Review: La Vaquita Milk Toffees

We’re south of the border for today’s sweet review! Sampling the dangerously rich and moreish ‘La Vaquita‘ natillas flavoured milk toffees by Canel’s, Mexico.

Canel’s have been producing confectionery in Mexico for almost a century. The business began in 1925 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as a confectioners and producers of high quality gum and chewy candies. Canel’s has since developed into a giant all-Mexican corporation that also has dealings in hotels, has its own fleet of airplanes and are sponsors to numerous sporting events and disciplines such as basketball, cycling and motorsports.

Canel’s ‘La Vaquita‘ (‘Little Cow’ in Spanish) soft candies come in a small range of flavours and formats, including lollypops. These particular sweets are ‘natillas‘ and pecan flavoured – natillas being a type of ‘Spanish custard’ which is made with milk and eggs.

Canel’s ‘La Vaquita’ milk toffees

They smell, and taste, like a rich combination of heavy condensed milk and buttery toffee. The taste grows ever sweeter as you chew your way through the semi-soft tanned rolls. And since they give quite a long chew, just a couple of sweets is about enough for me before they turn a little sickly.

‘Little Cow’ toffees with lots of caramel, nuts and natillas flavour

There is an ever so slight, nutty undertone, but equally, if you had told me that they didn’t contain a ‘rica nuez’ (or ‘rich nuts‘) pecan flavour, then I would have believed you. The predominant taste is that of a creamy, full bodied milky toffee chew…and that’s alright by me!

If you’re the type of person to chew on a lump of toffee all afternoon, or sip sweetened condensed milk from the tin, or take your custard warm over a toffee pudding, this sweet might just be right up your alley!

Review: Mexican Tamarind Candy

Up for review are some of the strangest sweets I have had the (dis)pleasure of trying – a small selection of tamarind and chili flavoured candies from Mexico.

Every country appears to have its niche confectionery identity – the USA has peanut butter, Australia has marshmallow, the Swiss has fine milk chocolate, Japan has its amazing biscuit snacks, and it appears that Mexico’s niche appears to be spicy sweets. This in itself is no bad thing, but unfortunately these candy’s taste and textures are just too strange for me – but they were a fun try!

My featured trio are a tamarind chewy stick-candy called Banderilla by Tama-Roca, hard shelled tamarind balls Pulparindots (mango flavour) made by De La Rosa, and mango centred tamarind balls named Zumba Goma, produced by Zumba Pica.

Mexican tamarind candy

All three have similar features in that their prize ingredient is natural tamarind pulp – a sweet/sour product from the plant’s bean-like pods, which apparently tastes like a mixture of lemons and apricots (I have never tried the fresh fruit itself). The pulp is a redish brown colour, which is shared across these sweets, along with the slightly sticky, chewy, grainy texture.

The Banderilla was probably the oddest one of the three – I think I had left it a little too long since receiving this sweet to try it as it took some time to peel it away from the wrapper – but once lifted revealed is a stick coated in the chewy tamarind pulp seasoned with salt and chili. And boy do you taste every element. At first you taste the fruity, juicy plant (I couldn’t put my finger on it but at first it reminded me of pears – not knowing what tamarind actually tastes like), then the saltiness washes that away with a fiery finale of hot chili. The texture is slightly gritty and surprisingly sweet…but it did not win me over with its taste, or looks.

Banderilla stick

With a very fruity first impression the mango Pulparindots, started out pretty tasty. Breaking into the sugar shell and giving them a good gumball-like chew I enjoyed this sweet…until I could taste the tamarind centre.

Mango tamarind Pulparindots

And as for the Zuma Goma, I’m afraid I couldn’t even make it past the sticky enrobing tamarind paste that surrounds a mango flavoured centre.

I’m sorry Mexico, I guess I’m not cut out to appreciate your sweet and spicy tamarind candies, but I will say it was a unique experience! And if this has piqued your interests, dear readers, I do encourage you to give these distinctive sweets a try!