The Texture of the Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us and we are getting into the season into a somewhat predictable way. We are testing seasonal treats such as candy canes and fruitcake (and perhaps enjoying a sample or two in the process)!

The Amazing Candy Cane. Candy canes have a tough job when it comes to our expectations. We do not want them to break in the box or while hanging them as holiday decorations. Yet we do want them to easily break when we take a bite of them. Check out our application study below as well as an article from Confectionery News that examines the challenges of manufacturing candy canes that meet all consumer expectations.

• Candy Cane Application Study
• Confectionery News: Texture analysis for optimum candy cane texture

The Under Appreciated Holiday Fruitcake. Fruitcake is a rich, fruit laden cake that is enjoyed at special occasions and holidays. Many European countries have their own versions of fruitcake, sometimes also known as “Stollen.” Fruitcake has a reputation of being a stiff, hard product with highly variable textural qualities. All of the variants use high concentrations of dried or candied fruit and nuts in a formula with enough sugar and often alcohol to act as a preservative and to provide a long shelf life. Because there are so many fruitcake formulations and the quantity and type of inclusions are so varied – even within a single batch – it is an extremely challenging product to profile from a textural perspective. Want to learn how to test it? Request our fruitcake application study here: Fruitcake Evaluated Three Ways

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