5 Filipino Candies to Impress Your Sweet Tastebuds

If you ever end up in the Philippines, you should know that tasting local sweets is a must. In general, this country will surely astonish you with its rich history, culture, and warm attitude from locals. But this is not everything — don’t be surprised if someone offers you treats that are so good, you simply can’t refuse when visiting a Filipino household. 

For candy enthusiasts who can’t imagine life without their favorite sweet snacks, this culture is indeed a great opportunity to enjoy what they already love and discover new flavors and textures at the same time. 

Even though these sweets are influenced by other cultures, like Chinese, Spanish, and American, Filipino candy still remains authentic and original. In this article, we will introduce 5 Filipino candies that are likely to impress you.

1. Frutos Soft Chewy Candy

Frutos Soft Chewy Candy is what some people would call a “vintage” candy. Its funky flavors bring joy, especially for kids. It can also boost your mood and give you confidence while doing activities that require important decision-making or even luck. That could be one of the reasons why Filipinos like to chew on this candy right before playing and trying their luck at online betting ph.

A typical Frutos bag consists of 50 pieces of candy. The most traditional flavors are grapes, strawberries, lemons, and oranges. There are also tropical fruit flavor editions, which are mango, lychee, ponkan (or Chinese honey orange), and tamarind flavors.

2. Potchi

If you love Gummy Bears and Jelly Beans, Potchy might as well become your new favorite candy. It was released by the Columbia Candy Company of the Philippines and is very popular among locals. While it might be known outside the country by foreigners, it is not possible to purchase it anywhere else. However, you can still order it online.

Besides the flavor, the texture of Potchi is what catches the hearts of those who try it. It is very sugary and crunchy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. The most well-known flavor is strawberry. There is also an orange and a special edition of chocolate-covered strawberry flavor.

3. Pastillas de Leche

Pastillas de Leche are delicious, soft milk candies that descended in the Philippines from the time of Spanish colonization. This event left many legacies in this country, but Pastillas is probably the favorite for candy lovers. Tourists just love to try this treat, especially the ones from Slavic countries, because it slightly reminds them of the texture of Russian sweets.

Typically, pastillas de leche is based on carabao’s milk. While cooking, it is rolled in sugar and later wrapped in the Papel del Jabon. It has a lot of different variations, including pastillas with the rind of the lime, de ube, and de queso, which consists of not just egg but cheese as well.

4. Oscha (Haw Flakes)

Oscha, also known as Haw Flakes, directly comes from China, considering it is made out of hawthorn tree fruits, which grow there. People from the Caribbean countries like to call it a “Chinese sausage” or a “Chinese Communion.” This candy is a tart with a nice, sweet flavor and a flaky texture. You will find it formed into disks and usually sold in cylinder-form packages.

Children in the Philippines love Oscha a lot, but because of its calorie value, it is important for them to eat it in moderation. They often make a joke about eating this candy and imitating a Catholic ritual, when a priest places a communion wafer on a believer’s tongue. 

5. Yema

Yema is a creamy and fudgy-textured candy that is traditionally made with egg yolks and condensed milk. The story of its creation is quite interesting and goes back to the Spanish colonization times again.

According to these legends, at the time, people were using egg whites for the construction of churches so that the materials they were using could blend more easily and better. This caused many extra egg yolks to be left. For them not to go to waste, the idea of Yema was born.

Bottom Line

Candies from each country might be hiding some flavors that are waiting to be discovered and devoured by you. Sweets from the Philippines absolutely belong in this category. As you can see, these candies outshine many others with their surprising taste and distinctive texture.

It would be a crime not to try them if you’re visiting this country and even if you’re not, you can still purchase them and expand your sweet snack options. In case you can not decide, at least now you know about 5 of the Filipino candies you can choose from.