This Diwali, 'ready-to-eat' crackers are new attraction

Bakers, sweet shops and even private entrepreneurs have come up with a new range of designer snacks and sweets that are healthy and low in calories apart from being attractive.

Bengaluru/Lucknow: Crackers, rockets and "Sutli bombs" that you can eat and not ignite, cash notes that you can give but not preserve and playing cards that you can snack on but not play.

Bakers, sweet shops and even private entrepreneurs have come up with a new range of designer snacks and sweets that are healthy and low in calories apart from being attractive.

There are a lot of varieties of sweet crackers to choose from – Choco-Chakra, Crispy-Pataka, Butterscotch Flower Pot, Coffee Rockets, Elaichi Atom Bomb, Crispy shots, Festive Motif etc.

Bengaluru-based Aubree organisation has made these choco crackers and is creating awareness to celebrate the festival of lights in a memorable way. Sridhar Murthy, the organisation’s owner, says, “Instead of bursting crackers which harm environment and scare the animals, it is a unique of celebrating the festival.”

Every one – right from small children to adults and elders – are fond of chocolates. Customers are buying these sweet chocolates and presenting them as gifts to their near and dear ones.

"We have tried to innovate with our designs this year. The 'sutli bomb', made with white chocolate is filled with toffees and looks amazingly real. In fact, a few of our customers thought that we have started selling crackers in our shop too. The 'phuljhari' is also made of chocolate and wrapped in silver foil," said Krishna Ahirwar who makes sweets and bakery items on order.

The sutli bombs are priced at Rs 85 each and the phuljhari comes at Rs 40 per piece.

Some bakers have even come up with cookies that look like counters used in casinos and poker chips.

These edible crackers are now being used for corporate gifting.

"Instead of gifting the usual 'Kaju katli', we felt that this would be more attractive and also has a longer shelf life," said the head of a communication company.

More than the edible items, it is the attractive packing that is bringing in customers. 'Phuljharis' and rockets are available in designer bottles while cookies are available in stained glass jars. Tiny teddy bears are perched on the packing to attract children.

The sellers have also made sure that they cater to the demands of health-conscious customers.

"We have a whole range of goodies made with sugar-free chocolate and even those that have low sugar content. This has been done on the specific request of some customers who are health conscious and/or suffer from diabetes," said Mannu Agarwal who runs a bakery.