Flavors

Flavors used in artisan confectionery are most often aromatic food ingredients such as spices, nuts, extracts, and purées. In certain cases—when making hard candies, for example—it is difficult and impractical to use these ingredients, so manufactured flavors must be employed. These may be either “natural flavors” or “artificial flavors.” Apart from the labeling, there is little difference between the two. Each category is created by combining various organic compounds to replicate a naturally occurring item. The only difference between natural and artificial flavors is the source of the chemicals used to make a flavoring.