Grown-up Confections

By Kimberly J. Decker, Contributing Editor

Kristen Scott suggests you try her maple-pecan-chipotle brittle with a fine sipping tequila. Her soft caramels she likes to pair with a tawny Port.

Of course, Scott, a third-generation confectioner and owner, Artisan Candies, San Jose, CA, isnt recommending you serve these pairings at your childs next birthday party. But if youre entertaining discriminating guests of legal age, they may appreciate something from the cellar to go with their caramelsespecially if those caramels travel what she calls a flavor arc," from an initial burst of butter, through rich vanilla notes, to a characteristically caramel finish. When you finish the whole thing," she says, youre still tasting really complex flavors. Its sweet, but not cloying." What more could a sophisticated sweet-tooth ask?

Clearly, candy isnt just for kids. But when designing adult-oriented sweets, a distinct set of parameters should guide R&D.

The cult of cacao

The cult of connoisseurship pervades the chocolate segment in particular. There are now more adult options in chocolates," says Erin ODonnell, marketing manager, David Michael & Co., Philadelphia, higher cocoa contents, upscale packaging, exotic ingredients. These treats arent for kids."

Chuck (Charles) Siegel, founder, Charles Chocolates, San Francisco, conjectures that just as our culinary culture made a fetish of artisan breads, wine and cheeses, its made a cult of chocolate, too. He salutes Trader Joes, along with artisan producers like John Scharffenberger, for elevating the nations tastes. The supermarket chain has sold premium Valrhona chocolate for more than 10 yearsand at an approachable price. One of the things that has really helped the community of high-quality, artisan chocolate makers in America," he says, is that people found out that you could get a much better product without spending a lot more."

The triumph of artisan chocolatiers caught industrys notice. All of a sudden," says Maria Vargas, treasurer, California section, American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT), Princeton, WI, Hershey saw them, rode the wave, and started buying all these guys: Joseph Schmidt, Dagoba, Scharffen Berger. The major manufacturers wanted to be in that marketthey certainly had the money for itand they purchased it." Now ganache centers, high cacao contents and single-origin beans are becoming as common as peanuts, caramel and nougat. Mainstream manufacturers have added to their profiles," Vargas adds, and there are many more flavors coming through that address more of an adult candy consumer."

No kids stuff

What, exactly, does an adult candy consumer want, and how does it differ from what chimes with the average kid? Most agree that it comes down to sweetness. I think one of the most-important characteristics is sugar, or lack thereof," Siegel says. As we get older, we dont wantor needas much sugar in a sweet." That translates into confections with more chocolate or other flavors in them, as opposed to just sugar for the sake of making something taste sweet."

The progression from sweetness to complexity may be part of how our palates naturally develop. As ODonnell says: At first, children prefer singular, simple flavors that they can identify in nature, such as cherry, lemon, strawberry, or peaches and cream. As they grow older, they gravitate toward more fantastical flavors, such as blue raspberry, flavor blends like raspberry-lemonade, or bolder options such as sour apple."

As for those super-sour gummies and cinnamon red-hots? Kids like that stuff," Siegel says. But for adult palates, they dont work so well."

Its only when we reach maturity that our tastes begin to reconcile a basic desire for sweetness with an appreciation for nuance that younger palates either wouldnt notice or would reject outright. A maple-pecan-chipotle brittle demonstrates how a candy can forge that reconciliation. It recalls a classic from our youth, but with a seasoned profile for a more-seasoned audience. Made with real maple syrup, pecans and chipotle powder, it occupies a very different level than something like a Planters peanut bar that youd buy at the mini mart," says Scott. Its something we can offer people who are a little adventurous and want something different."

Carefully crafted chocolate also has an amazingly complex flavor profile of its own," Siegel says. Oftentimes, you dont need to do anything other than use less sugar when making it and, correspondingly, use higher-grade ingredients, like better cocoa beans. Something as simple as that can result in a more-mature and sophisticated piece of chocolate." Adding peanuts, nougat and marshmallows might seem superfluous, but, Siegel admits, You sometimes do add it, because it still tastes good." The difference is that instead of peanut butter, you may use a peanut praline. You may not have a really gooey kind of dime-store caramel, but a fleur de sel caramel," he adds. All of those components still exist in adult chocolates. But like the chocolate itself, theyre made for a more-sophisticated palate."

Not-so-plain vanilla

While mature palates value flavor complexity, true connoisseurs caution against rejecting a profile merely because it appears plain." Consider vanilla. The different regions have different flavor profiles," says Craig Nielsen, chief executive officer, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Waukegan, IL. He describes Madagascar bourbon vanilla as a very deep, very rich, sweet flavor." Mexican vanilla introduces a bit of a spicier note, like a clove or a nutmeg. Its a little bit grassier." Indonesian vanilla, heavy in phenolics, isnt as smooth as the others, with pyrazine notes that he calls smoky" and similar to chocolate." Finally, Tahitian vanilla is a very fruity and powerful flavor," he says, very high in benzoic acid and benzaldehyde-type notes, very cherry-like."

