By james art This article was originally published in the October 2023 issue 225 Magazine.
Poof, crackle, crunch. This is the life cycle of a freeze-dried treat.
This crunchy craze has grown recently, leading to a resurgence of space-inspired foods for earthlings.
Freeze drying is primarily used for food preservation. Moisture is removed from the food product to give it a longer shelf life. Most freeze-dried items take on an airy, crunchy texture and often have a more intense flavor than their natural counterpart.
But when applied to candied pastries, freeze drying becomes really fun. Imagine the sticky worms growing into crunchy snakes and the milky dudes turning into golf ball sized orbs.
Suzette Turner caught on to the trend in 2021 when she was first introduced to a futuristic freeze-drying machine by her brother-in-law, who worked as a chef. They experimented with Skittles, Jolly Ranchers and other candies.
Seeing the dry candy’s popularity online, Turner and her daughter Sarah began selling their products at local pop-ups—and her company, Puf Sweet, was born.
“We freeze-dry every day,” Turner says. “We now have four machines and we only work 24/7.”
Turner and her daughter aren’t the only ones profiting from the craze. Sisters Celeste Barrett and Sarah Moran‘The Easy Freezy brand has been offering textured treats since early 2022.
“It’s a little side project for us,” says Moran. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Kevin and Stephanie Sarver started Sarver Sweets and Eats after trying similar snacks on a trip to Montana. In late 2022, the couple began selling freeze-dried candies and a variety of saltwater irises. Stephanie says they have grown and now offer over 70 types of candy. They are even considering opening a commercial kitchen.
“Our whole den has turned into a freeze-drying factory, but we’ll outgrow that,” she says.
But some products, like chocolate and peanut butter, don’t survive the process, and others expand too much.
“Some things, like Werther’s caramel, if you put the whole thing in the machine, it’s probably about the size of a baseball,” Moran explains.
All three vendors also make freeze-dried vegetables, such as corn, green beans and even pickles, as well as fruit options for customers who may not have a sweet tooth.
And each has intrigued customers with theirs puffed products. Because what’s not interesting about skittles with a crunch?
How does it work?
The magic happens in a freeze-dryer the size of a mini fridge. They can cost upwards of $4,000, depending on size and brand. Once the food is placed in an airtight chamber, everything is cooled down to a cool -30 F to -50 F. Once the products are frozen, the vacuum inside the machine helps draw moisture from the food. The food items are then slowly heated, causing all the moisture to evaporate. The end product is usually bubbly and flaky or firm and crunchy.