Piloncillo

Today when I returned from grocery shopping and I was putting the groceries away, I found a small package that I knew I had not purchased. It looked like six chocolate candies. I examined the red-labeled package and saw Piloncillo Packed Brown Sugar.  I wondered how it got into my groceries. I called the store and told them what I had found in my bag and they said, "Just keep it because if you return it, we will just toss it."

It is packaged in New Mexico's Hatch Valley.While visiting in Mexico I remember that a lot of their candy is made with Piloncillo. I went to Google to see what more I could learn about Piloncillo.

The name piloncillo is for the cone shape.
Caramel-rich dark brown unrefined sugar.
Harder than regular brown sugar and needs to be cut with a serrated knife or grated.
It is pure sugar with no additives.
Can be used to make coffee with cinnamon or a hot chocolate.
Melts in heat.
Tastes somewhere between honey and molasses.

I saw a recipe for black beans (did not appeal to me) and one for bread pudding (sounded interesting.) As I write this blog my mouth keeps watering because the mounds of dark brown sugar tempt me. They really do look like chocolate candy!