A COMBINATION of apple and raspberry is set to become the flavour of the Forest and Wye.

Back in July, the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tourism Association, in partnership with the independent sweet shop Tudor Sweets, in Ross-on-Wye, launched a competition asking the public to suggest a sweet flavour that could be produced especially for the area.

Around 130 entries were received but the apple and raspberry suggested by Nicky Cross, who lives near Ross-on-Wye was the winner.

Her suggestion for a name – Yat Rock – was also announced at the Forest Showcase food festival at Speech House near Coleford on Sunday.

The sweets will be made using a traditional process in which the ingredients are mixed together with long spatulas in large copper pans..

Once the sugar and glucose mix has reached between 150 and 154 degrees centigrade the mixture is carefully tipped onto a water-cooled cast iron table where it spreads to form a thick layer.

The flavourings are added and a succession of kneading, cutting with scissors and pallet knives, and a pulling machine turn this mass into a giant ‘rope-like’ sweet.

This rope is cut into small sweet shapes after which they are cooled and sieved to remove sharp edges before wrapping.

“This new sweet will be a little bit of the Forest and Wye Valley that visitors can take away with them and share with others back home,” said Maureen McAllister, executive director of the tourism association.

Daniel Pierce of Tudor Sweets said: “I wanted a flavour which would appeal to lots of people.

“Ideas like wild boar and mint are very imaginative and I enjoyed reading those, but I didn’t think that many would like to try a roast dinner in a sweet.”

Mrs Cross will receive 100g of her favourite sweets for a year and also won a weekend for two at the Cross Hotel in Ross.

Her husband, George, was presented with a jar of the sweets on her behalf at the Forest Showcase.