Jade Crystal Candies: The Fusion of Coconut and Pandan's Delicious and Healthy Flavors

Coconut and pandan are both integral parts of Vietnamese culture, with coconut playing a large role in cooking and pandan leaves being used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Vietnam holds the world record for the most coconut-based recipes, with over 220 to choose from. Growing up in Vietnam, I was surrounded by the use of coconut in many different forms, including candied coconut ribbons, or mứt dừa. Not only is coconut delicious, it also has many health benefits such as reducing blood pressure and cholesterol.

Pandan leaves, or lá dứa, are also native to Southeast Asia and have been a staple in regional cooking and traditional medicine for centuries. They have a grassy herb flavor with a slight hint of vanilla and pair well with coconut and rice. The vibrant green color of pandan is also often used for food coloring. As a child, I enjoyed many desserts flavored with pandan, including bánh bò nướng, a Vietnamese honeycomb cake, and rau câu, a jelly cake made with agar, coconut milk, condensed milk, and flavorings like coconut, banana, and vanilla. Pandan leaves are an excellent source of vitamins and antioxidants known to boost the immune system and prevent conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Our coconut and pandan jade crystal candies are not only delicious and healthy, they are also visually distinctive with their beautiful milky green jade color and gold flecks. These treats are a creamy coconut candy with a slight savory vanilla flavor that pairs well with a nice cup of hot tea or coffee. They are one of our most popular items.