In this vegetarian version of Mexican candy jamoncillo de leche, coconut milk and coconut cream add a rich flavor to the fudge, which is filled with roasted walnuts, candied cherries and cinnamon. If you have never made gummy candy before, know that it will make you exercise your arms, so be prepared, maybe there is a friend or lover by your side, and pass the spoon to the syrup during the six-minute mixing process in order to get enough air Beat into the syrup so it has a characteristic soft texture. The flaky sea salt on the top helps balance the strong sweetness of this candy, so don't skip it.

Put the coconut cream and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside. Place the sieve on the bowl and drain the cherries from the sieve; let this setting stand aside. Put the walnuts in a separate bowl.

In a large Dutch oven, whisk together sugar, coconut milk, canela, salt and baking soda. Pour the cherry syrup from the bowl into the pot and stir to combine. Put the pot on medium-high heat and simmer the syrup. Once the foam covers the surface of the syrup, stick the candy thermometer on the side of the pan and set a 15-minute timer. Continue to cook the syrup, stirring occasionally, until it diminishes slightly, darkens and reaches 240 degrees on the thermometer.

When the mixture is bubbling, roughly chop the drained cherries and add them to the walnuts in the bowl. Coat the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with oil. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper or foil, and let the excess hang on the sides of the pan. Grease the paper or foil as well.

Once the syrup has just reached 240 degrees, turn off the heat and add the coconut cream and vanilla to the syrup, but do not stir. Let the syrup sit in the pot until it cools to 180 degrees on the thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a long-handled wooden spoon or silicone spatula, start to stir the syrup until the coconut cream and vanilla are added. Set the timer to 6 minutes and keep stirring the syrup-slowly and steadily at first to prevent it from splashing, and then more vigorously at the end-until it thickens to the consistency of caramel sauce and the bubbles seem to be trapped Under the surface.

Working quickly, add the cherries and walnuts at a time and stir until they are completely combined and the mixture becomes thicker, reaching the consistency of peanut butter, 45 to 60 seconds more. Immediately scrape the mixture into the prepared baking pan, then press it into the corners and smooth the top. Sprinkle a large pinch of flaky sea salt on the top quickly. Let the candy stand until it has completely cooled and solidified into a firm gummy, at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve, use a parchment paper drape to remove the candy board from the pan and place it on the cutting board. Take out and discard the parchment paper, then use a thin-bladed knife to cut the board into 8 rows in each direction to make 64 small squares.

Ben Mims is a culinary columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has written three cookbooks and has worked as a food editor and recipe developer in several food media publications, such as Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Saveur, Food Network, and Buzzfeed/Tasty.

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