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Burning Question: How Does Popping Candy Work?

YumSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0700

Yesterday, I reviewed a new candy bar that contained popping candy. That got me wondering about popping candy, especially the nostalgic favorite, Pop Rocks.

How do they work, exactly? Hard candy in any form is essentially a sugar-water mixture that's been cooled and hardened. In the case of Pop Rocks, an extra step is required: The sugar-water syrup mixes with pressurized carbon dioxide gas (roughly 600 pounds per square inch!), which forms tiny, pressurized bubbles in the candy. Once it cools, the pressure is released and the candy shatters, but pieces still contain pressurized bubbles. When consumed, these pieces melt in your mouth, releasing the bubbles with a loud snap. That's the sound of the pressurized air being released from the bubble.

Pop Rocks, first sold to the public in 1975, employed cutting-edge candy technology. In fact, the technology that's used to make that carbonated candy crackle is actually a patented process.

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Taste Test: Chuao Firecracker Chocolate Bar

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:15:52 -0700

Last year, I sung the praises of a small chocolatier, Chuao, for its unique and delicious flavor combinations, like strawberry balsamic and spicy Cabernet caramel. I had a chance to try their newest bar, the Firecracker, and it was no exception.The chocolate smelled typical enough - bittersweet and slightly smoky. But once I took a bite, my experience took a turn for the bizarre. First, I tasted creamy dark chocolate then gradually intensifying heat and a tingly, burning sensation in the back of my throat. And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, loud crackling and popping, at which point I realized there was not only an explosion of flavor, but also a physical explosion of some kind. To find out what the cracker of the Firecracker was, read more.

Turns out the appropriately-named chocolate bar is made of dark chocolate, enrobed in chipotle chiles, salt, and popping candy - the kind I loved in the third grade. I can only liken the bizarre, oddly addictive experience to going on a roller coaster for the first time and wanting to go again. For those of you who are game (it is not for the unadventurous eater or faint of heart), I encourage you to go for a ride. Does spicy chocolate with popping candy sound like something you'd want to try?

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.

View 5 Photos ›

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?

Yummy Link: Pop Rocks Chocolate Bar

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:03:31 -0700

I am definitely adding this Pop Rocks Chocolate Bar to my list of candy-must-trys. - Junk Food Blog

Candy Cane Pop Rocks

YumSugar — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:04:17 -0800

Pop Rocks has unveiled its new limited edition candy cane flavor. Each pack will set you back 99 cents and is guaranteed all the explosion power that you get with regular Pop Rocks. Perfect for a last minute stocking stuffer. You can order them here.

Top Chef's Voltaggio Brothers Debut Weekly Web Video Series

YumSugar — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:30:45 -0800

Just before the winner of Top Chef Las Vegas was crowned, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio teamed up to launch a new website, VoltaggioBrothers.com. By Christmas, they'd announced plans for a new video series with media company EQAL. Wrote Bryan: "Being forced to cook something in 20 minutes with bizarre ingredients is fun, but not what we normally do in our restaurants. These videos will give you a better sense about our culinary point of view and our passion for cooking."

Their first webisode, titled "Deconstructing the Voltaggio Brothers," debuted yesterday. While we didn't see any demos, we did learn, in between snippets of the brothers making brioches and pop rock lollipops, that Michael excels at poetry, and Bryan would've been a landscaper in another life. Take a look when you read more.

I'm already a fan of the series, which reveals a softer side of both boys. Did you learn anything new about the brothers? Will you tune in to watch more webisodes?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Taste Test : "New" Pop Rocks, Nerds, Pez, and Baskin Robbins Candies

partysugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:35:21 -0700

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M&M's: Can You Sort the Myths From the Facts?

YumSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:50:21 -0700

If you've taken part in the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act, you may have recently popped a few M&M's. These storied sweet treats come with no shortage of colorful tales: each shade of the candy has developed its own reputation- with plenty of rock and roll mixed in. Can you crack the myths on these coated chocolates? There's only one way to find out.

Source: Flickr User FlyNutAA

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Top 10 Harry Potter Related Recipes

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:20:30 -0700

With the new Harry Potter book hitting shelves tonight, I thought it would be fun to re-post the roundup of Harry Potter inspired recipes. So enjoy these while you're waiting in line and oh, you may want to pick up a Harry Potter Preserver - after all you've waited this long, why run the risk of ruining the book now?!

Acid Pops - Use super-sour lollipops and roll them in Pop Rocks for a super effect! Use honey to make the Pop Rocks stick if necessary
Quidditch Players Pie - Quidditch players need a hearty meal to get them ready for the match. As Fleur Delacour says, this "zis 'eavy 'ogwarts food."

Licorice Wands - Be sure to stock up on your ride back to Hogwarts!
Pumpkin Juice - Just like the students drink on the Hogwarts Express.
Mrs. Weasley's Rock Cakes - These should be crumbly in texture and are perfect for serving with tea. Just don't bake them too long or they'll turn out like Hagrid's rock cakes.

See the rest of the list, read more

Ton-Tongue Toffees - Your tongue might not grow four feet long, but the toffees are going to taste delicious on them.
Pumpkin Pasties - Just like the ones available on Hogwart's Express and Honeydukes.
Butterbeer - Hot or cold, butterbeer always hits the right spot.
Jelly Slugs - These slugs will turn out even if you don't have a fancy slug-shaped pan.
Cauldron Cakes - These delicious spice cakes are like the ones sold on Hogwarts Express.

Did I miss your favorite Harry Potter recipe? If so, share it with us in the comments!

Top 10 All-American Cocktails

partysugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:18:38 -0700

With the biggest holiday of the summer just two short days away, you might be scrambling for a fun cocktail recipe. Well lucky for you - and me! - reader hvnly34 bookmarked a couple of festive drinks. It looks like the fabulous folks over at Fine Living have put together a patriotic list of the top ten All-American cocktails. With names like American Punch and Summer Beer Cocktail, you are sure to find something tasty to serve your guests. I totally want to shake myself a Boston Pops Martini - it's garnished with cherry pop rocks and will be a sure fire conversation starter. To take a look at the top five drinks - have you heard of any of them? - just read more

The top five All-American Cocktails:

Boston Pops Martini
4th of July Shooter
Artillery Punch
Tropical Sky
All-American Whiskey Stone Sour

If the top five have peaked your interest, be sure to check out the rest of the list.