You wouldn't wear the same food costume [1] every Halloween [2] — so why trick-or-treat with the same candy? This year, try something new. If you're already well-versed in the categories of >movie treats and nostalgic candies [3], then consider serving various candies from around the world. Need a bit of an education in global candy culture? Then test your knowledge of the world's candies [4] and check out some of our favorites here.
Bounty, United Kingdom
Mounds [5] lovers will appreciate Bounty [6], a coconut-filled bar enrobed with milk chocolate.
Botan Rice Candy, Japan
Even if you've never been to Japan, you may have come across Botan Rice Candy [7] in Asian supermarkets. Botan, which means "peony," is a prominent brand in Japan and makes a sticky rice candy with a slightly citrusy flavor.
ToffeeCrisp, United Kingdom
Nestlé makes a number of chocolate bars in Europe that aren't readily available in the United States. One of them is ToffeeCrisp [8], a staple in the United Kingdom. The long, slender milk chocolate bar is filled with crackling puffed rice and caramel. Its motto? "Somebody, somewhere, is eating a ToffeeCrisp."
Cheong Woo, Korea
Leave it to South Korea to come up with pumpkin candy [9] — a mellow, slightly salty candy with a prominent squash-like flavor and the texture of Starburst [10]. If you can track it down, it's perfect for this time of year.
Kinder Country, Germany
I wasn't sure what to make of Kinder Country [11], which was described on the wrapper as "milk chocolate with rich milk filling." It was unlike anything I'd ever had in the States: a creamy, milky white center, made crunchy with puffed rice and then doused in milk chocolate.
Lion, United Kingdom
I was really happy to bite into a Lion Bar [12], another chocolate confection that hails from the UK. It was similar to a ToffeeCrisp, with caramel, crisp cereal, and a wafer enrobed in milk chocolate and reminded me of an even heartier 100 Grand [13]. This lion was one of my top candy picks and definitely made me roar.
Baci, Italy
Hershey's isn't the only one with kisses — Italy has its own version, Perugina's Baci [14]. These chocolate bonbons are filled with hazelnut chocolate cream, topped with a whole hazelnut, and wrapped in a love note.
Peko Milky Candy, Japan
Peko-chan Milk Candy [15] is commonplace among children in Japan. The individually-wrapped candies are firm yet chewy and have a distinctive sweet milk flavor.
Yorkie, United Kingdom
The Yorkie [16] bar — originally titled so because it was made by Rowntrees of York [17] — was created in the 1970s as a larger chocolate bar alternative to Cadbury's Dairy-Milk. To this day, the chocolate stays true to its original branding with the slogan, "It's not for girls!"
Chimes Mango Ginger Chews, Indonesia
I'd never heard of Chimes Mango Ginger Chews [18] before, but these individually-wrapped Indonesian ginger candies in the quaint tin turned out to be my favorite. They had a latent heat and spiciness to them, thanks to ginger that's grown on volcanic soil in East Java.
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