Bakers across the nation are putting down their piping bags and clearing away their cookie cutters as they follow the latest culinary craze. Despite remaining gripped by the ups, downs and scandals of The Great British Bake Off, the trend for creating sweets, from sugar mice to coconut ice, is on the rise.
Viewers have been inspired by Sweets Made Simple, launched on BBC2 last month, presented by the confectioners Kitty Hope and Mark Greenwood.
According to the latest figures from Waitrose, sales of ingredients featured on the programme have been increasing since the show aired. After the pair served up buttered brazils, the supermarket reported that sales of cream of tartar, one of the ingredients, shot up by 42 per cent. Sales of coffee essence increased by 76 per cent after they made coffee walnut whips.
Tim Shaw, Waitrose home baking buyer, said: “It started off with cupcakes and baking but we’re fast becoming a nation of home sweet-makers. Inspired by childhood memories of visiting sweet shops lined with jars of glorious brightly coloured sweets, customers are making their own from scratch.
Customers are also buying 8 per cent more food colouring since the programme aired in a bid to personalise boiled sweets.
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Sales of liquid glucose have increased by 49 per cent and gelatine by 34 per cent, but Howard Jones, managing director of the gelatine supplier H Plus Limited, argued that gelatine sales were rising because of its wider acceptance.
He said: “It’s down to our efforts to create a cleaner product and gelling system. The product is more popular. It’s had its bad press and now it’s starting to make a comeback.” A spokeswoman for the sweet manufacturer Stockley’s revealed that the craze for home-made sweets had also boosted its sales as some people chose to purchase the ready-made product rather than make their own.
She said: “Programmes like this increase trade and have a positive effect. It’s a bonus for us all.”
As ever, some celebrities are ahead of the trend. Jamie Laing, the McVitie’s heir and Made in Chelsea playboy, launched his confectionery company’ Candy Kittens, in 2012.