Barratt makes fanciful and light confections with names like Sherbet Fountains, Frosties, Refreshers, Dip Dabs and Flumps. It’s all happiness and light ... or is it? They they also make Bruisers, Candy Sticks and Black Jacks - names that could be taken as harsh. They’re nothing compared to the Liquorice Catherine Wheels. Sure, Catherine Wheel is an outdated term for a cartwheel but it’s also a torture device named for the method of execution of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

Okay, maybe we’ll consider the name to be taken from the cartwheel.

Like the American confectionery landscape, European candy makers have been consolidating for years, with smaller companies being bought up and integrated into multinational concerns. Barratt was most recently owned by Monkhill Confectionery which was in turn owned by Cadbury. They sold it off to Tangerine Confectionery in 2008, making Tangerine the #4 sweets maker in the United Kingdom.

This particular candy is an interesting hybrid construction. Licorice strips are wound up around a nonpareil licorice button. The buttons came in a variety of colors - I saw pink, light blue and orange ones. This package had a tray of six wheels and clocked in at almost four ounces. (At first I was a little miffed that it was three bucks, but then I realized it wasn’t a single portion, it was at least three.) They’re made with natural flavorings and colorings, though a word of caution that they use carmine coloring ... but there’s also gelatin in there, so they’re not even close to vegetarian.

Each wheel is pretty big. They’re about two thirds of an ounce each and the package says 60 calories. They’re two inches in diameter and the licorice belts are about a quarter of an inch. Unwound, there’s at least 34 inches of chewy black licorice strip. The strips are made of a wheat and molasses base and strongly flavored with licorice. They’re woodsy and dark, with a deep tangy note. The chew is stiff and kind of tough, but lasts a really long time. There’s no weird aftertaste from artificial colors.

The center button is aromatic and reminded me more of anise and other balsamic compounds like lavender and rosemary than licorice itself. The nonpareils aren’t as crunchy as I would have thought, they’re actually smaller than something found on a SnoCap, so maybe that’s part of it. The jelly/gummi center is smooth and has a good chew to it. They’re a good bite and a light contrast to the molasses and charcoal notes of the black straps.

I was surprised and pleased by these. They’re fun to eat, since there are so many ways to approach the pieces. I like that there’s a variation in the textures and flavor profiles. I wish I could buy a smaller package though, maybe two or three at a time. The tray seemed silly, but maybe they need that to keep them from getting really stuck together. They’d probably make great decorations, like in the center of a cake (but far too much for a single cupcake).

So my European friends, is this the only brand of these or are there other variations on this? I’d like to try them all.

Related Candies

1. Goetze’s Licorice and Double Chocolate Caramel Creams
2. Panda Soft Herb Licorice and Licorice Cremes
3. Broadway Black Licorice Rolls
4. Walkers’ Nonsuch Liquorice Toffee
5. Kookaburra Choc Coated Liquorice
6. Bassett’s Licorice Allsorts

There’s probably the same number of calories in this handful of candy as an actual cocktail. Of course there’s no alcohol. But you can drive after you’ve had two or three Jelly Belly Cocktail Mixes.

I got an early taste of the new Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Minis courtesy of the Sweets & Snacks Expo. As the name explains, they’re an extra miniature version of the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

The selling point in this version is that there’s no wrapper, no fluted paper cup. These morsels are ready to pop right in your mouth. The initial launch will be in King Size packages of 3.1 ounces, but I also expect them to be released as 8 ounce bags for baking. They won’t be hitting the stores until December 2010.

They look exactly like the foil wrapped miniatures, except of course, they’re smaller still. As ratios go, you can expect this to be the most chocolate version of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup you can get. (On the peanut-butter-heavy end of things, the Reese’s Egg is tops.)

Each is exquisitely formed, they all had a precise and consistent shape. As you can tell, they get a little scuffed up rolling around loose in the bag, so no glossy chocolate sheen.

They smell sweet and nutty. The chocolate is cool and melts quickly, with only a light milky cocoa note. The peanut butter center is just a quick pop of roasted peanut butter, crumbly texture and salt. Since they’re so small, a mouthful takes at least two.

These would be ideal for snacking and I could see them as a huge hit in theater boxes. For those who miss the Reese’s Peanut Butter Bites, these might be just the thing (there’s no waxy glaze either). The ratios weren’t quite to my liking but I enjoy the fact that you don’t have to unwrap each individual piece.

Related Candies

1. World’s Largest Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
2. Whoppers Reese’s Peanut Butter Flavored Candy
3. Reese’s Pieces
4. Trader Joe’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups
5. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Line
6. Hershey Bites: York, Reese’s Peanut Butter and KitKat

New products from Mars seem to go on the theme of sweet and salty. At Sweets and Snacks ExpoChicago at the end of May, Mars was highlighting their newest products. Here are a few that are just out or scheduled to hit shelves in the next year:

Name: Snickers Peanut Butter Squared
Brand: Mars
Description: With everything there is to love about SNICKERS -peanuts, caramel, nougat and milk chocolate-consumers will be nuts with the addition of peanut butter in the new SNICKERS Brand Peanut Butter Squared.  Available in December 2010, each singles pack will include two delicious square-shaped bars.
Introduction Date: December 2010
Notes: This was the one new product that go a lot of people talking at the Expo. It has more peanut butter taste than the regular Snickers, the little squares make it feel more decadent and for some may help with portion control.

