Kẹo dừa facts for kids
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| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Vietnam |
| Region or state | Bến Tre Province |
| Main ingredients | Coconut, malt syrup, sugar |
Kẹo dừa is a yummy Vietnamese coconut candy. It is mostly made in Bến Tre province, Vietnam. This candy uses coconut milk and coconut cream. People in Vietnam often call Bến Tre Province the "Land of Coconut" (Xu Dua). The name "kẹo dừa" means "coconut candy." "Kẹo" means candy, and "dừa" means coconut. This sweet treat first came from Mo Cay, a town in Bến Tre province.
Contents
How Coconut Candy is Made
Making coconut candy is a special process. It starts with fresh coconuts.
Getting the Coconut Ready
First, workers grate the fresh coconut meat. Then, they press the grated coconut. This helps them get out the rich coconut milk and coconut cream.
Mixing and Cooking the Candy
Next, malt syrup and sugar are added to the coconut milk and cream. The exact amounts of these ingredients are a secret for each candy maker. Often, only family members know the secret recipe. Even small changes in the amounts can make the candy taste and feel very different.
The mixture is then heated in big cooking pots called woks. These woks are heated over fires made from burning coconut shells. While it heats, the mixture is stirred all the time. This makes sure it cooks evenly. In the past, people stirred it by hand with large wooden paddles. Today, bigger factories use electric motors to do the stirring.
Cooling and Wrapping
As it cooks, the mixture becomes thick and turns into a caramel. Knowing when it's perfectly cooked is a skill that takes practice. While the candy is still hot and soft, it is stretched into molds. Then, it cools down. Finally, the long candy pieces are cut into small, rectangle shapes. After that, each piece is wrapped and put into packages.
Long ago, coconut candy had two layers of wrapping. The inside layer was edible rice paper. The outside layer was paper soaked in vegetable oil. This stopped the candy from sticking. Now, many bigger candy makers use special foil paper. This paper is sealed with heat and does not stick to the candy.
Coconut Candy's Role in the Economy
Coconut candy is very important to the economy in Bến Tre.
Candy Businesses
Today, Bến Tre has over one hundred companies that make coconut candy. This means about 30 out of every 100 local businesses make this candy! However, only a few well-known brands sell most of the candy. Many smaller companies make candy under a special agreement for these bigger brands.
Where the Candy is Sold
You can find coconut candy all over Vietnam. It is also sent to many other countries. These include places in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. This shows how popular this sweet treat has become!
- Kẹo dừa
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Making coconut candy
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The candy mixture cooking
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Finished coconut candy
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Cần xé (a type of basket)
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Different flavors of candy
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Candy ready to be wrapped
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A close-up of the candy
