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If you remember the 1970s or 1980s, or even just find those decades fascinating, you may be aware that the second half of the 20th century was a time of interesting food options. From discontinued McDonald’s dishes like Onion Nuggets and the McDLT to the 1980s fad of jitter-inducing Jolt Cola, the past isn’t just “a foreign country” as the saying goes; the past has a different menu. But if you’re looking at that menu, what’s for dessert? Well, the long-lost Caravelle candy bar was one option. This treat debuted in the 1960s, with crisped rice and caramel wrapped in a milk chocolate shell. The bar would also, at some point in its history, contain Brazil nuts, which only added to the enticing combination of textures.
While fans love talking about their favorite snacks — including author Steve Almond, who, according to TIME Magazine, wrote the book “CandyFreak” due to his “obsessive love” for Caravelle – the candy bar was discontinued in the late 1970s. The culprit behind this? A corporate merger between Peter Paul, the company that made Caravelle, and Cadbury Schweppes. While no official reason was ever given for the Caravelle’s production ceasing, it’s possible that a corporate strategy conflict caused the bar to be cut from production lines.
Even if you can’t buy one, you can get your Caravelle bar fix today
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What if you want to try a Caravelle bar today? Unfortunately, you can’t find them in stores, and even if there were still some original, 1970s bars out there, they probably wouldn’t be very appetizing after a few decades in the wrappers. But that doesn’t mean you can’t come close to the Caravelle experience on your own. The ingredients in the Caravelle bar were similar to those in a contemporary 100 Grand (previously called the $100,000 Bar), which can be a quick fix for cravings, even if it’s not exactly the same.
However, if you want to take your Caravelle quest to the next level, you can try making them yourself. Multiple online recipes exist for “copycat 100 Grand bars,” and the great thing about cooking and candymaking on your own is that you can tweak the recipes to your preferences. That means you can mimic the soft texture Caravelle bars were famous for decades ago. You can also ask someone who remembers Caravelle bars for tips on what made them just right, to help you modify your recipe accordingly.
