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Written by: Ava McGovern
TikTok, currently the biggest trending social media platform, just came out with a new feature: TikTok shop. The app allows businesses of all sizes to join in on their shopping network. To promote this, TikTok is offering coupons to numerous users for reviewing the products they buy. One product that has been on the rise recently is freeze-dried candy. I took the challenge for everyone curious and tried them myself. Here’s what I thought.
I bought off of Space Age Candy, the business that I had seen most on my For You Page. It took about a week to get to my house, which I thought was pretty reasonable. The page said 5-7 business days, so it stayed in that range. The package I bought included Skittles, Peach Rings, Moon Clouds, and Caramel Apple Pops.
Before I tried the candies, I wanted to know what I was about to eat and how they were made. Were the ingredients different? Was a machine used? Was it safe? According to some of my research, machines are the most common way to perform this procedure. Essentially, the machine cools the candy down to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. Once at that point, the air in the chamber is vacuumed out by an internal pump. The temperature eventually climbs to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where the sugar crystals expand, creating the puffy effect. These candies are then taken out and put into some nice storage, awaiting a purchase from an influenced buyer.
The packaging I received was pretty simple - just plastic bags and a label. Each sticker label had the company name spread across a picture of the candy in the package.
(Amazon)
The first candy I tried was the Skittles. Originally, I was expecting a different taste than the normal Skittle flavor, but it was pretty similar. The only difference was the texture. It, as the process explains, becomes puffy and dry. It was a weird sensation; it didn’t have the typical chewiness of a Skittle. I liked this new texture more, making me keep grabbing for more.
(Subzero Sweet Supply)
Next, I tried the Peach Rings. This candy is a pretty common favorite, so my expectations were set fairly high. Those were not met. It had a sour, yet bland taste to it. The texture was really hard and simply not enjoyable. Once I started chewing, the candy turned sticky and was hard to swallow. Overall, I didn’t enjoy the Peach Rings much at all.
(Etsy)
Thirdly, I tried the Moon Clouds. I expected not to enjoy these; they looked like stale marshmallows. The initial bite was really hard, but after a few seconds, it immediately melted into my mouth. The taste was perfect, encompassing just the right amount of sweetness. I ended up figuring out the candy that was freeze-dried for these - Hi-Chews! Those are a personal favorite of mine, and that opinion is held with the freeze-dried versions.
(Subzero Sweet Supply)
Lastly, I tried the Caramel Apple Pops. These candies expanded to double their size, which made them look a little silly. Similar to the Peach Rings, the stickiness came through with these. In a normal Caramel Apple Pop, I feel there is a pretty even mix between caramel and apple tastes. For the freeze-dried, the caramel took over. They were decent, but I’d prefer the normal candy over these.
If I had to rank each of them from best to worst, it would be: Moon Clouds, Skittles, Caramel Apple Pops, then Peach Rings.
Overall, I enjoyed trying these candies out. I feel like I stick to the same group of candies every time I get to indulge, so this was a nice change. If you’re not a big candy fan or you’re happy with the variety of the normal candies, don’t splurge. Honestly, they tasted pretty similar to the originals with the only difference being the texture. On the other hand, if you’re wanting to try something new, buy some! They’re not super pricey and can even be found at 5 Below! For a new experience, why not, right?
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