Description
THE ORIGIN OF CARAMELS D’ISIGNY
The production of caramels began in Isigny-sur-Mer in the 1930s, but during the 1990s, the long-standing manufacturer “Dupont d’Isigny” moved to the Manche region, taking with it one of the jewels of the Isigny terroir.
Keen to make up for this departure, the Isigny-sur-Mer town council and the Isigny Sainte-Mère Dairy Cooperative called upon a former purchasing and logistics manager and caramel expert to create the company “Normandie Caramels” in April 1994.
The artisanal production of caramel in Isigny-sur-Mer was thus relaunched.
At the time, through the production of premium caramels, the Cooperative saw a new opportunity to promote the high-quality image of Isigny’s milk and therefore welcomed the company into its premises until a new production site was constructed.
Initially, the company employed 5 people and 50 kg of caramel was produced daily.
In 2019, the Cooperative purchased Caramels d’Isigny to ensure its longevity and to develop the small company with its complementary know-how and values shared by the Cooperative.
The two long-term partners, both firmly attached to their terroir and traditions, became united.
CARAMELS D’ISIGNY: WHERE RIGOUR, PRECISION AND KNOW-HOW COME TOGETHER…
Caramel is a timeless confectionery. Its manufacture requires special attention, significant know-how, and very high-quality ingredients to achieve the expected sweetness and flavours.
Caramels d’Isigny, which are local products of the terroir par excellence, are made with high-quality local raw materials: whole milk, Isigny PDO Butter, and Isigny PDO Cream.
The caramel’s unique flavour is a direct result of these premium ingredients. The proportions of milk, cream, and butter, as well as the cooking temperatures, are what give them their texture and distinctive nature.
The Caramels d’Isigny recipe showcases quality ingredients and contains no gluten, gelatine, palm oil, or artificial flavouring.
The caramels are made using artisanal methods. The production team comprises 10 employees who apply all their exceptional know-how to create these valued products.
Operations are primarily performed by hand, including mixing, cooking, cooling, shaping, and packaging, which roots Caramels d’Isigny in a long-standing tradition.
THE PRODUCTION SECRETS OF CARAMELS D’ISIGNY…
- The first stage involves producing the paste at the right temperature in large traditional copper cookers where the carefully selected ingredients are generously mixed in: sugar, glucose syrup, milk, Isigny PDO Butter, and Isigny PDO cream. … The cooking process must be gentle in order to develop and preserve all the flavours of the caramel.
- The mixture is then gradually heated to almost 120°C; the cooking point that will determine the caramel’s unique colour.
- It is only at the end of the cooking process, when all the ingredients have been combined and cooked to a beautiful golden colour, that natural flavourings may be added to preserve the flavour.
- The final stage involves collecting the liquid caramel and spreading it out on a cold table in order to work it. This handling improves the caramel’s elasticity. The caramel is cut and then constantly turned over, before finally going through the rolling machine for shaping. It goes through the extruder to give it its form, then onto the cutters and lastly to the twist wrapping machine.
Ingredients: Glucose syrup, sugar, whole MILK powder, salted BUTTER from Isigny A.O.P. (7.8%), CREAM from Isigny A.O.P. (5.6%), water, Guérande IGP salt, natural vanilla flavoring, raising agent: Sodium bicarbonate, emulsifier: Sucroesters of fatty acids. Traces: Soy, nuts.
https://www.isigny-ste-mere.com/en/les-caramels-disigny/