Sugar free Sweets and Scotland

It may not be not strictly about sugar free sweets but over the last few weeks while adding new sugar free candy to our range, I have found it interesting to learn about Scotland's sweet heritage.

Scotland has a very distinct sweet culture with many sweets which are unique to Scotland.  Perhaps this is why the Scots eat more sweets than any other people in the world!.  Since 1680 sugar refining has been an important Scottish Industry.   

One sweet that has been a revelation to me are the sugar free  cinnamon balls with a beautiful complex cinnamon flavour.

Other Scottish sweets have their own interesting story.  Soor Plooms (sour plums in English !).  It is believed that they were first made in  1337 in Galashiels to commemorate  a skirmish with English troops who were discovered eating unripe plums. 

Galashiels pops up again as the home of Robert Coltart or Coulter who wrote a famous song about his aniseed flavoured toffee in the 1870s.   Another Scottish confection is tablet which is similar to fudge and there is Edinburgh rock which is very different from the English version

Other sweets may draw on famous Scottish products for their inspiration.  Irn Bru springs to mind!. 

Many of the traditional sweets are now available in a sugar free version so why not try some and help to celebrate Scottish culture?.