Sweets for the season

We dive into the fascinating history behind some of our favourite festive confectionery

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After Eight

Launched in 1962, the minty square with its own envelope has stayed true to its origins in that debonair decade.

 Originally manufactured at Rowntree's York factory, the creation of After Eight was a technical triumph for the time. The fondant could not be covered in chocolate unless it was hard, so an ingredient was added to allow the peppermint middle to soften in the fortnight after production. Equally iconic is After Eight's logo, which was based on an antique, baroque clock that appeared in early TV adverts. By the 1980s, the chocolate mint was so popular you could buy a silver-plated After Eight carriage to display them in. True to their name, three-quarters of these chocolates are eaten after 8pm!

MILK TRAY