Jamaicans love their sweets too mon. Growing up in Jamaica I loved the variety in the candies on the island. Coconut was incorporated in many of our sweets. We had rum fudge (of course that was for the adults), coconut drops and my favorite tamarind balls. Busta, (a hard confectionery sweet), was named that way because it really could bust your jaw when you tried to bit into it. Gizzada (another coconut treat) was also popular. Who could forget paradise plum
Here is a recipe for Ginger Candy (made with chopped coconut)
Ingredients
vegetable oil
2 cups of chopped coconut (I leave the brown part on)
2 cups of brown sugar
1/4 cup of water
2-3 tbl spoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of white sugar
a little allspice for flavor. use about 1/2 a teaspoon
1/4 cup of water (
Spread light coating of the oil on a baking sheet. Put all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Stir on low flame until the sugar dissolves and mixture starts boiling. If you have a candy thermometer attach to side of pan. When mixture thickens and thermometer says 295 remove pan from the heat. Quickly spoon the mixture (2 tbs) unto baking sheet. spacing as needed. let cool and get firm. Some people use wax paper and spray the vegetable oil on that.
