 Halloween is all about Sweets & Treats |
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While most candy manufactures prepare bags and bags of their standard fare in fancy Halloween inspired packaging, there are some treats which everyone associates with Halloween more than any other occasion.
Candy corn is a mainstay of Halloween. This sweet treat is made to resemble corn kernels. Invented in 1880s by George Renniger, candy corn was originally a mixture of water, sugar and corn syrup combined to form a slurry, which was then combined with fondant and marshmallows. Then it was formed into little kernels. Today the process has been automated and the recipe has been updated with today’s candy corn being made of a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, honey and Carnuaba wax.
The traditional colors for candy corn are orange, white and yellow. This is available mainly at Halloween and sometimes in specialty stores year round. At Thanksgiving, the yellow layer of the candy is replaced with the chocolate brown layer and is called “Indian corn” for Thanksgiving. There are also in some parts of the country varieties for Christmas and Valentines Day.
No other candy says Halloween quiet like candy corn and images of the candy are often added to children’s clothing – just as jack o lanterns, ghosts, and witches symbolize Halloween, so does Candy corn. In fact, October 30 is National Candy Corn Day in the United States.
Another Halloween favorite is the candy or caramel apple. Halloween falls at the end of apple season and candy or caramel apples are a great way to celebrate the apple harvest and Halloween. Candy apples come in many forms. Traditionally, the apple is covered in a “hard crack” sugar syrup that hardens and is shiny. The syrup is often flavored with cinnamon and tinted red.
Caramel apples are covered in a gooey melted caramel sauce and often then coated in nuts. The caramel sets up into a chewy coating. Caramel apples are a favorite of children and adults alike, given then complex flavors of tart apple, sweet caramel and salty nuts.
A more modern version is a chocolate covered apple. Apples are dipped in chocolate sauce and coated in nuts or candies. They are a real gourmet treat, which often feature extra large apples and are meant to be shared with a friend and not eaten off the stick.
Pair any of these sweet apple treats with apple cider and you have a taste of the season that cannot be beat.
S’mores are a mainstay of camping trips. They are also a favorite treat to be enjoyed during a Halloween hayride and bonfire. As with camping, s’mores are an easy and transportable sweet treat, which is fun to make and even more fun to eat.
S’more appeared in the American lexicon of treats around the turn of century and quickly became a favorite of children of all ages. S’mores combine the sweet and gooey goodness of toasted marshmallows, sweet rich velvety chocolate which melts from the heat of the marshmallow, sandwiched between two crispy graham crackers; a powerful flavor and texture combination if there ever was one.
While they may not say Halloween like some other treats, they certainly are a key component to many Halloween bonfires and parties. While making them over the open back yard fire pit or grill is always an option, there is just something about the marshmallow which has been toasted and made into a s’more at the Halloween bonfire.
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