One might wonder whether such subtleties fade amidst all the other stuff" in a confection. But Dan Fox, director of sales, Nielsen-Massey, insists that the notes do come through. Having formulated chocolate with vanillas from the aforementioned sources, he says, you will get nuances from each region, and they will be four completely different-tasting chocolates." In fact, its in adding that base and that depth" that vanilla really shows its best stuff, he says. Vanilla is a great enhancer of other flavors."

Tea time

We remember the plethora of coffee-flavored candies, from lattes to espresso to cappuccino," says Paulette Kerner, director of marketing, Virginia Dare, Brooklyn, NY. Now its teas time. Were seeing interest in creating hard- and soft-centered candies in flavors from green tea to Earl Grey."

Siegel focuses primarily on Asian varieties for his tea-infused chocolates. Were using this amazing charcoal-roasted oolong tea from China that gives a light smokiness," he says. Another chocolate features Formosa Baochong, a dry-roasted oolong that he calls the Imperial tea of Taiwan."

Siegel works with the full leaf, rather than flavor compounds, to create his chocolates ganache centers. He and his crew steep the leaves in heavy cream, which, because of its high fat content, has to steep for about half an hour to get the flavor," he explains.

Teas with a floral component can dictate a different approach. Long steeping can exacerbate a jasmine teas bitterness; Siegel had to find one that could survive the process without yielding an inferior ganache.

Belly up to the bar

With adult confections, few holds are barredand that includes the bar. Siegel makes a slightly boozy mojito" truffle. Its ganache center starts with heavy cream infused with fresh, organic spearmint, to which he adds fresh-squeezed lime juice and a touch of dark Jamaican rum. We actually make a mojito in a truffle," he says. And in so doing, he capitalizes on a trend for exalting mixology at the bar, as well as in the candy jar.

As the cocktail menu grows more diverse, so, too, can the confections," says ODonnell. Fabulous and fun, these candies are obviously adults-only." Some introductions, like the Cocktail Classics line from Jelly Belly, Fairfield, CA, in mojito, pomegranate cosmo, and peach Bellini flavors, are alcohol-free. Otherslike Siegels truffle, San Franciscos Lollyphile absinthe and white Russian lollipops, and Chicago-based Truffle Truffles beer-and-pretzel toffeecontain the real deal.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act permits alcohol, when used at a level of 0.5% by volume and derived from flavoring extracts, in confectionery products, but anything that deviates from this is considered adulteration. However, this rule is exempted when the laws of any given state permit alcohol-accented products. The alcohol content in soused sweets is usually low enough to keep regulators at bay, although laws vary by state. According to Candy for Grown-ups" in the July 2010 issue of Specialty Food Magazine, 16 states outlaw the candies entirely, others put a cap on alcohol content at 4% to 5%, and others restrict sales to those of legal drinking age. Complete details on regulations related to alcohol in confectionery can be found on the National Confectioners Association website at candyusa.com/PublicPolicy/FAQDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=1684.

Whatever the rules, most confectioners maintain that boozy candies without the booze lose alcohols balancing flavor effect. Its not there to get you buzzed, they say, but to please the palate.

Back to basics

Siegels confections often betray the tastes of a classicist. In the raspberry truffle, we use real raspberries," he says. The choice reflects his entire approach to formulation. I view every chocolate I make as equal to the worst ingredient I put into it," he says.

A back-to-basics movement is influencing all aspects of the food industry as consumers seek ingredients they might find in their own pantries. The idea of a return to simpler times may be as true for those seeking comfort foods as for those seeking out foodie finds," ODonnell says. Shes noticed the simplify" strategy even hitting mass-market candies, like the Milky Way Brand Simply Caramel Bar, from Mars Chocolate North America, Hackettstown, NJ.

Real fruit ingredients also play into the clean-candy trend. Using real fruit, like blueberries, in confections makes them not only permissible but desirable, as consumers identify them with natural sweetness, added fiber, beautiful color, nutrientsthe whole healthy-halo effect," says Jeannette Ferrary, spokesperson, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, San Francisco. She suggests including blueberries in fruit-filled jellies, or blending them into cream centers and fillings. With real-fruit piece identity in confectionery products, they can be positioned as not only delicious, but wholesome." For confections where whole fruit isnt practical, she says, there are blueberry powders, fibers, concentrates and purées."

Probably the biggest shift back to basics involves sweeteners. Non-sugar alternatives like stevia flaunt their origins in nature. And as Frank Calabro, senior food technologist, David Michael & Co., says: Across the board, were seeing more confections boasting sweeteners like real fruit juice, whether for adults or kids. These products may also contain antioxidant and vitamin content." More importantly, they convey a fuzzy aura of natural" that might seal the deal for a consumer wavering between virtue and guilt at the checkout.

