• Gobstoppers are traditional British sweets that last a long time.Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
  
  Traditional British sweets come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. All of them are high in caloric value, however, due to the amount of sugar that is traditionally used to add both flavour and a natural preservative to the sweets. Some of the oldest traditional British sweets, such as liquorice sticks and the Kendal Mint Cake, have existed for centuries while others are more recent developments.
  
  

Kendal Mint Cake

• This treat was invented in the late 19th century and is still popular with hill walkers and mountain climbers alike. Kendal Mint Cake is produced in a similar fashion to fudge or toffee, only water is used in place of milk or cream. The fact that a bar of Kendal Mint Cake is almost entirely made of sugar explains its ability to give climbers a needed burst of energy.
  
  

Gobstoppers

• The gobstopper is a traditional British sweet that comes in a wide range of colours and sizes. It is built up in layers from a small seed or ball of hard candy until it reaches the desired size, usually between 1 and 3 centimetres in diameter. Each layer of hard candy can be a different colour or flavour as the manufacturer desires, the result being that many gobstoppers display a variety of colours during consumption.
  
  

Fudge

• Fudge of various types has existed for centuries. It is produced through the mixing of milk or cream with a large amount of sugar. The mixture is then heated until it begins to form into crystals, which give the fudge its solidity. The size of the crystals and the softness of the fudge depends on the sugar-to-milk ratio and the length of time it is cooked.
  
  

Liquorice

• Although it has been used throughout history for medicine and in teas as a restorative, liquorice entered the confectionary market in the early 20th century. It is often mixed with sugar, anise seeds and syrups to produce a variety of traditional British sweets such as the liquorice torpedo and the various "liquorice allsorts".