate). It's the same exact concept I've seen my Mom do and have read about. The cornstarch is what she did to form marshmellow eggs in. That info. came from old issues of Mail box news.
Another neat trick is usine play dough to form suckers with-in.
J. Torres show is WONDERFUL for tips/tricks! I miss seeing the show every weekend but print out dirrections when I remember off of the web.
P.S. You gave me major chuckles with the 'far out man'....that's what I thought too! HA