Brach's Candy Corn - A Ritual for Halloween and All Year
Written: Aug 27 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: tastes good. no fat. ritual eating method stretches the pleasure.
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: food is about nostalgia and this is truly nostalgic
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| naphtalia's Full Review: Brach's 22 Oz Bag Of Candy Corn Candyreal Honey |
October 30th is National Candy Corn Day. Before you dig into all that Halloween candy, you have an excuse to start a day earlier with candy corn. Candy corn was originally created in the 1880s by the Wunderlee Candy Company. By 1900, it was being produced by the Goelitz Candy Company - now Jelly Belly. That company continued to produce it for more than a century. In that time, many other companies got in on the candy corn act including Brach's.
Candy corns got their name because they are roughly the shape of a kernel of corn. In the beginning, the kernel shape made these popular with farmers, but it was the fact that it had three colors, which at that time was incredibly innovative, that made it so popular with most.
Originally, candy corn was made primarily from sugar, corn syrup, fondant and marshmallow. The hot mixture was poured into cornstarch molds to set up. The original recipe has changed over time and brands do vary somewhat. Most recipes today are sugar, corn syrup, gelatin and vanilla. Some brands, like Brach's, include honey. The list of ingredients for the Brach's Brand is Sugar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Honey, Confectioner's Glaze, Gelatin, Dextrose, Artificial Colors, Sesame Oil and Artificial Flavor. A serving of candy corn has about 22 pieces and contains 140 calories and 36 carbs - but no fat.
I personally prefer the taste and texture of Brach's Candy Corn to other brands I have tried. I'm not a great afficianado of candy corn. It seems to me that the addition of honey adds a depth of flavor that is missing in many other brands. I also like the texture of Brach's which seems softer and creamier than many others. It doesn't have the gritty feel of some other brands.
While I like candy corn, I can't say I love it. It's pleasant but not something I crave. There is something comforting, however, in the autumn about eating candy corn. I like the ritual of taking a single piece at a time and eating each layer separately. Nibble.....bigger nibble.....pop the rest. A serving of candy corn eaten in this ritual fashion takes longer than a "fun sized" candy bar to eat, and contains fewer calories and no fat.
I used to make wreaths out of candy corn. I would wrap up little packets of candy corn in plastic wrap and then pin them to a styrofoam wreath. Sometimes I'd add in small dried gourds and ears of Indian corn, along with dried corn husks for an autumn wreath. As Halloween approached, I might add plastic spider rings or chocolate eyeball candies to decorate, or put a gummy rat running across the top.
I grew up with the Brach's Brand of candy corn. Perhaps that's why I think that's what candy corn should taste like. It really is my favorite. Eaten on its own or used for decorating Halloween cupcakes or wreaths, it's the best. I'm glad it's an easy brand to find. I get mine at CVS. Depending on the bag I buy, candy corn runs me from 99 cents to $2.37. A good investment to keep a delicious tradition alive.
Recommended:
Yes
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naphtalia
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