Mexican Tamarind Candy

This is the most favorite Mexican candy of all 10 of my children...sweet, spicy, and so yummy. Full of tamarind fruit. Makes a great activity for children to help with on a long rainy or hot summer day...and homemade has no traces of lead...like some store-bought tamarind candies.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 86 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1 orange, peeled and segmented
• 1 pound tamarind pods, peeled
• 4 tablespoons chile-lime seasoning (such as Tajin®), or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring tamarind pulp, water, and orange to a boil in a pot; continue to boil for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Pour tamarind mixture into a colander placed over a large bowl. Mash and scrape against the side of the colander until all the juice and pulp drips into the bowl. Dump remaining seeds into a strainer and repeat the process; remove the outer casing around the seeds by hand and toss out the seeds.

Step 3

Blend outer casings with juicy pulp in an electric blender.

Step 4

Return mixture to the large pot and add sugar, Tajin®, and butter. Bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly. Heat to 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water and placed on a flat surface.

Step 5

Remove from heat and let cool, about 2 hours.

Step 6

Fill a pastry or plastic sandwich bag with the candy mixture and squeeze onto plastic spoons. Place plastic spoons onto a cookie sheet and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Coat with more Tajin® if desired, wrap with plastic, and close with a twist tie.