Mexican Tamarind Candy
This is the most favorite Mexican candy of all 10 of my children...sweet, spicy, and so yummy. Full of tamarind fruit.
Makes a great activity for children to help with on a long rainy or hot summer day...and homemade has no traces of lead...like some store-bought tamarind candies.
tamarind pods, peeled 
1
pound
water
1
cup
orange, peeled and segmented
1
white sugar
4
cups
chile-lime seasoning (such as Tajin®), or more to taste
4
tablespoons
butter
1
tablespoon
 Bring tamarind pulp, water, and orange to a boil in a pot; continue to boil for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
  Pour tamarind mixture into a colander placed over a large bowl. Mash and scrape against the side of the colander until all the juice and pulp drips into the bowl. Dump remaining seeds into a strainer and repeat the process; remove the outer casing around the seeds by hand and toss out the seeds.
  Blend outer casings with juicy pulp in an electric blender.
  Return mixture to the large pot and add sugar, Tajin®, and butter. Bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly. Heat to 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water and placed on a flat surface.
  Remove from heat and let cool, about 2 hours.
  Fill a pastry or plastic sandwich bag with the candy mixture and squeeze onto plastic spoons. Place plastic spoons onto a cookie sheet and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Coat with more Tajin® if desired, wrap with plastic, and close with a twist tie.
