Mexican Candy

[tovie]

Since there's several people on this board who know lots and lots about Mexican/South American cooking, I thought I'd try y'all (g) There's a little Mexican restaurant/grocery where I live that sells candy that I would love to know how to make, mostly because I never seem to time it right to buy the kinds I really like. I've spent an excessive amount of time searching on the web and the only thing I turned up was the one kind I didn't like that involved coconut.

The stuff I like is sort of like a cross between fruit leather and Turkish Delight. I'm half tempted to just adapt a Turkish Delight recipe and see what that gets me.

The one I really want I haven't been able to get the waitress to tell me what it's made from, so even asking for it might be grasping at straws. It's a pale orangy yellow, cut maybe 1/2" thick, rolled in sugar and then rolled up. I thought it might be guava, but I had guava paste for the first time the other day and it didn't taste remotely similar. The other is slices in a variety of flavors, including raspberry.

Thanks.

[56grapeape]

tovie, i work with a Mexican lady, i will ask her tomorrow what it could be!

I'll get back to ya on this!

rachelle ~:0)

Originally posted by tovie:
Since there's several people on this board who know lots and lots about Mexican/South American cooking, I thought I'd try y'all (g) There's a little Mexican restaurant/grocery where I live that sells candy that I would love to know how to make, mostly because I never seem to time it right to buy the kinds I really like. I've spent an excessive amount of time searching on the web and the only thing I turned up was the one kind I didn't like that involved coconut.

The stuff I like is sort of like a cross between fruit leather and Turkish Delight. I'm half tempted to just adapt a Turkish Delight recipe and see what that gets me.

The one I really want I haven't been able to get the waitress to tell me what it's made from, so even asking for it might be grasping at straws. It's a pale orangy yellow, cut maybe 1/2" thick, rolled in sugar and then rolled up. I thought it might be guava, but I had guava paste for the first time the other day and it didn't taste remotely similar. The other is slices in a variety of flavors, including raspberry.

Thanks.

[Vanessa]

Could it be papaya or mango? If its leather like it could have been dried and sweetened?
When you go to buy it just ask what's the name of this candy then you can search more easily for it.

[tovie]

I buy both dried papaya and mango and it doesn't taste like either. When I've asked, I mostly get the reply "candy" or "dulce" and that's it. I have started asking them to just tell me in Spanish if they don't know it in English (and found out that one thing was candied pumpkin), but the fruit ones seem to sell out first and I haven't seen my favorite in several months to try asking that way.

When I couldn't find anything on Mexican/S American/Latin American cooking sites in English, I even stretched my limited Spanish and surfed some sites that weren't in English, hoping to run across something even remotely similar. That's actually where I ran across the coconut one that I don't like. But I don't seem to see recipes for anything like any of the candy (lots of flan and cookies <g> )

Thanks :-)

[Gail]

Am I understanding correctly that you've ruled out fruit pastes due to the consistency? Besides aforementioned flavors, I also have recipes for quince and pineapple.

I had my mom ask my sister's Mexican caregiver yesterday, and even she came up empty.

[tovie]

Originally posted by Gail:
Am I understanding correctly that you've ruled out fruit pastes due to the consistency? Besides aforementioned flavors, I also have recipes for quince and pineapple.

I had my mom ask my sister's Mexican caregiver yesterday, and even she came up empty.


I was really just ruling out guava paste and guava as what I was looking for, and I didn't actually think of the term "fruit paste", so maybe not. I wonder if I missed that concentrating on dessert and candy while searching? Guava paste is the only fruit paste I've had and I thought it seemed too soft and sticky, but maybe if it was sliced thin, rolled in enough sugar and dried out more.

And I've just seen pics at about.com and think you're probably right, it's quite likely fruit paste.

I don't think I've ever had quince, and if it's what I think it is, that thing that looks like a cross between an apple and a pear, it's a possiblity. Could you maybe post a recipe for the quince and do you have raspberry?

Thanks :-)

[Gail]

Here you go, Tovie! I'm not at all convinced this is the right stuff, because it kind of sounds like something I've had which more as a dessert than candy. However, if you've had fruit pastes, you'd know better than I. Sorry, though. The only flavors I have are listed below.

I had another book which also had recipes for fruit pastes, that one suggesting the finished product be dusted with sugar.

ATES

Fruit pastes

A wide range of ates, fruit pastes,is made in Mexico...Quince, guava, mango,and papaya with pineapple are the most popular. The pastes can be bought in Latin American and Spanish groceries,aswellasinsome shops specializing in fine imported foods,in the United States. Fruit pastes of excellent quality are also made in Florida and Puerto Rico. Served with cream cheese and saltine crackers they make an excellent dessert.

However, ates are good enough to make at home. Some cooks insistthat the paste should be dried in the sun for a couple of days. Others dispense with this. If they are to keep, unrefrigerated, for a long time, perhaps the sun drying is essential, but how anyone can keep them uneaten at home is something of a mystery. The recipe for Guayabate (Guava paste) can be used with very slight variations for all the other ates.

GUAYABATE

2 pounds guavas
2 pounds sugar, about

Cut the guavas in half and scoop out the seeds. Soak the seeds in 1 cup of cold water. Place the guavas in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until they are really soft. Take care they don't scorch.

Strain the water from the seeds (it will be slightly mucilaginous), and add to the cooked guavas. Discard the seeds.

