Review: Mexican candy to explore with your taste buds

APRIL CALVO, Graphic Editor

Halloween is the perfect time to introduce new flavors into your life. Tamarind, cajeta, Mexican sweet chili and powdered peanuts might be strange flavors at first, but you will grow to love and savor them. Here’s a list of Mexican candy from sweet to spicy that will make you rethink your taste buds – and your favorite Halloween treats.

Duvalin

Packaged in different flavors such as cajeta, hazelnut, strawberry and vanilla, this candy is similar to nutella but thicker and creamier. Each flavor comes out perfectly with its own delicious taste. Duvalins are sold in two or three flavors and come with a little spoon. It’s up to you whether to mix the flavors or not.

Bubulubu

This is a treat with thick, sugary strawberry and marshmallow filling covered in milk chocolate. The chocolate is flakey and thin around the candy, so it enhances the taste of the spongy, soft marshmallow and sweet strawberry taste. The strawberry has a gelatin consistency, so you won’t have to worry about making a gooey mess.

Obleas con Cajeta

Connecting parents, grandparents and children with its taste, this thick, milky Mexican caramel, cajeta, sandwiched in a thin paper-like wafer is so delicious you will hide it from everyone on sight. The thin, dry wafer brings out the thick, tart caramel taste at the center. With every thin bite your mouth will be filled with the lush, gummy taste of the cajeta. It’s perfect for those without a sweet tooth, and those trying out traditional Mexican candy.

Carlos V

You can find these milk chocolate bars in almost every Mexican grocery store. With a spiraling mix of milk and chocolate, it makes a nice creamy tart taste that your tastebuds will love. Unlike other milk chocolate brands, Carlos V has the perfect balance, making it a subtle, sweet chocolate bar. When you buy one, you’re bound to get one for everyone in your household.

Bocadin

Contrary to its bland look, this crunchy wafer cookie is layered in smooth peanut butter covered in milk chocolate. The candy is so thick with its flakey wafer texture and smooth peanut butter taste, it makes it hard to talk. It’s also confusing whether to call it a candy or a cookie. While eating, you’ll probably think about dipping it in a cup of milk.

Bandera de Coco

Painted and molded to look like Mexico’s flag, this treat is made with grated coconut, sugar and caramel. The caramel is used for molding the coconut and to bring out its mild sweetness. The taste is just right for people who aren’t a fan of sweets. It’s a favorite among Mexicans with a soft spot for coconut.

De la Rosa Mazapan

This is a round, peanut-based candy crushed into powder with bits of peanut pieces, then compressed to temporarily hold a circular shape. Once in your mouth, it will surprise you with its creamy texture and crunchy peanut taste. They come in small and giant sizes sold in packs and individually. It’s the candy that rules at birthday parties but it will crumble to pieces if you’re not careful unwrapping the paper.

Pelon Mini Tamarindo

This round push candy is filled with spicy, sweet and sour tamarind-flavored candy with a gooey texture. The flavorful sweet and spice is good enough to get you addicted to the chili-flavored tamarind candy. Its taste may be different for each person, which is why the mini version is perfect for people trying tamarind candy for the first time.

Vero Mango Paleta

With a mix of spice and salty flavor that makes your mouth pucker at the taste, this candy is a mango lollipop covered in a thick-salty chili powder layer. The addicting puckering flavor will make you keep going until you reach the smooth, sweet mango base. It’s covered in so much chili, it usually gets stuck to the lollipop’s stick, making your hands sticky, but the sweet and spicy flavor is so worth it.

Indy Dedos

Made in the shape of your finger, this tamarind gummy candy is made up of spicy and salty chili powder. Its salty spicy combo taste will engulf your taste buds in a roller coaster of flavors, making your mouth pucker with every bite. Even though some say it doesn’t taste as sweet, it can be eaten with chamoy and valentina for that extra spice.