We'll Give You One Sentence, You Tell Us Which British Candy!

FOOD & DRINK

By: Zoe Samuel

7 Min Quiz

Image: Michelle McMahon / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

One thing the British do very well is making chocolatey treats. This is partly because the farm subsidy system means high fructose corn syrup doesn't get used in place of sugar, and partly just because they've been doing it a long time. It is indeed an irony that British chocolate is so good, considering that cocoa itself hails from the Mayan civilization, who pioneered the very first cup of hot chocolate. That's why a thorough knowledge of British confectionery is a solid life skill to possess.

Of course, simply discussing British confectionery is complicated if you're not from the UK because you have to know what to call things. In the U.S., just about every sweet sugared snack, whether chocolatey, gummy, nougat-based or other, is labeled a candy bar. However, in Britain, they call all chocolatey snacks a "chocolate bar." Meanwhile, a British biscuit means a hard cookie, a British cookie means a soft cookie, and "candy" refers specifically to a sweet, bite-sized treat like a humbug, a toffee or possibly a gummy bear (if you really want to stretch the definition.)

Thus, if we're going to test your knowledge of British confectionery, we're going to use the British names. That means if we mean something like a bar of Dairy Milk, watch out for a chocolate bar. If we mean something gummy, it'll probably just be called a gummy. As for a sugary bar like a Twinkie, that isn't a "chocolate" bar, but wouldn't count as a "candy" in the British sense; there really is no agreed word for this.

Are you ready to identify the leading chocolate bars, candies, gummies and more from a single-sentence description? Let's find out!

This biscuit has a hole in the middle and a layer of hard icing. Can you identify it?

Party rings feel like they've been around forever, but they only go back to the early '80s. It hails from a British company called Fox's and somehow came to dominate children's parties. These days, if you want to show off how fancy you are, homemade party rings are the way to go.

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This snack is like a big fancy M&M, but all of them are the same color. What are they?

A Galaxy Minstrel is essentially a great big M&M filled with a particularly excellent kind of chocolate. It has a slightly thicker and harder candy shell and doesn't have any unusual flavors. All of them are milk chocolate and have a plain brown shell.

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It's two layers of shortbread with a jam filling. What's it called?

The Jammie Dodger isn't the best cookie or biscuit in the world, but it is a staple of kids' parties, and that's why most of Britain has a soft spot in their heart for it. They are also manufactured locally at a factory in Llantarnam, Wales, making them a patriotic choice!

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A splendid chocolate oval with a white fondant center with a splash of yellow goes by what name?

The Creme Egg is sold in the U.S., but anyone who has tried a blind taste test of the British and American versions will be shocked by the difference. This is because the U.S. version is made by Hershey, even though it is branded as Cadbury, and has a different recipe. The British version enjoys the older recipe and is vastly superior.

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These are definitely straight-up candies, or "pastilles." They're flavored, they're jellies, and they're slightly squishier than a Gummy Bear. Do you recognize them?

Wine Gums hail from several different brands, some of which use actual wines to flavor them. Most, however, are just a basic pastille. The original version came from Maynard's, who invented their version as long ago as 1880!

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This bar is puffed rice and wafer in caramel with a chocolate coating. What animal is it named for?

Lion Bars used to be made by Rowntree, a British company that had a particular dedication to doing social good and whose founder's wealth lives on in the form of the Rowntree Foundation, which helps alleviate poverty. Nestle purchased Rowntree, but happily, the recipe remained unchanged, as it is delicious. Don't let the lumpy look put you off!

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What is this chocolate bar that is like a Flake between two wafers?

This chocolate bar was invented in 1992 by an Irish chocolatier. It used to come as two bars in one packet, with a single flaky center and wafers around it. Now, it is called Time Out Wafer, and the insides contain multiple layers. Many people were offended by this, but Cadbury appears firm in the decision.

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What is this chocolate bar from Cadbury's formed of thinly-folded milk chocolate?

