British people are renowned for their sweet tooth, and this is reflected in the sheer amount of sweets produced and sold in the UK. From hard-boiled classics such as the Mint Humbug to the huge range of chocolate products on our supermarket shelves, the Great British public are spoilt for choice when it comes to satisfying our confectionary cravings.

However, with American popular culture arguably influencing our own culture more than ever, American sweets have slowly worked their way into the public conscience. The Twinkie and the Oreo have become household names, despite not always being available in the usual grocery shopping locations.

Whereas getting your hands on the best the US has to offer would have previously involved going on a costly holiday and physically going to an American grocery store, American sweets are now easily available in most department stores and through specialist online retailers.

You say candy, I say sweets

Ask anyone about traditional British sweets, and the chances are they will reflect on times gone by. The rustic hard-boiled offerings of yesteryear are associated with the age of the sweet shop, where children would have jars upon jars of various wonders to choose from. This tradition has somewhat fallen by the wayside, with the most popular sweets largely originating overseas – the Haribo range providing a particularly apt example.

American sweets stand out for the sheer amount of flavours and types of sweet on offer, with American confectioners embracing all sorts of weird and wonderful tastes. Brands such as Jolly Rancher offer an immense range of products and flavours, from tropical fruit chews to cinnamon-flavoured hard candy. With the ever-popular peanut butter-based Reese’s brand and even more variations on sweets already popular in the UK such as Skittles, American sweets should be the choice of any candy connoisseur looking for something a bit different.

Cakes and biscuits

Baked goods are an area in which British food manufacturers really come into their own, with staples such as the iced bun and the gingerbread man as popular as ever. Biscuits are another British strongpoint, illustrated by the diverse range on offer on most supermarket shelves.

The appeal of American cakes and biscuits, similar to their candy offerings, lies in the diversity of their goods. Cakes such as Suzy-Q’s, Ho-Ho’s, Zingers and, of course, the Twinkie are cream-filled taste sensations, and offer us the chance to finally sample some of the exotic-sounding goods so beloved by our favourite US TV characters.

American biscuits are undoubtedly the most successful of America’s confectionery imports, with Oreos taking their rightful place alongside the Custard Cream, the Digestive and the Bourbon in the hearts and stomachs of British biscuit aficionados.

However, the plain old Oreo cookies on offer on our own shelves are just the tip of the biscuit iceberg. In the US, the Oreo is a phenomenon, with variations including peanut-butter fillings, brownies and Golden biscuit layers rather than traditional chocolate. These alternative takes on Oreos should be considered essential purchases for anyone who loves their cookies.

British sweets and cakes are amongst some of the best in the world, and are rightfully amongst some of the best-selling foodstuffs in the country. However, whilst sticking to what you know is natural (especially if what you know is as delicious as some British sweets!), American sweets are now easier than ever to get hold of, and as shown in this article, offer a real smorgasbord of flavours and textures. For this reason, true confectionary fans should definitely consider exploring some of the weird and wonderful tastes on offer across the pond.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of American Soda, retailers specialising in American sweets and confectionery, including Oreo cookies.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of American Soda (http://www.americansoda.co.uk), retailers specialising in American sweets and confectionery, including Oreo cookies.

Author Bio: Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of American Soda, retailers specialising in American sweets and confectionery, including Oreo cookies.

Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: American sweets,oreos,oreo cookies