Suprem' Nougat de Montélimar with Lavender Honey Gift Bag
A famous specialty in the village of Montélimar, France, this soft yet crunchy nougat is studded with nuts and flavored with lavender honey. Nougat de Montélimar—an area some call “the world capital of nougat”—sets itself apart with a high percentage of almonds and the lavender honey that’s emblematic of the fields of purple flowers in Provence. Suprem’ Nougat’s version is the softest we’ve tasted, thanks to whipped egg whites, but balanced with crunchy pistachios and almonds. The flavor is sweet without being cloying, and the lavender honey adds a unique, delicate sweetness and nuanced floral aroma. Each batch is cooked in copper bain-maries and hand formed, the same way it has for decades. Traditionally served around the holidays, these addictive bites make a lovely gift or can be enjoyed with family at home.
Haci Bekir Turkish Delight - Assorted Fruit Flavors
From the company that made Turkish delight famous, Haci Bekir, this Turkish delight (lokum) comes in an assortment of fruity flavors. We found these in Istanbul, and they’re the most authentic version of traditional Turkish lokum we’ve been able to get in the States. The jellies are tangy with mellow fruit flavors—the sour cherry, strawberry, apricot and orange reminded us of high-end gummy bears or jelly beans. But their pleasant sweetness isn’t overpowering, unlike American fruit candies or sugary-sweet mass-produced versions of this Turkish classic. You’ll love sinking your teeth into their chewy, supple texture.
Lakrids by Bulow Sweet Licorice
Johan Bülow is on a mission to share with the world Scandinavia's most popular and polarizing treat: licorice. Lakrids by Bülow uses traditional black licorice—prepared using centuries-old methods—to make this small-batch candy. Licorice-lovers will appreciate the natural sweetness and earthy, herbal depth of these sweets, which don't taste like artificial or perfumey like some varieties we've tried. And the candies have a fudgy, toothsome quality rather than a gritty or grainy texture.
Little Apple Treats Spiced Apple Pie Apple Cider Caramels
Baratti & Milano Christmas Ornament Set
Baratti & Milano’s ornaments play double duty, both as beautiful decorations for the holidays and later to be twisted open to discover creamy Italian treats made by master chocolatiers. Depicting vintage scenes from the company’s history on the outside, each ornament is filled with four, three-layer confections called cremino. They’re made with Tonda e Gentile hazelnuts—a protected hazelnut grown in Langhe, Piedmont—and combine a top and bottom layer of silky, smooth gianduja (chocolate and hazelnut) with a velvety hazelnut center.
Haci Bekir Turkish Delight—Assorted Date and Nut
From the company that made Turkish delight famous, Haci Bekir, these Turkish delights (lokum) come in an assortment of date and nut flavors. We found these in Istanbul, and they’re the most authentic version of traditional Turkish lokum we’ve been able to get in the States. The confection has a pleasant sweetness from dates and sugar that doesn’t overpower—unlike some sugary-sweet, mass-produced versions of this classic Turkish treat. Sink your teeth into its chewy, supple texture—hazelnuts and pistachios add a light crunchiness and clean, simple flavor.
Baratti & Milano Assorted Cremino Color Art Gift Box
These three-layer Italian confections from Baratti & Milano, called cremino, stack a top and bottom layer of silky, smooth gianduja (chocolate and hazelnut) around a creamy flavored center. Take your pick of six different flavors, including rich pistachio, bright lemon and punchy almond. Each gift box features 25 individually wrapped cremini treats packaged in pop art-style box, perfect for holiday gifting or a bit of indulgent snacking on your own.
Kolsvart Raspberry Swedish Fish
The movie theater Swedish fish most Americans know get a flavorful update in these punchy Swedish fish from Kolsvart. With a satisfying chew and bright color, the raspberry flavor is reminiscent of the iconic American candy but tastes distinctly of pure raspberry, with a wonderful sweetness and a subtle tart note on the finish.
Baratti & Milano Gianduiotto Prism Gift Box
Enjoy the velvet-like texture of these iconic gianduiotto chocolates from Baratti & Milano, an Italian company known for producing confections for the royal House of Savoy. Formed in the prism shape of fine-metal ingots, these gold-wrapped candies balance silky, smooth milk chocolate–made with a signature blend of cacao beans from Ecuador and Ghana and milk from Normandy–with a filling of nutty, creamy hazelnut butter. The festive gold prism-shaped box makes this perfect for holiday gifting or a bit of indulgent snacking on your own.
Wally and Whiz Pink Grapefruit with Apricot Winegum Candies
Wally and Whiz's Nordic Winegums are chewy—not sticky—candies that have a gumdrop-like texture without the granulated coating. Kristian Them Hansen started his company in order to create gummy candies with real fruit flavor, not just syrupy sweetness. We love the two-tone flavor and modern-looking cube shape of Wally and Whiz winegums, echoed by the neat boxes these sweets are packaged in. The delicate sweetness of the apricot coating perfectly compliments the tart, juicy grapefruit center, making for a scrumptious treat that's not overly sweet.
François Doucet Raspberry Pâte de Fruits
Translucent, richly pigmented and rolled in sugar, these jewel-like soft gelled candies from François Doucet Confiseur were historically referred to as “dry jam.” And we can’t think of a better way to describe their flavor. Pâte de fruits have to be made with a high percentage of fruit puree and pulp (François Doucet uses 51%), which gives the jellies a bright fruitiness. They have a higher moisture content than supermarket jellies—so they are not dry, tough or overly chewy—and the light sugar coating prevents stickiness and adds a light crunch. Candy-making is a family tradition for François Doucet, co-founder of the confectionery; his great-grandfather created the first fruit paste in France’s Auvergne region, which inspire today’s pâte de fruits. To make these candies, apricots and raspberries are harvested at peak ripeness and cooked with sugar (and a hint of pectin for hold) in large copper pots. Try all three flavors: Raspberry, Apricot and Honey Lavender, made with rare, delicate lavender honey from Provence.
Hebel & Co Peanut Butter Chocolate Crisp Halva
Made in collaboration with chef Molly Yeh, this organic premium halva from Hebel & Co. features a nutty, just-sweet-enough combination of peanut butter, dark chocolate and sea salt. Good halva—a Middle Eastern sesame candy—combines tahini and a sweetener in just the right proportion to create a confection with a light texture. This one is a textural delight: a flaky, crispy halva that slices cleanly and melts in the mouth. The familiar nutty taste of tahini gets extra punch from swirls of peanut butter and dark chocolate, and the addition of crunchy puffed quinoa reminds us of eating an exceptionally good candy bar. Eat it as a snack or serve as a dessert—we like it for entertaining, or it makes a unique gift.
Little Apple Treats Apple Brandy and Walnut Apple Cider Caramels
Fratelli Sicilia Candied Sicilian Orange Peel
Grown in the citrus groves of the Catania plain in Sicily, these authentic semi-soft candied strips of orange peel from Fratelli Sicilia make an ideal garnish for a traditional Italian dessert or cocktail. They can also be enjoyed on their own as an appetizing snack. We found this peel citrusy, with strong notes of orange blossoms and vanilla, coupled with a welcome hint of bitterness. We especially like the 3-inch sized pieces and the texture – soft and moist, making them easier to work with than most other commonly found harder candied peels.
