The Krembo

Something about Israel gives me a seemingly insatiable appetite for candy, and luckily the country’s bountiful offering has so far fulfilled my needs.

Arguably the most famous of the country’s magical sweets goes by the name of krembo, and I am still undecided as to my opinion regarding the treat.

Imagine a very soft marshmallow (very soft, bordering on liquid) encased in a thin chocolate shell that is slightly smaller than a tennis ball with a circular cookie/cracker base (and as for the shape, I will let you decide). The cream’s taste is similar to a marshmallow, but it is softer and sweeter than your average mallow. The taste is a little rich for me, and I never found myself craving more after the first few bites.

The krembo’s size does not lend itself to being eaten in one bite (although this is possible), and a debate rages on in Israel as to the best way to eat it (much like the Oreo debate in the US); do you start with the cookie base? The creamy top? Get a little of both by attacking from the side?

Personally I approached from the side, but I like the all-in-one-bite method.

The name in Hebrew translates literally to “cream in it” which I like – because there is in fact cream in it. Apparently these guys are only sold in the winter (between October and February) so I was lucky to have found myself in Israel during this time (although I think I would give these up for Tel-Aviv beaches in the summer).