Rumor has it Starbucks
will officially begin serving up their coveted Pumpkin Spice Lattes earlier
than ever—August 27, if you’re curious. That’s only a week away! If you choose
to go by the “more official” calendar date to mark the first day of fall, you’ve
got until September 23 [insert sigh of relief here].
Regardless of when you
choose to acknowledge the true arrival of fall, it won’t be long before it’s time
to say “goodbye” to cool and refreshing flavors like watermelon and citrus, and
“hello” to warm and cozy fall flavors like, well, pumpkin spice. Thanks to Starbucks,
you can expect to find pumpkin spice in everything from coffees to cookies, candles
to skin care, and, yes, even deodorant. Click
here to check out some of RCI’s favorite pumpkin spice ideas.
Even if you draw the
line at trading in your favorite deodorant for the seasonal variety, there’s
something comforting about fall flavors, but you don’t have to limit yourself
to pumpkin. Keep reading for a list of equally craveable flavors to fall in love
with this fall.
APPLES
 |
| Apple Pecan Caramel Bark, by Hilliard's Chocolates |
Pumpkin may reign king
of fall, but one might say the apple is queen. This certainly isn’t a surprise if
you already make caramel apples, but you may consider different ways to incorporate
the unofficial fruit of fall, by mimicking the flavors in apple cider or warm
apple pie.
RCI member, Hilliard’s
Chocolates, evokes all the fall feels with their Apple Pecan Caramel Bark. Presented
at a past Candy Clinic, the bark combines white chocolate, cinnamon oil, dried
apples, caramel and cinnamon sugar for a welcome fall treat. RCI members: Login
at retailconfectioners.org/candyclinic
to view past presentations like this one.
BROWN BUTTER
 |
| Land O'Lakes |
Take your rich and buttery confections to the next level with brown
butter, which is essentially a magical transformation that happens moments before
it becomes burnt butter—naturally Martha Stewart has a solution for fixing burnt
butter, click here
for video. The nutty and complex flavor of brown butter will elevate any
recipe. Check out this recipe for Browned
Butter Salted Caramel Sauce by TheChunkyChef.com.
CHAI TEA
 |
| Real Simple |
Quite possibly a
distant relative to the pumpkin spice latte, chai tea is a strong-flavored tea
with a hint of sweetness. Ginger and pepper add a kick of spice, which is evened
out with earthy notes from cardamom and cloves, plus a dash of cinnamon. Why
not try this Food Network recipe for Chai
Chocolate Truffles, which Giada De Laurentiis compares to a “giant warm
hug.”
DARK BEER
 |
| CraftBeer.com |
Beer is a great addition to any caramel and brittle recipe, but if you’re
already incorporating beer into your confections try experimenting with the darker
beers of the season. Take note of seasonal beer varieties like porter and stout,
which will soon replace the lighter ales of summer.
RCI member, Joy Lyn’s Candies partners with a
local brewery to create a peanut brittle made with Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale.
Coined as “Beer Brittle,” this popular confection is made in small batches and
offers a subtle hint of hops and malt.
PEARS
 |
| The Kitchen McCabe |
If your customers
love your caramel apples, get ready to knock their wooly socks off this fall
with caramel-dipped pears. Experts agree pears that are not quite ripe with
long stems for dipping are best--the most popular varieties being Bosc, Anjou, Comice
and Seckel pears. Unlike apples, most pears (Seckel being an exception) don’t
take well to having sticks inserted into them, which is why a sturdy stem is
important. Check out this recipe for Caramel
Dipped Pears from TheKitchenMcCabe.com.
It’s undeniable, the pumpkin
spice trend isn’t going anywhere…at least until Starbucks launches their holiday-themed
drink menu (enter: Peppermint Mocha), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t
plenty of other great fall flavors to peak shoppers’ interest. We want to know,
what’s your favorite fall confection? Please share in the comments below.
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