{{Short description|Confectionary}} {{distinguish|confit}} {{Infobox prepared food | name = Comfit | image = Comfits.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Licorice comfits | alternate_name = | country = | region = | creator = | course = | type = Confectionery | served = | main_ingredient = Dried fruits, nuts, seeds or spices, sugar candy | variations = | calories = | other = }}
'''Comfits''' are confectionery consisting of dried fruits, nuts, seeds or spices coated with sugar candy, often through sugar panning. Almond comfits (also known as ''sugared almonds'' or ''Jordan almonds'') in a muslin bag or other decorative container are a traditional gift at baptism and wedding celebrations in many countries of Europe and the Middle East, a custom which has spread to other countries such as Australia and Puerto Rico. Licorice comfits (sometimes sold as ''torpedoes'') <ref>{{cite web | url=https://mollysmixtures.co.uk/liquorice-torpedoes/ | title=Liquorice Torpedoes | access-date=2021-05-23 | archive-date=2021-05-23 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523190126/https://mollysmixtures.co.uk/liquorice-torpedoes/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> are typically multi-colored, while almond comfits are usually white for weddings and may be brightly colored for other occasions.
A late medieval recipe for comfits<ref>*British Library, Harleian collection, BL MS Harley. 2378. ''Composite Miscellany of Medical, Culinary and Alchemical Texts and Recipes''. late 14th–15th cent.</ref> is based on anise seeds, and suggests also making comfits with fennel, caraway, coriander, and diced ginger. These aniseed comfits seem to be a precursor of modern aniseed balls.
<gallery> File:Dragees.jpg|French almond comfits for a baptism File:Confetti rossi.jpg|Red almond comfits, called ''confetti rossi'', are used in Italy to celebrate the conferring of a degree. </gallery>
==See also== *Kompeito *Dragée *Sugar plums *Mukhwas *Good & Plenty *London drops, a similar candy sold in Finland and Sweden *Sprinkles *Confectionery in the English Renaissance *List of almond dishes
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Confectionery Category:Almond confectionery
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