Twin Bing

While not the prettiest kind of candy that you might have laid eyes on, the Twin Bing has been a popular confection since the 1920s. The current version of these little treats was released in the 1960s after some changes to the recipe. The original Bing product itself, however, is much older.

For those who love chewy and sweet treats that combine fruity flavors with chocolate and chopped nuts, there is no better treat out there. Commonly associated with Sioux City, where the Palmer Candy Company has been based since the early 1920s, Bing candies are charmingly simple and enjoyable, even if they are not that pretty to look at.

History

The Palmer Family has actually been in the business of making candy since the late 1800s. The Palmer family still owns The Palmer Candy Company today, making this a rare, five-generation company that continues to make many of the same products that were offered by the business in the early 1920s. Among these products is the Bing lineup of candies.

When the Bing candy was first developed, the idea of a candy bar was in its infancy. It was difficult to keep chocolates cool enough to be edible or marketable in the summer months at this time because refrigeration and air conditioning were still not common in places like homes and businesses. This made sales of any chocolate item a challenge.

The lack of refrigeration in candy stores is part of why the Bing chocolate bar and other early candy bars were shaped more like balls of chocolate with filling inside. The thicker layers of chocolate were more resistant to melting, and the shape of these candies helped to preserve the filling inside the candies as well.

The Cherry Bing bar was the most popular of the products that were released in the early days of Twin Bing sales, but there were other flavors that were sold as well. Pineapple, Vanilla, and Maple flavors were also sold alongside the popular cherry confections that everyone loved. Cherry Bing bars were probably so successful because the company also sold fruit at the time, and there was a well-established connection between the Palmer Family and fresh fruit. This connection and expertise likely also influenced the formulation of a really delicious fruity center for all of the Bing bar varieties.

Since the bars were selling so well right off, it was only logical that the company would begin to sell them in bars that looked like a pair of Bing bars. Hence the “Twin” moniker that was added to the candy bar’s name. Later on, Twin Bings would be associated with the Minnesota Twins baseball team. Promotions related to March Madness and other baseball marketing connections continue to have a key place in the promotional efforts for this product even today.

The Twin Bar shape also makes it possible for the candy bars to be made bigger while still fitting into the slots in a vending machine. This was important at the time because lots of candies were sold via vending machines at this time, but the company wanted to make sure that their candy bars kept pace with the increasing bar sizes of other competing companies. The candy itself was really simple to make much larger, but it would have limited the ways in which the Twin Bing could have been sold.

In the Midwest, Twin Bing bars are so associated with popular culture that they are often given to those who are expecting twins as a joke and have been handed out in place of cigars at the birth of children as well. The company says that many people use Bing bars for a variety of different kinds of occasions because the name is easy to make into a play on words. Since the recipe hasn’t changed much since the 60s, people are also very familiar with this candy and know exactly which flavors their loved ones and friends like best.

Twin Bing bars are made with a mix of nougat and fondant, which is whipped into a cream. This creamy center is then dipped into chocolate that has nuts in it. This makes for a crunchy, sweet, and yet soft candy bar that is really fun to eat. The round shape of this classic candy snack is also a big novelty today since many candy bars are rectangular or square. You get a lot of bang for your buck when you choose to enjoy a Bing Bar just because of the shape alone.

Bing bars were hand-dipped when they were first made, and they are actually still produced using this method. There are very few companies that make candies by hand using this kind of method, and you will struggle to find a mass-production bar that matches the texture of hand-dipped chocolate. This dedication to the craft that makes Bing bars possible is characteristic of The Palmer Candy Company, and they credit this attention to detail as one of the big reasons they have always been a success.

While Twin Bing candies have been around for years and years, there were mostly distributed to Midwest stores. If you missed out on these charming little chocolate candies because they are only sold in specialty stores in many parts of the US, don’t worry! You can order them online, and the company will actually ship them directly to you as well if you want to give them a shot.

Today, you can enjoy cherry Bing candies which boast a flavor profile that has not changed in generations, but you can also get snack-size bars, S’mores bars, and King-size bars that offer three little candy lumps inside each pack. Seasonal treats like the Patriotic King Bing are also offered around the Fourth of July. You can pick and choose from all of the original flavors, or you can focus on waiting for seasonal treats to come onto the market if you want to have these candies around for special occasions.

No matter what time of the year you choose to buy, you will find that the hand-dipped Bing bar is still a delicious and really unique treat. If you have never lived in the Midwest, you might not have been aware that these little snacks existed. However, thanks to online ordering, you can enjoy a Twin Bing without having to travel many states away just to get one.

It’s really rare to find any candy company or any product that has been around for as long as the Twin Bing and The Palmer Candy Company. There is something really special about Bing Bar products because they are still made by the family who first invented them. The current generation of the family in charge of The Palmer Candy Company has stated, “You don’t mess with a formula that’s working well,” and the results speak for themselves.

What Does a Twin Bing Bar Look Like?

As we mentioned before, the Twin Bing is not much to look at. If you have ever tried no-bake cookies, the outside texture of the chocolate and nut layer has the same appearance. Since all the other fruit flavors but cherry have been retired, each Twin Bing bar has a neon pink cherry center that is soft and fluffy and slightly chewy. The contrast between the very humble-looking outside of these treats and the brightly-colored interior product is quite surprising.

All the various versions of the Twin Bing come in simple plastic sleeves that still use the same company logo and branding colors that have always graced the Bing bar products. The red and white wrappers are instantly recognizable, and they state clearly that you are getting a Twin Bing Bar in the package that is a “Nutty, Chocolatey, Cherry Treat!” The Palmer Candy Co. logo for the Twin Bing has always appeared in two large, white circles around the words, “Twin” and “Bing”, and all of the various versions of the current candies have this logo on the wrapper.

Logo

Varieties

• Cherry
• Pineapple -retired
• Vanilla- retired
• Maple -retired
• Patriotic King Bing
• Twin Bing S’mores
• King Bing Bar – Three balls of candy per bar
• Snack Size Bing Bar – one candy per pack
• Twin Bing Ice Cream

Twin Bing Ingredients

• Sugar
• Peanuts
• Corn Syrup
• Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
• Cocoa Powder
• Whey
• Invert Sugar
• Salt
• Egg Whites
• Soy Lecithin
• Artificial Flavors
• FD&C Red 3
• FD&C Red 40
• Citric Acid
• Invertase
• Cream of Tartar

Today the Cherry Bing is the most commonly made variety as the other fruity flavors have been retired. This recipe is common to all the various sizes and varieties of Twin Bing bars on offer both online and locally if you are lucky enough to be able to buy this candy in person at a store. You will be able to count on the same delicious flavor and recipe no matter which size bar you pick.

Ingredients

• Sugar
• Peanuts
• Corn Syrup
• Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
• Cocoa Powder
• Whey
• Invert Sugar
• Salt
• Egg Whites
• Soy Lecithin
• Artificial Flavors
• FD&C Red 3
• FD&C Red 40
• Citric Acid
• Invertase
• Cream of Tartar

Nutrition

Serving Size:	1 bar (53g)	% Daily Value*
Amount Per Serving
Calories	240
Calories from Fat	108
Total Fat	12g	18%
Saturated Fat	4.5g	23%
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	80mg	3%
Potassium	150mg	4%
Total Carbohydrates	32g	11%
Dietary Fiber	2g	8%
Sugars	24g
Protein	5g
Vitamin A		0%
Vitamin C		0%
Calcium		1.9%
Iron		5.6%

• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet.

Pictures

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A taste test of the Bing bar:

Another taste test that shows the product’s appearance clearly: