Monday, December 27, 2010

Kandy Kritique -- Toffifay

Ah, here's a confection I remember from childhood. The Broadway-esque advertising jingle had a line that went, "It's too good for kids." Not only did I find that blatant bit of ageism an insult, I thought it was bulltoot as well. The tweenage girl I used to be tried one of these sweet miniature delights -- can we say, a party for the taste buds?
Sadly, these scrumptious little gems had disappeared -- or so I thought. All these years later I was in Walgreens and there they were, a box of Toffifay candies. I picked it up, purchased it, and tasted a piece, thinking maybe the yumminess I remember was just a figment of an immature palate.
Nope. If anything, Toffifay candies are yummier than EVER BEFORE. A dainty cup of soft caramel that lacks that annoying dental adherence factor (it doesn't stick to your teeth), filled with a crunchy yet tender and buttery roasted hazelnut surrounded by a soft, rich frostinglike chocolate-hazelnut paste, like the filling in a Ferrero Rocher but smoother, and then, topped by a drop of chocolate rather like a flat Kiss. The whole thing melts in the mouth in a burst of nutty, caramelized sweet richness that lingers on the tastebuds and left me with a craving for more.
This is a craveable confection that, despite the slogan, will put a smile on the faces of young and old and everyone in between. My mother liked them too and, fortunately for my willpower, finished off most of the box. Truly an underrated candy classic.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)