Kẹo dừa is a candy with roots in Bến Tre, an area of Vietnam renowned for its coconuts. It is crafted from a blend of grated coconut flesh, coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar, and frequently malt syrup. This Đất Dừa Kẹo Dừa Lá Dứa includes a pandan flavour to the candy.

Each piece measured 3.3 x 2.5 x 0.8 cm, was an opaque green-yellow hue and had a warm coconut aroma. Upon tasting, the rice paper enveloping each piece provided an initial tasteless melt-in-the-mouth sensation, gradually dissolving after a few seconds to unveil a rich coconut flavor. The flavor commenced as savoury, likely influenced by the rice paper. Mid-bite, the aromatic coconut taste was joined by the presence of pandan, introducing a vanilla-like depth to the malty sweetness that lingered into the finish. At room temperature, each piece had a chewy, taffy-like texture, softer than Hi-Chew. It adhered to one’s teeth during the initial chew, dissolving after a while to leave a fine texture of ground coconut in the finish. Overall, these treats were enjoyable in moderation, though the tendency to stick to our teeth was not a preferred characteristic.

This Đất Dừa Kẹo Dừa Lá Dứa contained 40 pieces. It was produced in Vietnam and received as a gift from acquaintances visiting Vietnam in 2023.