After Eight Mint Chocolate Thins, often referred to as simply After Eights, are a brand of mint chocolate covered sugar confectionery. They were created by Graham EdwardsRowntree and Company Limited in the UK in 1962 and have been manufactured by Nestlé since its acquisition of Rowntree in 1988. The mints were originally manufactured at Rowntree's York factory, before production transferred to Castleford, West Yorkshire in 1970. For the UK market they are now manufactured in Halifax, following Nestlé's closure of the Castleford factory in 2012. After Eights are sold across Europe and North America, and one billion After Eights are made annually. After Eights were originally made from dairy-free dark chocolate. In 2002, however, Nestlé started adding butterfat to After Eights made at certain production facilities so as to increase resistance to chocolate bloom. This practice expanded to all production facilities in 2009. Nestlé has also made special editions of After Eights, including orange After Eights and milk chocolate After Eights.
Manufacturing
The fondant in the centre of After Eights is made from a stiff paste of common sugar, water, and a small amount of the enzymeinvertase. This fondant can readily be coated with dark chocolate. After manufacture, the enzyme gradually splits the common sugar into the much more soluble sugars glucose and fructose, resulting in a more liquid consistency. Maturing of the mint is said to take over three days. Once manufactured, each completed chocolate is packaged in an open paper wrapper and then loaded into a box.
Thin Mints - The original After Eight product, these comprise square dark or milk chocolate, enclosing the mint fondant. There are also Limited Edition Thin Mints with added flavours such as orange, lemon, strawberry, blackcurrant and others.
Mint & Blood Orange - This variation on the thin mints was a special edition for Summer 2011.
Delights - Round sweets of dark chocolate with a mint fondant filling.
Straws - Long, thin sticks of soft dark chocolate with a mint fondant filling.
Bars - Dark chocolate bar with a creamy mint centre.
Biscuits - The newest addition to the After Eight family, these combine dark chocolate with mint in a biscuit.
Chocolate Santa Claus - During the Christmas season, Nestlé Germany features a 125g Santa Claus made out of white or dark mint chocolate.
Easter bunny - During Easter time Nestlé releases an After Eight Dark Chocolate Easter Bunny. It does not have a mint filling but is made from peppermint flavoured chocolate and comes in the well known After Eight green wrapping
Bitesize - Plain chocolate with mint fondant filling, similar in appearance to original Munchies. Originally known as Mintola, then renamed Mint Munchies in 1995, before being brought under the After Eight brand in 2006.
Mousse - A chilled dessert consisting of mint mousse with layers of dark chocolate
Dessert - A chilled smooth mint and chocolate flavoured dessert
Strawberry and Mint - This variation on the thin mints was a special edition for Spring/Summer 2020.