Historically, Cadbury's Flake constantly courts controversy due to several ads in which attractive women would interact with it in a particularly suggestive manner. Due to the way the chocolate is shaped, the structure of it is such that it does not melt. It's worth getting one just to try this because it is really baffling to watch.

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This bar has it all — puffed rice, chewy nougat, biscuit, caramel and a chocolate coating. What is it called?

This lumpy chocolate bar has it all. It is sold in a purple wrapper in the UK, though the Aussie version comes in red and is larger and even lumpier. Some versions include raisins, while others contain pieces of honeycomb, and the Picnic Hedgehog, the lumpiest of all, contains biscuit chunks.

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What name is given to these excellent chocolate pellets?

Chocolate Buttons come in two sizes, regular and giant. Buttons debuted in 1897 because Cadbury had lots of leftover chocolate bits and pieces from making other chocolate bars, and decided that the solution was to monetize this instead of throwing it out. Something about the flat shape makes them melt in the mouth in a particularly delightful way.

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Do you recognize this nougat bar with fizzy candy in it?

This thin chew bar contains colored sherbet and comes from Tangerine Confectionery, a British company. They are not ideal for anyone who has dental issues, and they will make you screw up your eyes! It doesn't look like much, but it packs a certain punch.

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This solid chocolate bar once had a weirdly sexist ad campaign. What is its name?

A Yorkie bar is a Nestle product that consists of just solid chocolate made to a particular recipe. It was once sold with a weirdly offensive campaign where women would try to buy it and had to pass strange tests like knowing the rules of soccer, in order to pass as a man. The tag line was, "It's not for girls." Fortunately, this has now moved into history.

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This chocolate bar has a caramel and biscuit filling. What is its name?

A Boost bar today is a different thing to what it was in 1985 when it contained coconut and caramel. There was then a peanut version, which is now the Starbar. These days, a Boost is just caramel and biscuit, but the cookie is crushed up such that the inside is a little more like praline in consistency.

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Two long thin biscuits with a toffee layer and chocolate coating make up what Nestle product in the UK?

Twix is a Mars Corporation product that includes a butter biscuit, and it is popular all over the world. However, it is a British candy, having started out in 1967. When it debuted, it was called Raider, but it changed its name after it began selling in America.

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These classy little pink confections have a sponge interior with a blob of fondant, all wrapped in icing like a tiny birthday cake. What are they?

If you're British, then you know that Mr. Kipling is the leading name in teatime treats. You also know that, "He does make exceedingly good cakes" and that he is proud to still use a shockingly unwieldy slogan that nonetheless works. French Fancies are one of the Goliaths of the Mr. Kipling brand, and they are a must-have at any little girls' tea party.

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What is this confection that came in the form of two twisted Dairy Milk bars?

Two delightful chocolate bars in a single packet, Spira is no more. It is fondly remembered, however, for the weirdly satisfying feeling on the tongue that its interior structure offered, as well as just tasting nice. It is still the subject of regular petitions to bring it back, but there is no sign of this happening.

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It's a bubbly aerated chocolate bar and it comes in mint, orange or plain. What is it called?

Aero is another product that was once Rowntree's and is now Nestle. It feels very light thanks to the aeration, making it feel like you could eat a lot more of it than you probably should! It not only comes in different flavors like peppermint or orange, but it also has a mousse version that has smaller bubbles.

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What are these little tiny hard cookies with chocolate chips in them?

Hob Nobs are the perfect introduction to another mighty British brand, McVities. These oat biscuits contain chocolate chips and are a rough and hard sort of cookie. They are usually quite small, but you get a few of them in a pack. They contain nothing artificial, and they aren't too sweet, either!

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Who is this little frog with a chocolate outside and caramel center?

This used to be called Taz, after the character from Looney Tunes, and later became Freddo Frog. Now, it is just Freddo. Freddo is quite small, and thus the perfect option if you want some chocolate but not a whole bar.

