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Thursday 10 April 2014

Wee Sweetie - Homemade Sweets and Candies

Clockwise from left: Hot Cross Bun Fudge, Caramel Swirls, American Buttermints, Roobarb and Custard.
My Granny used to ask me "would you like a wee sweetie?"  She always had a bag of, what she called, 'boilings' in her handbag, a bit like the Scottish equivalent of that old guy on the telly with his 'originals' feeding sweets to his granddaughter!
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This particular 'Wee Sweetie' is Donna Bradley,  @Wee_Sweetie on Twitter, who makes delicious traditional sweets.  Donna's Papa always called her Wee Sweetie, at 5'2" and 7 stone she is still quite 'wee' and has a real sweet tooth.

Donna is a self proclaimed 'Doonhamer' born and bred in Dumfries in the South West of Scotland.  When she had to give up her career as a psychiatric nurse, specialising in forensics, after illness and injury she returned home to stay with her Mum.  Donna has Crohn's Disease, a chronic digestive disorder and sugar is about the only thing she can eat without pain.  She got fed up with the lack of variety and quality of the sweets available to her and was thrilled when her sister bought her Hope and Greenwood's 'Life is Sweet' and she was able to make her own sweets.

The reaction to Donna's sweets, amongst her family and friends,  was so positive that she soon started taking custom orders for gifts, weddings and parties.  Wherever possible  Donna uses local products including Uncle Roy's colours and extracts and Lockerbie butter. She is looking for someone local to buy cream and would love to find an artisan butter maker. Wee Sweetie sweets are made in small batches to ensure the sweets are as fresh as can be and Donna aims to make them look and feel handmade, not uniform and mass-produced. She doesn't believe in adding anything unnecessarily so make sure everything is completely natural, preservative and additive free. Most are gluten free and veggie friendly too.

Donna kindly sent me some of her Wee Sweeties to try.  Let's start with the Hot Cross Bun Fudge, what a brilliant concept!  The fudge really tastes like a Hot Cross Bun and would be a perfect Easter Gift.   I was a bit concerned to try the Caramel Swirls as I thought they might be hard and chewy, but far from it, they transported me back to my childhood as they tasted exactly like the Russian Toffee my Mum made.  Soft and with a rich, sweet burnt sugar flavour that was completely moreish.  American Buttermints were next on the tasting list, they have a real hit of mint, firm on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside, quite delightful.  And finally 'the boilings' Roobarb and Custard boiled sweets were just brilliant, the balance of the acidic rhubarb taste and the sweet custard make these sweets just burst with flavour on your tongue.

Wee Sweetie is a very new business and does not yet have it's own website.  I'll keep you updated when that goes live.  In the meantime if you like the sound of these delicious homemade sweets you can contact Donna using the contact details at the bottom of the price list pictured above.

Many thanks to Donna for the opportunity to review her delicious sweeties, I'll be ordering up some of that Hot Cross Bun Fudge for Easter!
I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own. 

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35 Comments:

At 10 April 2014 at 19:52 , Blogger Fab Food 4 All said...

These sweets look absolutely scrumptious, good luck to Wee Sweetie with her new business!

 
At 10 April 2014 at 20:05 , Blogger Janice said...

Thanks Camilla.

 
At 10 April 2014 at 21:14 , Blogger Unknown said...

They look and sound amazing. I can't wait to try them, especially the butter mints. Thanks for the review.

 
At 10 April 2014 at 21:47 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a wonderful review Janice, fair chuffed! Thanks so very much. Wee Sweetie

 
At 10 April 2014 at 21:48 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks Camilla! Wee Sweetie

 
At 10 April 2014 at 22:14 , Blogger Christina | Christina's Cucina said...

I would love a LOT of these wee sweeties! How I miss them!! :(

 
At 10 April 2014 at 22:15 , Blogger Janice said...

You are welcome, your sweets are really good.

 
At 10 April 2014 at 22:15 , Blogger Janice said...

Yes, you really should try them, they are top quality.

 
At 10 April 2014 at 22:24 , Blogger Unknown said...

hot cross bun fudge... er, hello!

 
At 11 April 2014 at 08:28 , Anonymous Elizabeth said...

These sweeties sound amazing! When I read this post last night I wanted a great big bag next to me to nibble on while I read my book. :) Best of luck to Donna with her new business venture!

 
At 11 April 2014 at 10:31 , Blogger Karen S Booth said...

I LOVE them all and remember my Scottish grandmother asking me the same question Janice, and those wee sweeties look and sound wonderful too!

 
At 11 April 2014 at 11:56 , Blogger Unknown said...

What a great story Janice! Good luck to Donna in her new venture, I reckon the time is perfect as people are getting more and more choosy about where they source their families food and the ingredients listings of supermarket sweets makes for a scary read!
Janie x

 
At 11 April 2014 at 13:51 , Blogger Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Oh lovely! There is something so nice about homemade and old-fashioned sweets.

 
At 12 April 2014 at 08:51 , Blogger Ren Behan said...

Love the Hot Cross Bun fudge - how cute!!

 
At 12 April 2014 at 09:12 , Anonymous London Unattached said...

what a great entrepreneurial idea...I really dont think any one else is in that space and it's so obviously needing to be filled - good luck to donna

 
At 12 April 2014 at 18:34 , Blogger Emma C said...

Those hot cross buns sweeties look delicious - such a fab idea!

 
At 14 April 2014 at 10:03 , Blogger Sylvia F. said...

They look so cute! Good luck to the owners, hope everything goes well!

 
At 15 April 2014 at 08:36 , Anonymous Alison said...

Those look gorgeous, loving that fudge. Good luck to them.

 
At 17 April 2014 at 16:30 , Blogger Choclette said...

That hot cross bun fudge looks like it needs to be eaten - by me!

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:33 , Blogger Angela M - Garden Tea Cakes and Me said...

Love the idea of the hot cross fudge, now my sister would love all the other sweeties she is a sugar fiend!

Angela

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:36 , Blogger Janice said...

Aw, they do bring out nostalgic feelings, esp if you can't get them.

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:36 , Blogger Janice said...

I'm saying hello to three bags, two for gifts and one for me!

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:37 , Blogger Janice said...

They are devastatingly moreish, Elizabeth!

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:38 , Blogger Janice said...

Thanks Karen

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:38 , Blogger Janice said...

Thanks Janie, you are right, so much better than artificial flavours

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:38 , Blogger Janice said...

Isn't there just! They taste so good.

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:39 , Blogger Janice said...

It's such a great idea and tastes so much like Hot Cross Buns, you wouldn't believe

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:39 , Blogger Janice said...

Thanks Fiona

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:40 , Blogger Janice said...

Thanks Emma

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:41 , Blogger Janice said...

Hee hee, I'm sure you could order and get some sent down to Cornwall

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:41 , Blogger Janice said...

They are all so good, I'm sure they will be a success

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:42 , Blogger Janice said...

Thanks Alison

 
At 17 April 2014 at 21:42 , Blogger Janice said...

Got some new samples of other flavours too, Angela. All totally delicous.

 
At 17 April 2014 at 23:19 , Blogger Heidi Roberts said...

love the fudge idea!

 
At 22 April 2014 at 05:28 , Anonymous We Sweetie said...

Thanks for all of your comments! Feel free to get in touch on twitter and Facebook, website isn't live yet....

 

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