Retail Confectioners International recently named Sweet Mona’s Island Angel Chocolates of Langley a winner at its 2011 Candy Clinic for her “I Only Have Eyes For You Truffle,” a Halloween specialty.

The clinic took place at the organization’s Annual Convention and Industry Expo in Pittsburgh, Penn. on June 22.

Mona Newbauer of Clinton, owner of Sweet Mona’s, joined more than 200 confectioners and industry suppliers during convention week, which also included the confectionery educational sessions and tours of local candy stores.

Candy Clinic is an opportunity for RCI members to introduce new products, as well as to share retail and merchandising ideas with fellow candy manufacturers and supplier members. Top honors are awarded to the confectioners with the best idea in a variety of categories.

Sweet Mona’s Island Angel Chocolates won the Candy Clinic Award for “Best Miscellaneous Holiday Idea.”

“Each year RCI members look forward to Candy Clinic for new ideas,” RCI executive director Kelly Brinkmann said. “Innovation, creative thinking and marketing are hallmarks of successful confectionery businesses across the country and we enjoy being an avenue for idea sharing.”

The Halloween truffle looks like an eyeball and is made with milk-chocolate ganache, is colored white for the white of the eye, with different colors such as purple, yellow, blue and green serving as the eye’s iris.

“I had the idea that this year for Halloween I will put jelly inside the truffle,” Newbauer said.

So be sure to head down to Sweet Mona’s in October for the delicious, and now famous, gooey, eyeball treat.