Abstract: A color coat is formed an a hard-panned, sugar shelled, pellet-shaped confectionery by placing at least one hard-panned, sugar shelled, pellet-shaped confectionery, preferably having an uncolored sugar surface, in functional association with an ink-jet head, applying at least a portion of a color coat to the hard-panned, sugar shelled, pellet-shaped confectionery by ink-jet printing at least one edible ink onto the surface of the hard-panned, sugar shelled, pellet-shaped confectionery, and drying the color coat. The hard-panned, sugar shelled, pellet-shaped confectionery may be transported and/or stored prior to the application of the color coat.

Abstract: A stable confection comprising a chocolate matrix having at least one sugar coated confectionery inclusion is disclosed. The confectionery inclusion comprises an outer sugar shell; a fat containing edible barrier layer substantially surrounded by the sugar shell and a fat-containing edible core surrounded by the barrier layer, the barrier layer containing at least about 0.5% less liquid fat at 25° C. and the edible core and a barrier layer: core weight ratio is at least about 0.1:1.