In "Historically yours", Olivier Poels explores the origins of sweets, whose origin is almost as old as humanity.

The chronicler recalls that since the 19th century and the rise of sweets, France has declined them into as many regional specialties.

Olivier Poels also reveals the recipe for soft caramels.

It is one of the rare culinary preparations that brings together young and old, and yet it is not a dessert: candy.

A sweet treat which has been found in archaic shapes since Antiquity.

In "Historically Yours", Olivier Poels retraces Monday the origins and variations of modern candy, and offers us an easy recipe for soft caramels to reproduce at home.

"Sweets practically merge with the history of mankind. As early as 600 BC, in ancient Persia, we feasted on a product that came from a reed that was called honey reed. This plant secreted a sweet product similar to honey even though it was not pollinated In Roman times, honey was used and it was dipped in dried fruits to make small treats.

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The arrival of sugar cane, a turning point

But it was with the arrival of sugar cane that sweets as we know them today were born.

It should be remembered that the sugar of cane sugar, from the Middle Ages, was used for its supposed medical virtues.

It was also sold by apothecaries.

It was around the 15th century that the sugar cane product really became a delicacy.

The first sweets we talk about are called "chamber spices".

These are small seeds of ginger or small pine nuts or cinnamon that are rolled in sugar and are browned.

Cushions from Lyon and potatoes from Saint-Malo

The sweets are then more for adults.

It is even an extremely expensive product, reserved for the king and the court.

Then comes large-scale sugar cane production, and candy becomes more democratic.

The production of sugar beet in France then developed in the 19th century, and all the major regions of France began to manufacture sweets which would become local specialties.

This is the case of the Lyon cushions, which are an almond paste filled with chocolate and curaçao ganache.

This is also the case for potatoes from Saint-Malo, small potato-shaped candies with almonds, Kirch and cocoa.

Not all of them contain alcohol, like bergamot from Nancy.

In 1920, industrialization allowed the creation of a global brand that everyone knew: Haribo.

A brand created in Germany by a certain Hans Riegel living in Bonn, hence its name: Ha-Ri-Bo.

For this entrepreneur, it was the start of his fortune with his very first candy, the little jelly bear. "

The recipe for soft caramels

Ingredients:

  • 250 grams of sugar

  • 100 grams of semi-salted butter

  • 80 grams of liquid cream

  • A small pinch of fleur de sel

Recipe:

  • Melt the sugar slowly in a pan at 180 ° C to make a caramel in your pan

  • Gently add the warm cream

  • Remove from fire

  • Add the butter cut into small pieces, the small pinch of salt

  • Pour the mixture into small individual silicone molds or into a dish covered with baking paper.

    Cut into small cubes, once the caramel has cooled to room temperature.