Grind the guavas through the fine blade of a food chopper. Measure the pulp, and add an equal amount of sugar. Mix well, place in a large, heavy kettle over very low heat; and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick and a little jelly tested on a cube of ice can be lifted off, in one piece when cold. Remove from heat, and beat with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes, or until it forms a heavy paste. Have ready a loaf pan, lined with waxed paper. Turn the paste into the pan, and set aside, in a cool place, for 24 hours. To store, turn out of the pan, and wrap securely in foil.

NOTE: If possible, place the paste on waxed paper ona wooden board, cover with cheesecloth, and set inthe sun for 2 days, turning the board from time to time to make sure all the surfaces are exposed to the sun.

OTHER FRUIT PASTES

To make Membrillate (Quince paste) follow the same procedure as for Guayabate, soaking the cores of the fruit and using the water.

To make Ate de Mango, choose fruit that is not completely ripe; peel, remove the seed, and grind the pulp. Measure, and cook with an equal quantity of sugar, weight for weight.

To make Papaya y Piña, peel the papaya, remove the seeds and grind the pulp; peel and core the pineapple, grind and mix with the papaya pulp. Combine the two and mix with an equal quantity of sugar, weight for weight.

(FROM: The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking)

Ah! Just found this one:

PRESSED QUINCE PASTE

Cajeta de Membrillo

Typically Mexican, this takes time to prepare, but will keep indefinitely. Once done, you have in reserve an emergency dessert, perfect with cheese, to finish a meal. Guava and mango pastes are made in the same manner.

Wash the quinces and steam until tender-- about 20 minutes. Cut in quarters, removing core and seeds. (I have learned it's much easier to core and seed after steaming.) Grind through the finest blade of your food chopper, skin and all. Measure out your quince pulp and add an equal amount of sugar. Mix well and place in a pot that is easy to hold on to, as you are going to do a lot of stirring. Use a wooden spoon and stir constantly, as the mixture cooks, or it will burn. When the mixture is quite thick, and you can see the botttom of the pan clearly, empty it into a square or oblong pan and cool. Whencold, the cooked quince is turned out on a wax paper covered board, covered with cheesecloth, and placed in the sun for 2 days. Turn the board around occasionally to expose all surfaces to the sun, as this treatment prevents molding. Store the pressed quince covered, in cool, dry place.

A gourmet's delight, and the perfect accompaniment to most any after-dinner cheese. We drool to think of this sweet with our great pet of cheeses, Teleme. Take note of that sun treatment, and scan the weather predictions before embarking on this project.

(FROM: Elena's Fiesta Recipes)

[tovie]

Originally posted by Gail:
Here you go, Tovie! I'm not at all convinced this is the right stuff, because it kind of sounds like something I've had which more as a dessert than candy. However, if you've had fruit pastes, you'd know better than I. Sorry, though. The only flavors I have are listed below.

Thanks. I don't know if it's fruit paste or not, but I'm willing to give it a try since it's the only thing that seems to be close. And if the one I really like is made with quince, I might be happy to settle for it in a fruit paste if I can't find the other.

I was just doing a web search for "fruit paste" and there almost seems to be two kinds of fruit paste, one, which includes the recipes you posted that they're serving with cheese and crackers, and another one that seems to be served as a candy, by itself, sort of like Turkish delight. I've turned up some comments, descriptions, one grocery in Puerto Rico that sells it but only one recipe so far, and it's Middle Eastern.

I've never been able to find guava around here, but I'm pretty sure I've seen quince. I'll post a followup as soon as I get a chance to try it.

Thanks

[Vanessa]

Tovie:
Although I email you directly I continue to follow this search. I think you definitelly are looking for pasta. In latin countries (like PR) you have many types of pasta dulce
Quince is called membrillo we have jelly type or pasta de membrillo. We also have mango, ajonjoli, guayaba (this one is used in Aprils guava empanadas in CL)To take a closer look at "goodies" check www.antojito.com/dulces.htm (http://www.antojito.com/dulces.htm)
You can order from here. I must say our sweets are very good! I am not sure where you live in areas of diverse Latino population you might find Goya products and they have these "pastas". I went to a mostly Mexican market and the selection was limited.
Good luck and hope this helps.
You might also try www.quijotefood.com (http://www.quijotefood.com)
El Quijote manufactures quince jellies and pasta dulce I am not sure if they are in Spain though.

[tovie]

Originally posted by Vanessa:
Tovie:
Although I email you directly I continue to follow this search. I think you definitelly are looking for pasta. In latin countries (like PR) you have many types of pasta dulce
Quince is called membrillo we have jelly type or pasta de membrillo. We also have mango, ajonjoli, guayaba (this one is used in Aprils guava empanadas in CL)To take a closer look at "goodies" check www.antojito.com/dulces.htm (http://www.antojito.com/dulces.htm)
You can order from here. I must say our sweets are very good! I am not sure where you live in areas of diverse Latino population you might find Goya products and they have these "pastas". I went to a mostly Mexican market and the selection was limited.
Good luck and hope this helps.
You might also try www.quijotefood.com (http://www.quijotefood.com)
El Quijote manufactures quince jellies and pasta dulce I am not sure if they are in Spain though.

My monitor at work's not real great, but the candy on the first site looks quite similar. The family that runs the restaurant just opened a small grocery in town (I live in Michigan). I know they carry Goya products, although guava paste was the only kind I noticed. But I could easily have missed it. And they do have a whole aisle endcap of packaged candy (bg) that I was eyeing but I'd already spent more than I planned to by the time I discovered that. I'll go take another look and maybe ask too since you've given me a better idea of what I'm looking for. And if they don't have it, I'll probably try one of those sample packages from that one site.

Thanks :-)