Wondering How Swedish Fish Are Made?


One feature of the modern world is that it has become tiny, at least from a culinary perspective. For example, there is growth in the number of delights and delicacies from different parts of the world.

One such treat is the Swedish Fish, a delectable export from Sweden.

Swedish Fish are made from various sweet ingredients, including corn syrup and sugar. The ingredients also include red dye 40, citric acid, modified corn starch, white mineral oil, and Carnauba wax.

There are other natural and artificial flavors, as well. This mixture is heated and placed in fish-shaped molds to create fish-shaped candy treats. 

The rest of this article will explore important questions related to this topic.

These will include some of the Swedish Fish ingredients, how Swedish Fish are made at home, the approximate preparation time, and what Swedish Fish actually are.

Also, see Do Scandinavians Eat a Lot of Fish? to learn more.

Swedish Fish
What Are Swedish Fish? See below

What Are Swedish Fish?

Swedish Fish are mostly red-colored fruit-flavored chewy treats sold in most candy stores in the United States and in other countries across the globe.  

While Sweden is known for being home to a wide range of delicious fish, there are no actual fish in the candies.

Instead, Swedish Fish derive their name from their fish shape, which they achieve when placed in fish-shaped molds. 

Swedish Fish can be traced back to Sweden in the 1950s. This is when Malaco – a Swedish company, created these treats for the US market.

They then gained tremendous popularity in the following two decades, making them one of the most popular candy treats in the United States. [5]

Sweden
How Are Swedish Fish Made? See below

How Swedish Fish Are Made

Swedish Fish are definitely one of the tastier snack options available on the candy aisle. In fact, they’re lauded as one of the most popular gummy snacks to try out. [1] The ingredients are typical of many gummy candy products. 

There are some variations in the ingredients depending on the flavor (color) of the Swedish Fish and where the products are being made.

However, the ingredients primarily stick to those outlined above. 

Most of the recipe’s components affect the candy’s taste, but the Carnauba wax and mineral oil don’t. Instead, those two things provide the Swedish Fish with their shiny coating. 

Companies that manufacture Swedish Fish do so on a large scale, using commercial kitchens and machines. However, people can also make Swedish Fish at home.

Here’s how:

  1. The first step in preparing Swedish fish is mixing the dry ingredients. To do this, the person making the candies will mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, they’ll stir the dry mixture using a wooden spoon or spatula until everything is properly incorporated into the mixture.
  2. The second step is introducing some cold water to the dry mixture. This may depend on the quantity of ingredients being used to make the Swedish Fish. However, half a cup (118 ml) of cold water typically suffices. The chef will stir the mixture using a wooden spoon or spatula. If done correctly, the mixture will form a large, sticky ball. 
  3. Next, one heats the mixture by placing a saucepan on a stove and setting the heat at medium to medium-low. Too much heat may burn the mix. Next, the chef will pour the mixture into the saucepan and stir regularly to keep it from burning. The solid blend should take on a liquid form during this step.
  4. Swedish Fish get their name from their fish-shaped shape. Once the mixture has liquefied from exposure to heat, the mixture should be removed from the stove. Next, the person making them will use a small spoon to scoop the liquid mixture gently and place it into the fish-shaped candy molds. 
  5. The fish molds are placed on the countertop to prevent uneven shapes. Then, the chef will tap the molds gently with the wooden spoon. This ensures that the mixture spreads evenly in the molds. 
  6. The liquefied mixture may take a long time to cool off properly. There is also a risk that the mixture will stick to the fish molds and compromise the Swedish Fish’s shape. Freezing provides a solution to this problem. In this step, the chef will place the filled fish molds into a freezer for about 15 to 30 minutes to freeze the mixture. This will also make them easy to remove from the fish molds.
  7. The last step in preparing Swedish fish is to take them out of the freezer while still in their molds. They should be removed from the molds after extraction from the freezer before they begin to thaw. If they thaw, they will become difficult to remove from the molds. 

After the Swedish Fish are removed from the molds, they should be placed at room temperature so they can defrost slowly.

This should take a few minutes. Once they are defrosted, the delicious gummy candies are ready to eat. [2][3]

While Swedish Fish are primarily red, some of these candy treats feature different colors and flavors when made at home to achieve a better flavor.

There are many flavor options to choose from to meet different tastes. 

For instance, the yellow lemon option is definitely worth adding to the collection or the green lime flavor.

Other flavor options for Swedish Fish include purple grape-flavored options, orange-flavored options, and pineapple-flavored options. [4]

The possibilities are only limited by one’s imagination.

Also, see the full article What Are Swedish Fish? to learn more.

Swedish homes
How long does it take to make Swedish Fish? See below

How Long Does It Take To Make Swedish Fish?

It takes approximately an hour to make Swedish Fish.

It will take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to prepare the Swedish fish mixture and to heat it in a pan until it achieves a liquified form.

On the other hand, it will take another roughly 30 minutes to freeze and defrost the candy treats.

There is no one standard period for making Swedish Fish.

The total time for making these treats will largely depend on the time spent mixing the ingredients, heating them, and placing them in the fish molds.

The freezing and defrosting process should take approximately 30 minutes. 

Also, see Why Don’t Scandinavians Feed Their Guests? to learn more.

References:
[1] Source
[2] Source
[3] Source
[4] Source
[5] Source

Christian Christensen

Christian started Scandinavia Facts to explore his family heritage, raise awareness of one of his academic interests as a professor, and civilly promote the region. Please see the About page for details.

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