Honey improves the optics of a natural ingredient deck, but its assets extend to a confections flavor profile. It depends on what the bees are pollinating, as far as taste goes," says Ellen Halbert, honey department manager, Once Again Nut Butter/Dawes Hill Honey, Inc., Nunda, NY. Whatever they pollinate, thats pretty-much what the honey tastes like." In honey, flavor goes hand-in-hand with color, so a light, amber variety like clover is very mild compared to wildflower," she says, which tends to be a darker honey and has more of a robust flavor." And though honeys flavor carries into the finished product, whether or not its color will would depend on how much you use and what the other ingredients might be," she says.

Just like old times

Another wave is sweeping the candy category: nostalgia. At times, we all long for those simpler days," says Siegel. Theres something about eating the candies that bring back those memories thats really powerful."

Such memories cant help but inform Siegels creativity. Oftentimes, when Im in the kitchen developing and playing with recipes, I find myself drawn to those flavors that I loved," he says. Three items in particular riff on candies from his youth. In a nod to Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, his peanut butterfly" substitutes peanut praline for the butter, and takes its lepidopteran name from its shape. He also drew inspiration from Rolo candies, coating a really dark milk caramel" in a bittersweet chocolate shell molded to look like its precursor. An affection for turtle candies led to his ode to a turtle": a simple square of fleur de sel caramel topped with a fresh-roasted pecan and a covering of chocolate." With these creations," he says, Im taking flavor profiles that are tried-and-truepeanuts and chocolate, caramel and chocolateand giving them a more-contemporary, more-high-quality life."

That largely describes Scotts M.O. in making her updated Rocky Road candies. The confections follow the traditional concept of chocolate-coated marshmallows and nuts, but using her Bavarian crème marshmallows, distinctive nuts and the addition of handmade soft caramel. From there, it was a matter of developing the different flavor variations, either for seasonal specials or just for fun," she says. Her Black Forest variety has dark cherries and pecans. For autumn, she makes a harvest variety flavored with pumpkin-pie spice, and for winter her holiday offering sports peppermint marshmallows and crushed candy canes. An orange-flavored marshmallow, almonds and a dusting of edible gold give the California Rocky Road its Golden State style. And the taste of Hawaii comes through in coconut marshmallow, macadamias, crystallized pineapple pieces and a topping of toasted coconut and more pineapple.

Processing parameters

In industrial manufacturing, it's not just about fleur de sel and Formosa Baochong and the like. Gums, for example, can play multiple roles in confections, improving functionality and sometimes adding a health benefit, to boot. Depending on the candy product," says Mar Nieto, Ph.D., senior principal scientist, TIC Gums, Belcamp, MD, different gums will work, and need to be selected carefully." In hard candy and licorice, gum arabic can replace about 10% of the sugar and provide a good source of fiber, he says. Pectin can also be usednot necessarily as a fiber source, but as a functional ingredient for mouthfeel and coating, as in the case of cough drops or throat lozenges at 0.1% to 0.2% of the recipe." In caramel, carrageenan at 0.1% to 0.2% firms up the candy to render it more cuttable. And inulin can replace part of the sugar in a caramel recipe to provide the required fiber dose of at least 2.5 grams per serving. In jelly-type candies and fruit slices," he adds, gums such as agar or pectin are used as gelling systems at 0.75% to 2.00% levels, but not as a fiber source." Even so, it is not difficult to load these products with inulin as a fiber source to provide a prebiotic benefit."

Candy flavors sometimes require special considerations when it comes to processing. A product that has to be heated to a high temperatureand held at that high temperatureis a bigger threat to flavor, because there is a chance that the flavor could flash off or get diluted," Calabro says. It depends on when the manufacturer adds the flavor during their process."

The key to keeping a delicate flavor like vanilla potent in confections is adding it as late in the process as possible, Nielsen says. Depending on what the product is, youll choose the vanilla that works best," he says. If youre working with a caramel, in a lot of cases an Indonesian vanilla works very well. Its also a little bit more heat-stable. If its a crème center, where its not really heated as much, then the Tahitian would work very wellor blends of Madagascar bourbon and Tahitian."

Strategic flavor choice can also help manufacturers mitigate the off flavors that sometimes accompany functional ingredients and alternative sweeteners. Herbal and floral flavors work especially well in functional confections," Calabro says, especially those associated with mood, since so many herbals and florals themselves are reported to enhance mood."

Adds Kerner: With the increased interest in stevia, new masking systems are being created to deal with that increased sweetness and aftertaste. We have had some recent successes of masking off notes of stevia in gummies and pectin candies. It seems that the dark-berry flavors work very well, such as blackberry, blueberry and raspberry."

That sounds like something even a kid would like. In fact, Scott is continually impressed by the response that younger consumers give her grown-up confections. They get exposed to what were doing, they try it, and they say, Omagod, Mom, thats the best marshmallow Ive ever had," she says. And then theyre hooked."

Kimberly J. Decker, a California-based technical writer, has a B.S. in consumer food science with a minor in English from the University of California, Davis. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she enjoys eating and writing about food. You can reach her at [email protected].