Jelly baby
Encyclopedia
Jelly babies are a type of soft confectionery
that look like little babies
in a variety of colours. There are currently several brands of jelly babies, most predominantly Trebor Bassett (part of the Cadbury group of companies and also famous for their liquorice allsorts
), Rowntree (a Nestlé
brand), Norfolk Manor, and Haribo
.
Jelly babies were launched by Bassett's in 1918 in Sheffield
as "Peace Babies" to mark the end of World War I
. Production was suspended during World War II
due to wartime shortages. In 1953 the product was relaunched as "Jelly Babies". In March 1989 Bassett's were taken over by Cadbury-Schweppes, who had earlier acquired the Trebor brand.
A line of sweets called Jellyatrics were launched by Barnack Confectionery Ltd to commemorate the Jelly Baby's 80th birthday.
Jelly babies manufactured in the United Kingdom tend to be dusted in starch
which is left over from the manufacturing process where it is used to aid release from the mould. Jelly babies of Australian manufacture generally lack this coating.
Like most other gummi sweets, they contain gelatin
.
A popular science class experiment is to put them in a strong oxidising agent and see the resulting spectacular reaction
. The experiment is commonly referred to as "screaming jelly babies
".
Each Bassett's jelly baby now has an individual name and shape, colour and flavour: Brilliant (red - strawberry), Bubbles (yellow - lemon), Baby Bonny (pink - raspberry), Boofuls (green - lime), Bigheart (purple - blackcurrant) and Bumper (orange). The introduction of different shapes and names was an innovation, circa 1989, prior to which all colours of jelly baby were a uniform shape.
Jelly babies are similar in appearance to gummi bears, which are better known outside of the United Kingdom, though the texture is different—Jelly Babies have a harder outer layer and a softer, less rubbery centre, making them more similar to the American Jelly Bean
.
In the British television series Doctor Who
, jelly babies are often mentioned in the early series. Although they became a trademark ongoing gag with the fourth Doctor
(played by Tom Baker
), who often randomly offered them to unsuspecting people he encountered in order to diffuse tense situations, the second, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and eleventh Doctors also offered them up during different episodes. Also, companion Donna Noble
mentioned them in an episode and villain The Master
was once seen to share them with his wife.
In 2007, Bassett's jelly babies changed to include only natural colours and ingredients.
In 2009, a poll of 4,000 British adults voted jelly babies their 6th favourite sweet.
Fans of the Beatles pelted the band with jelly babies (or the much harder jelly bean
s in the USA) after it was reported that George Harrison
liked eating them.
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
that look like little babies
Infant
A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
in a variety of colours. There are currently several brands of jelly babies, most predominantly Trebor Bassett (part of the Cadbury group of companies and also famous for their liquorice allsorts
Liquorice allsorts
Liquorice allsorts consist of a variety of liquorice sold as a mixture. These confections are made of liquorice, sugar, coconut, aniseed jelly, fruit flavourings, and gelatine. They were first produced in Sheffield, England, by Geo...
), Rowntree (a Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
brand), Norfolk Manor, and Haribo
HARIBO
Haribo is a German confectionery producer, founded in 1920 by Hans Riegel Sr. The company headquarters are in Bonn, and the name is an acronym for Hans Riegel, Bonn....
.
Jelly babies were launched by Bassett's in 1918 in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
as "Peace Babies" to mark the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Production was suspended during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
due to wartime shortages. In 1953 the product was relaunched as "Jelly Babies". In March 1989 Bassett's were taken over by Cadbury-Schweppes, who had earlier acquired the Trebor brand.
A line of sweets called Jellyatrics were launched by Barnack Confectionery Ltd to commemorate the Jelly Baby's 80th birthday.
Jelly babies manufactured in the United Kingdom tend to be dusted in starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
which is left over from the manufacturing process where it is used to aid release from the mould. Jelly babies of Australian manufacture generally lack this coating.
Like most other gummi sweets, they contain gelatin
Gelatin
Gelatin is a translucent, colorless, brittle , flavorless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar...
.
A popular science class experiment is to put them in a strong oxidising agent and see the resulting spectacular reaction
Chemical reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, typically following the input of some type of energy, such as heat, light or electricity...
. The experiment is commonly referred to as "screaming jelly babies
Screaming jelly babies
"Screaming jelly babies" is a chemistry demonstration which is practised in schools in the United Kingdom and Australia, and other countries where the sweets are commonly available. It is often used at open evenings to demonstrate the more light-hearted side of secondary school science.The...
".
Jelly babies are similar in appearance to gummi bears, which are better known outside of the United Kingdom, though the texture is different—Jelly Babies have a harder outer layer and a softer, less rubbery centre, making them more similar to the American Jelly Bean
Jelly bean
Jelly beans are a small bean-shaped type of confectionery with a hard candy shell and a gummy interior which come in a wide variety of flavors. The confection is primarily made of sugar.-History:...
.
In the British television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, jelly babies are often mentioned in the early series. Although they became a trademark ongoing gag with the fourth Doctor
Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
(played by Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
), who often randomly offered them to unsuspecting people he encountered in order to diffuse tense situations, the second, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and eleventh Doctors also offered them up during different episodes. Also, companion Donna Noble
Donna Noble
Donna Noble is a fictional character played by Catherine Tate in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A secretary from Chiswick, London, she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor, appearing in one scene at the end of the final episode of the 2006 series,...
mentioned them in an episode and villain The Master
The Master
- Writing :*The Master , a 2004 novel by Colm Tóibín*The Master: An Adventure Story, a 1957 science fiction novel for children by T. H. White*The Masters, a novel in the Strangers and Brothers sequence by C. P...
was once seen to share them with his wife.
In 2007, Bassett's jelly babies changed to include only natural colours and ingredients.
In 2009, a poll of 4,000 British adults voted jelly babies their 6th favourite sweet.
Fans of the Beatles pelted the band with jelly babies (or the much harder jelly bean
Jelly bean
Jelly beans are a small bean-shaped type of confectionery with a hard candy shell and a gummy interior which come in a wide variety of flavors. The confection is primarily made of sugar.-History:...
s in the USA) after it was reported that George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
liked eating them.