YumSugar

Taste Test: Young & Smylie Licorice

YumSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:15:39 -0700

Being a big Red Vines and Twizzlers fan, I was excited to find out that Hershey's brand Y&S Candies was debuting a new line of "grownup," bite-sized soft candy, Young & Smylie licorice ($2.99). The licorice is sold in a resealable plastic bag, which locks in the candy's moisture and keeps it soft. Another thing I enjoyed about the packaging was the "licorice lore" on the back: Did you know that the licorice plant Glycyrrhiza, belongs to the pea or bean family?

Enough about the packaging, to see how Young & Smylie licorice tastes, read more.

Peach Mango: This fragrant flavor tasted natural, subtle, and not too sweet with floral and fruity notes of equal parts peach and mango. By far the softest flavor, I would recommend these fruit chews to people who normally eschew licorice for its rubbery texture.

Strawberry: The strawberry flavor wasn't as soft as the peach mango, and it didn't taste quite as natural. However, it didn't have the generic "red" flavor that is sometimes found in punch or mass-market licorice brands. People who love cherry and strawberry Twizzlers or Red Vines will gravitate to this choice.

Black Licorice: The licorice flavor wasn't overpoweringly sweet or spicy. As someone who doesn't care for traditional licorice, I found this to be surprisingly decent. It still wouldn't be my first choice, but if I had to eat black licorice, I would eat this one.

Overall, I had few complaints about these candies. I like the more refined flavors and they might have knocked my favorite licorice Twizzlers Nibs out of first place! To anyone who has tried the new Y&S licorice: what do you think of it?

Taste Test: "New" Candy

partysugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:00:08 -0700

Updating an image or spinning off of a product is nothing new, but lately it seems like this concept has taken over the candy industry. I recently received a box full of new products that were featured at the National Candy Expo a month ago in Chicago. The majority of items weren't exactly new, but rather re-creations of old products. I selected four - Pop Rocks Chocolate bars, Nerds Giant Chews, Chocolate Pez, and Baskin Robbins Soft Candy - and decided to perform a taste test. Sadly none of the new variations lived up to their established counterparts. To see what I thought of each product, read more.

Pop Rocks Chocolate bars: This oversized bar is described as "real milk chocolate with a kick." At first the chocolate bar tastes like any normal krispy-style chocolate bar. However, the krispies explode in your mouth like pop rocks. The chocolate is mediocore and the sensation interesting, but I wasn't hungry for more.

Nerds Giant Chews: These giant nerds (they're the size of peanut M&Ms) have a bumpy, crunchy shell and soft chewy center. They taste exactly like the miniature version. Eating one is the equivalent of tossing an entire handful of Nerds into your mouth.

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Chocolate Pez: Why Pez felt they needed to expand into artificial chocolate-flavored candies is beyond me. These are chalky and leave a sour aftertaste in the mouth.

Baskin Robbins Soft Candy: With their sweet-minty scent, I was certain these chewy candies were going to be the best of the bunch. However they were disappointing and tasted fake. The best thing about them was the smell.

So has anyone else tasted any of these new candy formulas? What did you think of them?

Show Your Love With Homemade Chocolate Caramels

partysugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:13:31 -0800

This Valentine's Day, instead of buying a box of chocolates for your loved one, make them! Experimenting with candymaking is super fun and simply rewarding. This recipe for chocolate caramels isn't difficult; you just need time and a candy thermometer. If you really want to get fancy, turn them into chocolate lollipops by placing a small stick into the ball before the final chilling. To take a look at the recipe, read more

Chocolate Dipped Caramels
From Southern Living magazine

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons shortening

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook 7 minutes, without stirring.
Stir in condensed milk, and bring to a boil; cook, stirring constantly, 10 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 245°.
Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Pour into a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined 8- x 8-inch baking dish. Let stand 8 hours at room temperature.
Cut caramel into 1/2-inch squares, and shape into balls.
Melt chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat.
Dip balls into melted chocolate mixture; place on wax paper. Chill 8 hours.

Makes about 10 dozen.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: Homemade Goodies

partysugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:18:30 -0800

Over the past couple of weeks, we've bombarded you with tons of outstanding gift ideas. From cupcakes to wine, we've got you covered. But what about gifts that highlight your prowess in the kitchen? Beautifully-packaged homemade goods - cookies, candies, jams, spice mixes, crackers, etc. - make excellent gifts.

Give baked goods to teachers, babysitters, hair stylists, or anyone who helps make your life easier. Package in clear baggies, festive boxes, or decorative tins tied with gorgeous ribbon. To help you get started, I've searched the Internet and complied a list of fabulous recipes that will make delectable gifts. To check it out all you have to do is read more.

Cookies:

Candy:

Savory:

Alcohol:

Did I forget your favorite homemade gift? Please share your ideas with us below!
Source

Yummy Link: Gummi Candies Might Get Expensive

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:28:51 -0700

Say it ain't so! The price of glucose rose 30% meaning that gummi candies may go up in price. Looks like you better stock up now. - TreeHugger

Must Read: Field Guide to Candy

YumSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:30:04 -0700

With tomorrow being Halloween, we've unofficially opened the Pandora's Box that is Fall sweets season. That's why the Field Guide to Candy ($16) couldn't have come at a better time. Pastry chef Anita Chu, who authored the Field Guide to Cookies, has come out with a second book, which promises to teach you "how to identify and make virtually every candy imaginable." Does it live up to its promise? To find out, keep reading.

Have You Ever Made Candy at Home?

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:45:32 -0800

After reviewing the new reference book A Field Guide to Candy, I found myself looking back on all the fun candies we've made, from candied orange peel to peanut brittle to peppermint bark. It left me wondering if you ever tried to make your own candy.

Candy Corn: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:28 -0700

Even though it's not my favorite holiday, there are several reasons I look forward to Halloween, and one of them is candy corn. I can find only less-than-positive words to describe the waxy, cloyingly sweet, unnaturally butterscotch-y neon-covered morsels, yet once I get started, I can't stop eating them. How do you feel about the seasonal confection?

Source: Flickr User Juushika Redgrave

10 Nostalgic Candies to Remember

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:50:31 -0700

This time of year, it's impossible to walk into any office or store without candy bowls full of M&M's, candy corn, or homemade candy begging to be eaten. Skittles and Starburst may dominate doorsteps today, but that wasn't always the case; an entirely different subset of confections were popular in the first half of the 20th century. Although many of them have faded into oblivion, a few old favorites can still be found on candy shelves today. Here are a handful we can't resist reminiscing about.

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Off to Market Recap: Candy Bowl

partysugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:50:34 -0700

On Halloween night, no house should be without a special candy bowl. Whether it's a jack-o'-lantern bowl or a simple one you use all year long, a candy bowl is necessary to appease trick-or-treaters. To ensure that we are ready to feed the goblins and ghosts, you headed off to market in search of candy bowls.

You bookmarked everything from festive, themed bowls to practical, durable bowls, then saved them in the Off to Market group tagged with the keyword candy bowl. How fun is this Wool of Bat bowl that steen found? Part glass, part clay, I love its crafty feel! For more Halloween bowls, browse the selection below.

Interested in learning more about bookmarking? Check out the complete instructions here.