Let us try to answer one of the biggest questions surrounding the Freeze Dried candy craze: “Does it taste good?” We’ve spent a great deal of time discussing this question ourselves, and the conclusion we’ve come to is it’s like nothing else we’ve ever tasted.
If that doesn’t sound like an answer, it’s probably because it’s such a deep and complex question, so it deserves a deep and complex answer.
What happens when you freeze-dry candy?
Freeze drying is a three-step process that preserves the flavor and color of the original food while the texture becomes something totally new.
Step 1: The candy is frozen. Not just a little bit. It’s cooled down to negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where it hurts to breathe and if you throw water into the air it would reach the ground as ice crystals. And this is done quickly to ensure the ice crystals that develop aren’t too big so as not to damage the structure of whatever you’re freezing.
Step 2: The vacuum gets flipped on. Nearly all the air is sucked out of the chamber, leaving the candy under almost zero atmospheric pressure.
Step 3. Sublimation. Normally, when ice is warmed, it melts into a liquid before evaporating to its gaseous state. But that’s not the case at this temperature and pressure. In the freeze-dryer, the candy is warmed, causing the ice to sublime, or transition directly from solid to gas. This creates thousands of tiny bubbles in the candy, expanding it to as much as several times its original size depending on its moisture content.
We said this process preserves the flavor, but that’s not exactly true. Without the water content, the flavor intensifies.
Okay, but does it taste good?
With candy, perhaps the best way to think about it is, “I like it. Therefore it’s good.”
When it comes to candy, it’s a question everyone has to answer for themselves. If a Freeze Dried Skittle tastes umami to you, but you like it, who is anyone else to tell you you’re wrong?
What we can tell you is what people say after trying our products. Since we began making and sharing Freeze Dried candy, we’ve talked with many friends and customers. We’ve heard just as many descriptions of its taste, and we love hearing all of them. Here are a few things we frequently hear in these conversations.
“It’s different, but in a good way.”
This is one that kind of says it all. When you first try a new Freeze Dried candy, you’ll immediately recognize the familiar flavor of the original candy, but the intensity will be different, the mouthfeel will probably throw you for a loop, and you may find yourself searching for the words to describe it. We love to see people go through this experience for the first time.
“It’s a texture thing.”
Isn’t it always? And interestingly, different people say this to explain why they love it and why they don’t love it. Texture is definitely one of the things that make Freeze Dried candy special. Some candies end up hard and crunchy. Others become fluffy and kind of melt in your mouth. So prepare yourself for a full sensory experience.
“That’s better than the original.”
This can be a hotly debated suggestion. When we started developing our line of Freeze Dried options, we started with our favorite candies as well as the ones we thought would be most interesting after being Freeze Dried. Some came out better than others. We (and our customers) enjoy the ones we sell the most.
“You either love it or hate it.”
We’re not sure if this is true, but we can say if you haven’t tried Freeze Dried candy, you’re in for a mind-altering experience. It may take some time to decide which candies are your favorites. You’ll for sure have some you like more than others. Our one suggestion is to take three bites before you decide you hate it.
“This is the most AMAZING thing I’ve ever tasted!”
Yes, sometimes people say this, and it’s our favorite kind of feedback. We can’t promise that you’ll find your new favorite candy of all time from our online shop, but we do hope you enjoy your experience enough to want to come back.
A Delightful Discovery
We didn’t invent freeze drying candy, but it was still a fun discovery process for us.
For us, Freeze Dried candy started while we were following some wise advice to stock up on food storage, when we came to the realization that if it became necessary to live on this stuff for more than a month, God forbid, we may choose starvation.
Finding out which candies work the best in a freeze-dryer was akin to the popular “Will it Blend” or the slightly less well-known “Will it Deep Fry” experiments. We tried a lot of different things, and some of them worked. We’ve not yet made concrete plans to sell deep-fried, Freeze Dried candy, but who knows.
Did we know throwing Milk Duds in a freeze dryer would create something magical? No. Did a touch of quarantine cuckoo brain drive it? Possibly. But do we put ourselves in the same category as the French monk who accidentally discovered Champagne? Absolutely!
You still haven’t answered the question: Does it taste good?
We may have to admit this is an unanswerable question. Do we find Freeze Dried candy to be tasty? Most definitely. Although even we don’t all agree on which is the better: Big Hunk or salt water taffy. And of course, other people don’t like it at all. But we can coexist with and appreciate those people too.
Maybe people’s different preferences for Freeze Dried candy could be a metaphor for all differences among people. There is plenty of room for differences of opinion among friends. Your description of your experience may even persuade me to alter how I view my experience. Either way, eating together is better than eating apart.