Cadbury Crème Egg enthusiasts have been left baffled after discovering that the yellow fondant yolk is made using paprika extract. The revelation came during a visit to Cadbury's headquarters in Bournville, where a spokesperson disclosed the use of the spice to create the egg-like appearance.
The paprika extract, derived from dried and ground red peppers, is added to the gooey centre to mimic the colour of a real egg yolk. The full list of ingredients includes sugar, milk, glucose syrup, cocoa butter, invert sugar syrup, whey powder, cocoa mass, vegetable fats, emulsifier, dried egg white, flavourings, and paprika extract.
David Shepard, a product developer at Mondelēz International, explained the unique manufacturing process. Unlike standard chocolate bars, the Crème Egg is made by depositing the fondant centre—both yolk and white—into liquid chocolate, using a technique called displacement. 'It's the only product I know that does that,' he said.
Some eagle-eyed consumers had already spotted the paprika extract on the ingredient list, but many took to social media to express their surprise. One user wrote, 'What the hell is Paprika extract doing in a Creme Egg?!' while another asked, 'Why paprika extract in creme egg though.'
