Tuesday, March 17, 2015

That’s Sweet! Japanese Candy Maker Mimics World Famous Diamonds in New Line of Edible Treats

Utilizing a top-secret formula that gives its candy a flawless transparency, a Japanese confectioner has released a new line of premium treats that mimic the world’s most famous diamonds.

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Among the notable diamonds replicated by Tokyo-based candy maker Ameya Eitaro are the 105-carat Koh-i-Noor and the unusual 16-sided, 36-carat Pasha of Egypt.

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It took the company several years to come up with a candy formula that yielded the transparency to mimic a priceless jewel. Apparently, the firm used alternatives to conventional sugar and starch syrup.

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Each candy jewel, which is said to have a “simple, sweet taste,” is packaged in a decorative jewelry box and sells for approximately $31. The Koh-i-Noor replica has a diameter of about 4mm (1.57 inches).

“Candies have always been something vibrant and shiny, and we wanted to develop them into products that resemble jewelry,” a spokeswoman at Eitaro Sohonpo Co. told the Wall Street Journal’s Japan Real Time blog.

The diamond candies made their debut last week at two of Japan’s high-end department stores — Ginza's Mitsukoshi and Isetan in Shinjuku. The release was timed to coincide with “White Day,” an annual celebration that comes on March 14, exactly a month after Valentine’s Day.

Unlike in the U.S., where Valentine’s Day marks a romantic gift exchange between men and women, Valentine’s Day in Japan is different. It’s designated as a special time for women to express their love by presenting gifts to men. White Day is the flip side, when men get a chance to reciprocate with gifts that are typically white in color, such as white chocolate, cookies, jewelry or, now, glistening candy diamonds.

Images: Courtesy of Eitaro Sohonpo Co.

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