You had us at toffee brittle.

Cork’s award-winning Second Street Bakeshop has created an American-style Confectionery Gift Box that is guaranteed to have candy lovers across the country drooling this Christmas.

In preparation for the festive season, Second Street Bakeshop’s Founder and chief creator, Claire Keane, who is based in Carrigaline, has developed two new flavours of her luxurious buttery-rich Toffee Brittle – a chocolatey, nutty, and naturally gluten-free, Hazelnut, and an After Eight-inspired, Peppermint.

Like the rest of her range, both are completely palm oil free and the new gift box contains four bags in all flavours.

Keane’s sweet cravings began at the tender age of six when she was given a candy-making cookbook for kids. Hooked, she began making cookies and candies that she sold to her classmates in Cork.

On finishing college, Claire emigrated to San Francisco, where five years later she launched her own award-winning artisan Irish cookie company, Clairesquares, in 2006. This eventually led to an opportunity-of-a-lifetime collaboration with global giants, Häagen-Dazs, and Clairesquares being given its own ice cream flavour.

After 20 years away, and having sold the business, in 2019 she returned home. Inspired by her time living in ‘candy country’, in 2021 she set up Second Street Bakeshop in Carrigaline from her base in Cork’s Incubator Kitchens, on a mission to introduce Irish palates to quintessential American cookies and candies.

The confectioner’s thin long slabs of crunchy toffee are created using quality fresh Irish butter which, once hardened, are coated in smooth sustainably-farmed chocolate, and sprinkled with just the right amount of Achill Island Sea Salt – an ingredient very close to Claire’s heart having spent many a happy summer in Mayo, where her father was born.

Second Street Bakeshop’s Confectionery Gift Boxes are €25 each, plus a €6 nationwide delivery charge, and are available to order online now from secondstreetbakeshop.com.

Gift Box orders, which arrive in 100% recyclable packaging, must be placed online by December 15th, 2023 to ensure delivery in time for Christmas so get your Santa list in order sooner rather than later.