The Lime in the Coconut

by Anne Paddock

The Coconut Pattie has been redefined and reached a new pinnacle with the creation of The Lime in the Coconut – a candy bar with a chewy coconut center, chunks of toasted macadamia nuts, lime zest and a touch of white rum all enrobed in dark chocolate. For those of us who grew up devouring Mounds Bars and for those who just call themselves coconut lovers, The Lime in the Coconut is pure bliss and it all started with the culinary talents of two very talented pastry trained chefs with a vision.

Liddabit Sweets is a Brooklyn-based candy maker specializing in “fresh, delectable, responsibly made sweets.” Liz Gutman and Jen King were attending the French Culinary Institute when they discovered they shared a passion for the sweet life which paved the way for their future partnership. Combining talents, they started Liddabit Sweets in 2009 which makes candy bars, caramel, honeycomb sweets, slurtles (beer caramel atop crunchy pretzels or potato chips and finished off with a dark chocolate shell), popcorn (think caramel corn and more), lollipops, and seasonal specialities.

The Lime in the Coconut is a 3-ounce bar (big even by candy bar standards) that contains: unsweetened organic shredded coconut, sugar, macadamia nuts, glucose, lime juice, rum, dried egg whites, lime zest, vanilla extract, sea salt, and dark chocolate. Wrapped in sealed plastic within a colorful cardboard box, the bar is rich and decadent – not the kind of candy bar devoured in one sitting (although I’m sure this can easily happen for those who get carried away when tasting coconut, lime, macadamia nuts, and dark chocolate combined together). Instead, I prefer to slice the bar in pieces, similar to how fudge is served. The bars are $7 each and available primarily in specialty and gourmet shops in Manhattan (including their own in Chelsea Market), Brooklyn, East Hampton, and a few stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts. For a complete list of locations, see the website below. The bars can also be ordered directly from the company via the website listed below.