Amped-Up Treats: Freeze-Dried Candy Innovations

Such is the candy game: it’s always singular and shifting, a relentlessly inventive field, a blithe hothouse of surprises. And so it goes that some of the coolest new candy offerings of the last decade have embraced a particular sort of novelty, taking freeze-dried candy trends to their logical and inevitable conclusion. Stalwart candy connoisseurs, blindsided and skeptical, shake their heads at the madness: freeze-dried? Isn’t that for astronauts and doomsday preppers? But hey! Our candy has been freeze-dried! That’s got to count for something!

What is Freeze-Drying?

Another example of technology retaining a product’s structure involves freeze-drying, or removing liquid through freezing and vacuuming – also known as lyophilization (lyo- from the Greek for ‘releasing’). The final form of food does not undergo much physical or chemical alteration, and uses simply extend the potential for use.

Why Freeze-Dried Candy?

Remove the water, and you achieve something entirely unfamiliar: a light, airy, crunchy candy that offers a totally new textural experience, and is unlike anything else on the market. Besides this novel texture:

Flavor Intensity: Freeze-drying concentrates the flavors, leading to a more intense taste experience.

Prolonging: Because of the process, the candy has an extended life without being artificially preserved.

Innovation Appeal: You wanna try the new in-season snack? The Kurly 2-litre bottle of Coke Zero is also in stock on Coupang Market. Korean consumers love eating spicy food and ‘Korean food is often described as being good for baby skin and health’ Similar to Whole Foods, Koreans are willing to pay a premium for ‘real’ food, explained Brendan Ward, Whole Foods’ former chief marketing officer.

Popular Freeze-Dried Candy Innovations

You might have thought the candy frenzy in the freeze-dried pool had bottomed out, but you were wrong.

Freeze-Dried Gummies

Stir it in with the blueberries and it turns your favourite chewy treats into crunchy snacks. Flavour won’t be an issue – they’ll remain as vivid as ever.

Freeze-Dried Chocolate-Covered Fruits

They make a good pair: chocolates and fruits. Freeze-drying results in an intensified fruitiness and the delightful crunch in your mouth – a sure-fire snack winner.

Space Age Popping Candies

If you combine the popping candy with the process of freeze-drying, you will create a space food item that delivers different sensations: popping the candy, and the crunchy aftermath.

Making Your Own Freeze-Dried Candy

For anyone feeling adventurous, home freeze dryers are now available. A good investment if you like to personalise your confectionery.

Steps to Freeze-Dry at Home

Selection: Choose your favorite candy. Soft candies without a hard shell work best.

Preparation: Lay the candies out in a single layer on the freeze dryer tray.

Freeze-Drying: Follow your machine's guidelines for the freeze-drying process.

Storage: Store in airtight containers to maintain freshness and crunch.

Pro Tip

If you’re freeze-drying chocolates, be sure those chocolates have first been frozen solid in your household freezer; otherwise, they’ll melt in the freeze-drier.

Future of Freeze-Dried Candy

But as consumer interest grows and technology improves, the future for freeze-dried candy seems limitless. Maybe we’ll see fine-dining collaborations. Maybe there’ll be limited-edition flavours. Maybe there’ll be kits for you to make your little sweeties at home. There’s no telling.

In the menagerie of candied characters that is the new candy atmosphere, the freeze-dried candy reboot is a compelling example of how long-ago favourites can rise to new heights (or lickings). Be a foodie or candyie: both.