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When it comes to candy and culinary innovations and snack foods, there are always cutting edge foods that are becoming contemporary favourites. Candy, in particular, is hard to ignore when innovating with fruit flavours and sweetness on the juiciest side. The freeze dried process now plays a part in creating crazy flavour and texture profiles. But when you think about this crunchy candy innovation, it's hard to imagine these fun and crazily prepossessious candies being anything but irresistable.
The Process: How Candy Becomes Freeze Dried
To understand why these are so beloved in spite of their irritating, sticky nature, consider the science of the thing. First the crunch.
What is Freeze Drying?
The dehydration process is known as freeze drying or lyophilisation (lyo means ‘freezing', which is followed by the Latin word for ice, thus establishing that freeze drying contains icy water) when the process is outlined as follows: firstly, one has to freeze the product to minus 40 degrees Celsius; then one dramatically reduces the ambient pressure so that the frozen water within the material will sublimate from a solid state directly to a gaseous state. In this manner, almost all of the water is removed from the item, thus freezing the product – namely, the things that the water once held together – in time. The preserved product looks like it has stopped mid-motion, its exact form and even size preserved, its texture rendered bone dry, determined and crisp.
Why Freeze Dry Candy?
Not only does this candy-making method give snacks a new texture, it also concentrates flavours by removing moisture, such that primary flavours – often notes of stevia – will be at an elevated potency after freeze drying. The crisp, airy and light texture might just make candies, which are largely devoid of any sort of truly intriguing flavours, even more intriguing.
Must-Try Freeze Dried Candy Favorites
There are hundreds (probably more at this point) of candies that have made their way into the realm of freeze dried, but here are some of the golden tickets:
Freeze Dried Skittles
Converted to crisps during the process of freeze drying, this Skittles product retains its fruity flavours and vibrant colours, maintaining that beloved visual contrast and all those delightful nuances of flavour expectations and delivery.
Freeze Dried Gummy Bears
It would be strange to describe going from the rubbery chewiness of gummy bears to a crisp, crunchy texture as delightful. And yet, gummy bears deconstruced somehow manage to pull it off. Not only does each bear maintain the programmed sweetness of the original, it becomes a whole new eating experience.
Crunchy Starbursts
As chewy as Starbursts are, freeze-dried versions are revelatory. They have the same great taste, but with pop.
Freeze Dried Sour Worms
If you love a little tang in your flavour, then nothing compares to freeze dried sour worms. The sourness is a nice contrast with the crispy, crunchy texture and leaves you wanting more.
The Growing Popularity of Freeze Dried Candy
A Novelty Experience
In my case, I've never had a problem with the fact that what I'm actually eating is freeze dried candy: it's not just the taste, but the experience that has put me under the spell of these things. I love the way the dusty, gritty strawberry texture puffs up in my mouth and lands all over my chin, or how it takes a disturbing, intensified second to pass over the tongue to reach the back of it – these intricate textures, these flawed and stubborn goods are what made these novelty foods appealing in the first place.
Perfect for Gifting
Being a novelty item, freeze dried candies have also become a popular choice for gift-giving. Sending your friends or family a bag in their birthday, Christmas or just because box of goodies offers a familiar but exciting flavour to be enjoyed as a novelty.
Final Thoughts
The science of how they're made, the unique forms that result, and the surprisingly approachable, delectable to-die-for-dehydrated variations of your favourite candies — freeze dried candy stands out among sweets, hot or cold. If you have yet to experience freeze dried versions of your favourite candies, you are in for a fun surprise. If you're a staunch candy snob, or just someone looking for a new snack, all who try freeze dried candies agree: they are a wonderful crunchy candy experience.
