Hyper-Real Candy Looks Almost Too Good to Eat

When Dallas-based couple Andie and Jason Moore first got on the phone with us at Yahoo Food, they sounded completely exhausted.

"We struggle to take a Sunday off, and we pretty much are always going on fumes," Andie said, adding, "I'm one of the people who can only focus on the thing at hand." Right now, that thing is the pair's artisanal candy business, Andie's Specialty Sweets, which Andie began as a hobby in 2010.

Though she and her husband had once attended art school, both left for more lucrative ventures—she for gigs ranging from snowboard design to painting larges-scale murals, he for a pool maintenance business. Four children later, Andie had become a stay-at-home mother. But after the birth of their youngest child, Andie grew antsy. During naptime, she created the Etsy shop that became Andie's Specialty Sweets.

The Moores, however, had no idea how quickly Andie's little venture would take off. Soon it morphed from a hobby to full-time job. Forces such as Martha Stewart, Lonny, and Apartmenty Therapy began taking note, and the orders began rolling in. So many, in fact, that the pair now plans to expand their business. That means hiring new staff and teaching them their trade secrets.

For instance, the top-secret formula for the unique vanilla-infused candy shell that covers many of their chocolate offerings. Andie explains: "It’s totally unique. When you bite through it, the exterior candy shell breaks away with the chocolate—you don’t have to bite harder to get through the shell. It kind of tastes like white chocolate, but a little more salty and infused with vanilla."

Then there's the actual candy-making process. Andie wouldn't divulge her exact methods, but offered a snapshot of how their detailed chocolate shells are made: "We use a really complicated mold, and the process we use is very tricky. We have systems for which shells need to be made when the chocolate is softer and when it’s harder. A lot of times we don’t get the timing just right, and the chocolate will break through the candy exterior."

Do the Moores ever regret dropping out of art school? Their feelings are mixed: While both enjoyed the limited formal training they received, they believe leaving academia was for the best. "We like how we don’t have any professional culinary training or professional art training—you can get that a lot without going to school with hands-on experiences," Andie said. "I wouldn’t trade any of the experiences I've had for going back to school."

It certainly hasn't hurt their bottom line. Because of the amount of work that goes into each candy, they command a high price: The least expensive offering, a 50-piece set of realistic, peppermint-infused candy buttons, goes for $37.50 before shipping. The priciest, a collection of 100 psilocybin mushrooms made of sugar, goes for $360.

So far, the pricetag isn't scaring off clients—the Moores have revved into overdrive to keep up with demand. Both are taking the stress in stride.

"We’re used to it," Andie said. "We’ll have our nap next year."