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These soft fondant candies have a mysterious black chewy streak in them! What is going on here?

Liquorice Allsorts came about in 1899, and the company claims that they resulted from an accident where a tray of licorice and a tray of paste candies were mixed up, much to the delight of their customer. Liquorice Allsorts come from Bassett's, which is based in Sheffield in the North of England.

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This chocolate bar as a honeycomb toffee sugar center. What is it called?

Crunchie is very aptly named, making it a poor chocolate bar for anyone who doesn't have a fine set of teeth! It began in 1929 and was created by a company named J. S. Fry & Sons, but these days it is manufactured by Cadbury.

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What are these little fondant sweets with some sugared jellies in the mix?

Legend has it that Dolly Mixture acquired its name because it came about during the British Raj and looked a little like a vegetable mixture called dhal. "Dhal mixture" sounds a bit like "dolly," and the name evolved from there. It comes from a brand named Barratt, that is a subsidiary of Tangerine Confectionery.

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Who are these little chocolate guys with a caramel and biscuit center?

Munchies are a survivor of two corporate changes. First, they were a Rowntree brand. Then, they belonged to Rowntree Mackintosh, the merged company formed when Mackintosh and Rowntree joined forces. These days, they are part of Nestle, who wanted to rebrand them before they ran into resistance from fans whose associations with the name were too strong to give up.

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White chocolate isn't technically chocolate, so this chocolate bar is something else. What is its name?

Dream is no more in the United Kingdom, but it was briefly very popular. It is made of white chocolate, which legally speaking, doesn't count as chocolate thanks to its lack of chocolate solids — instead, it is made with cocoa butter, milk solids and other ingredients. This legal distinction didn't stop people liking it quite a bit, though not enough to keep it going.

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If you like swirled white and milk chocolate, you will love this. What is it called?

John Cadbury was born in 1802, and his impact on the chocolate industry is immense. Still, not everything that his brand made was a success, and sadly, the Marble is no longer with us. It was a blend of praline and milk and white chocolate, and it was pretty darn good!

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These are the chocolates with miscellaneous fondant centers that Brits give someone to show they like them (but don't have a huge amount of money). What is their name?

The Rose Brothers packaging company is the origin of the name of these delightful chocolates that almost everyone loves. Indeed, Cadbury is so sure of how popular they are that they sell them under the slogan, "Thank you very much." Truly, chocolate by any other name would taste as sweet!

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Alternating layers of wafer and chocolate make up what Nestle chocolate bar in Britain?

This chocolate bar began in 1936 and but for a brief hiatus, it has been in production ever since. It is a staple of kids' lunch boxes, partly because manufacturer Nestle says the product contains under 100 calories. The last name is pronounced "ribbon," though this is a subject of considerable debate.

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Perhaps you've heard of this duo of biscuits with a chocolate cream filling and chocolate coating. What are they called?

The famous slogan, "P-p-p-pick up a penguin!" is quoted in every British household. Penguin is a very popular biscuit that appears in many a lunch box. It's also a splendid biscuit to dunk. If you bite off opposite corners, you can even suck tea through it for an amazing chocolate-and-tea melange. It is probably quite rude to do in front of people, but worth trying at least once!

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Thick nougat layer, thin caramel layer, chocolate coating. It's a classic. What is it called?

The Mars name hails from the USA, where candy manufacturer Frank C. Mars made a fortune. However, the Mars Bar was born in the rather dreadful British town of Slough, making it by far the best thing ever to come out of Slough. It used to use Cadbury chocolate for its coating, but these days it has its own chocolate recipe.

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By what name is this splendidly traditional minty slab known?

Kendal Mint Cake doesn't come from a Mr. or Mrs. Kendal, but from a town named Kendal. These days, it is made by a brand named Romney that was born in 1918. However, the Kendal Mint Cake is even older than this, as it came about when a batch of Glacier Mints were left to boil overnight in 1869 and became even more delicious! Confectioner Joseph Wiper realized he had performed the confectionery equivalent of the discovery of penicillin and began selling it. Wiper's was eventually purchased by Romney's in 1987.