Name: Snickers Xtreme
Brand: Mars
Description: Made with ALL peanuts and caramel smothered in real milk chocolate, the limited-edition SNICKERS Xtreme Bar, available in September 2010, satisfies hunger with five grams of protein per bar.
Introduction Date: September 2010
Notes: Not all the product announcements were about new items. Some were just reappearances of items we’ve seen before. (I like that the limited editions can come back periodically.) This is like the Milky Way Caramel is to the Milky Way. Nougat deleted. It’s like the opposite of the Snickers Peanut Butter Squared.

Name: 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bar
Brand: Mars
Description: The new 3 MUSKETEERS Truffle Crisp Bar delivers a unique experience through twin bars of rich, whipped truffle and elegant airy crisp, wrapped in real milk chocolate. This addition to the 3 MUSKETEERS family is “rich enough to share, but you really won’t want to” and complements the 3 MUSKETEERS Brand portfolio as it offers unapologetic great taste for a “lighter way to enjoy chocolate.” Each tasteful bar contains a tantalizing truffle sitting on a subtle airy crisp layer of meringue enrobed in velvety chocolate.
Introduction Date: January 2010
Notes: Some on the West Coast may remember when these came in three flavor versions and were called Fling. They sported an launch campaign which was widely derided by women’s blogs (and a few candy blogs). They’ve done away with the sparkly dust, feminine hygiene packaging inspired wrappers and whittled the product down to just one flavor. I still think it should have been included in the Dove line (and the dark chocolate maintained as a version) but I like the new package and think it’s a unique product.

Name: DOVE Sugar Free Chocolates with Peanut Butter Crème
Brand: Dove (Mars)
Description: New DOVE Sugar Free Chocolates with Peanut Butter Crème allows consumers to “spare the sugar, not the decadence.” This newest permanent item indulges with the captivating flavor of DOVE Brand Milk Chocolate in a savory, sugar-free experience.

DOVE Sugar Free Chocolates with Peanut Butter Crème is rich, creamy and silky smooth throughout, thereby preserving the unparalleled texture and taste consumers love and expect from DOVE Brand the #1 premium chocolate brand. Retail $2.99 for 3.4 ounce Bag.
Introduction Date: April 2010
Notes: The new candies use a combination of sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners. I haven’t had Dove’s sugar free versions but I’m told they have an excellent mouthfeel and do a decent job of imitating the real thing. So diabetics may be very interested in these (they’re not exactly diet or low calorie, just low sugar).

Name: M&Ms Brand Milk Chocolate Cherry Cordial Chocolate Candies
Brand: Mars
Description: M&Ms Brand Milk Chocolate Cherry Cordial Chocolate Candies for the Holidays have a rich cherry flavor and the great taste of smooth milk chocolate covered in a crisp candy shell. Cherry-flavored chocolate is the most popular fruit chocolate segment, making this delicious cherry and chocolate combination a hit with chocolate and cherry lovers alike!
Introduction Date: November 2010
Notes: Can anyone explain the difference between these and the Wildly Cherry M&Ms? I don’t care much for cherry but I’m rather relieved to see that some other flavor besides mint is being used for a holiday candy.

Name: Dove Promises Snowflakes
Brand: Mars
Description: DOVE Brand PROMISES Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate Snowflakes, DOVE Brand PROMISES Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate Snowflakes, DOVE Brand PROMISES Silky Smooth Chocolate Assortment Snowflakes have one of four unique snowflake designs embedded on each chocolate and a new snowflake wrap design. The snowflake, holiday-neutral shape resonates with the season while appealing to a variety of consumers. So this holiday season, don’t just deck the halls . . . go decadent with DOVE. 9.9 ounce package with retail price of $2.50.
Introduction Date: November 2010
Notes: Wow, they really sold me with that promise of a holiday-neutral shape. I’m often looking for more neutral candy ... don’t want to offend anyone during the “winter holidays” with something so in-your-face as balls, bells or wreaths.

Name: Dove Brand Promises Silky Smooth Peppermint Bark
Brand: Dove (Mars)
Description: Introduced in 2009 and now available in a stackable display case, DOVE Brand PROMISES Silky Smooth Peppermint Bark is a new holiday taste tradition. These individually wrapped PROMISES pair creamy white chocolate infused with peppermint candy pieces with a layer of DOVE Brand Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate. This signature flavor of the season is sure to be a shining star in any yuletide line up. Size 7.94 ounces for a retail price of $3.49.
Introduction Date: November 2010
Notes: I’m glad to hear these are back for 2010. One of the few peppermint bark candies that uses real white chocolate instead of partially hydrogenated palm oils.

Name: DOVE Brand PROMISES Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate & Cherry Swirl Hearts
Brand: Dove (Mars)
Description: Cheers for cherry a classic Valentine’s Day flavor for candy lovers! These new DOVE Brand PROMISES combine creamy, rich dark chocolate with the sweet taste of cherry for a delicious taste combination. To get in the mood, display these new PROMISES with wine and create a onestop romance center with the perfect accents for a special evening. Retail $3.99 for 7.94 ounces.
Introduction Date: January 2011
Notes: I’m curious to see if any retailers actually create this “onestop romance center”. Frankly cherry flavored chocolate and wine sounds like a dreadful combination.

Other items on the horizon as well: Easter 3 Musketeer Marshmallow Minis (mini marshmallows covered in milk chocolate packaged in pastels) and Dove Coconut Creme Eggs. There were other products featured at the Expo that I’ve covered before including: Twix Java, Milky Way Simply Caramel and M&Ms Pretzel Candies.

And for those who want a little video, here’s the tour of the Mars booth at the Expo with the new candy:

What are you looking forward to trying?

Red gumball, orange gumball, yellow gumball, green gumball and blue gumball.