You must already know that Jazzies - also known as snowies - are delicious, colourful sweets with enduring and nostalgic appeal. But what you might not know is that these candies also have an interesting history. In this post, we'll look at who invented jazzles and talk about the history of jazzles, giving you the perfect excuse to stock up next time you treat yourself to a retro confectionery order from Berrymans!
What are Jazzies?
Jazzies are a delicious retro sweet that are synonymous with being a kid in the 70s and 80s. They come in white chocolate and milk chocolate varieties and they're shaped as a flat chocolate disc, covered in delicious and sweet colourful hundreds of thousands. Jazzies aren't just simply delicious in their own right; they have real nostalgic appeal and will take you right back to simpler times as soon as you get a taste of that smooth chocolate and the wonderfully crunchy, sugary hundreds of thousands. Whether you choose milk chocolate jazzies or white chocolate jazzies is up to you, but most people will never turn down a handful of each for a treat. The white chocolate versions are sometimes called snowies, too.
The History of Hundreds and Thousands
We call those colourful sugary sprinkles 'hundreds and thousands' today, but originally they were called Nonpareils, which is French for 'without equal'. This means literally matchless or unrivalled, and the inventors chose the name to refer to the colourful tiny sprinkles' ability to be used in any decorative way, limited only by the imagination of the baker or confectioner. The origin of hundreds and thousands has been lost in time, but many believe they evolved out of the development of sugar in the pharmaceutical industry as a way to deliver medicines without a bitter taste, as the sweets are actually a tiny version of comfits. What we do know, however, is that these tiny sweets were around as far back as the mid-1800s. When Eleanor Parkinson, part of a family of famous confectioners, published 'The Complete Confectioner', she explained how to make 'nonpareils' as part of a broader comfit-crafting process which involved syrup and a large number of hot pots. By the middle of the 20th century, the sweets were generally called sprinkles.
What is The Difference Between Snowies and Jazzies?
The main difference between snowies and jazzles is that snowies are made with a white chocolate base, and jazzies are made with a milk chocolate base. They both have a wonderfully smooth and creamy texture, and the chocolate is incredibly sweet. Our versions have exactly the same rich, full flavour you remember from childhood, as well as that all-important crunch from the sprinkles on top. The sizing of these cute little sweets also makes them ideal for children or for use to make treats. They are small, moreish and very pretty and everyone absolutely loves them!
Who invented Jazzles?
It's unknown who actually invented jazzles, but it's certain that they have been around for decades! At Berrymans we use traditional recipes to capture all that sweet flavour, nostalgia and charm of the jazzies you remember from childhood!
The History of Jazzles: When were they first created?
Jazzies were originally called 'chocolate nonpareils' and weren't as colourful as they are today. Instead, they had a chocolate base and pearly white sprinkles, called 'love pearls'. This name evolved over the years, and today, they are called different things in different parts of the UK, including jazzles, jazzies, snowies, jazz drops, freckles, yummies, chocolate freckles and jimmies. If you're ready to treat yourself to some delicious and nostalgic jazzies or snowies, check out our range at Berrymans (https://www.berrymanssweets.co.uk/pages/search-results-page?q=jazzles)! You'll love our authentic sweets packed with retro appeal and the large confectionery-style jars that we sell them in, all with free delivery for an even sweeter deal. Check out our reviews to see why we have a Trustpilot rating of 4.9/5 stars.