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What is this popular snack consisting of a Genoise sponge base, a layer of orange jam (yes really) and a chocolate coating?

Is it a biscuit? Is it a cake? Who knows? The subject of intense debate and a very serious lawsuit about whether it should face sales tax as a cake or a biscuit, this controversial snack has its fans and its detractors. Named for Jaffa oranges from the Holy Land, it has been around for over 90 years and comes from McVities.

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It's a Flake in a chocolate coating. What is this gilded lilly of a chocolate bar?

A Twirl is an ideal product to eat if you love to eat Flake but get anxiety about the mess. They are particularly terrific if you pop them in the fridge for a little while, as this gives them a particular "snap" that a Flake cannot achieve. Best of all, ever since 1984 there have been two of them in the packet, for twice the deliciousness!

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This bar has a criss-cross structure rather like a girder, made of slim toffee with a chocolate coating. Can you name it?

Curly-Wurly is an excellent candy for a hotter day because the melting point of toffee is a little higher, meaning they keep their classic "braided" structure. It was born in 1970 and hasn't really changed since then, and it is a hit in dozens of countries. Thanks to its structural integrity, it's also an excellent chocolate bar to share, as you can neatly remove a section for a friend.

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This treat consists of a biscuit-and-marshmallow sandwich in a chocolate coating. Do you know what it is called?

Is this a chocolate bar or a biscuit? It's not entirely clear. They have Wild West packaging, even though they were made by an Australian living in Britain. This is because they were originally Weston Wagon Wheels, in honor of inventor Garry Weston. If you like marshmallow, give them a try!

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What is this long thin biscuit in a rounded chocolate coating?

Technically just called Cadbury Fingers, these used to come in slightly larger boxes, and an enormous controversy erupted when this was reduced by an average of two fingers (not all boxes contain the same number). Fingers are the leading biscuit brand in the UK, and have been around in one form or another since 1897! Dunk them in tea for a particularly British treat.

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This treat consisting of a flamingo-colored wafer and a creme filling is as sweet as it is pink. Can you remember its name?

They didn't think too hard when they were branding this one. It's pink, and it's a wafer. Pink Wafer truly is death by sugar (and by pink), but it's marvelous anyway. It's made under the original brand name Crawford's Biscuits, though the company is now owned by United Biscuits.

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This chocolate-and-caramel chocolate bar enjoys an onomatopoeic name. What is it?

The Chomp bar is big in Australia and the United Kingdom. They are smaller and thus cheaper than other chocolate bars in the UK, typically clocking in well under a single pound for one. This partly harks back to their debut in Australia in the '70s, under the slogan, "Ten cents never tasted so good."

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These soft squishy treats look like little people. What is their rather weird name?

Jelly Babies' name may be disturbing, but their original name was Unclaimed Babies (yes, really), so it's probably an improvement. They rebranded as Peace Babies when World War One ended, but for some reason, they went back. They come from Bassett's of Sheffield, and despite the weird name, they're really quite good. Just don't judge people who bite off the heads first. They don't mean anything by it!

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The Mars Corporation brings you this smooth chocolate with a stellar name. What is it?

Galaxy brand chocolate has been around since 1960, though these days it is a subsidiary of the mighty Mars. It is sold overseas as Dove, but the chocolate is made with a different recipe. Galaxy products include the regular bar, plus Galaxy Ripple and Galaxy Caramel. It's a particularly smooth chocolate, and very popular in the UK.

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Can you identify these semi-sweet biscuits with a chocolate coating on one side?

These biscuits are so named because people thought they were good for your digestive system thanks to the ingredient bicarbonate of sofa. They are an excellent biscuit for dunking in tea, especially when they have a chocolate coating (which is optional), and a staple in many British kitchens.

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