No confection defies description like halva: dense yet flaky, creamy yet crunchy, sliceable yet spreadable. While the word “halva” can refer to a number of different sweets around the world, arguably the most popular version is tahini-based halva, a dense, semi-soft solid sweet that can be sliced and eaten, or flaked into airy, melt-in-your-mouth crumbles. Real pistachio pieces in each bite add a bit of crunch to this complexly flavored halva. The naturally sweet pistachios' flavor comes through clearly as both a complement and counterpoint to the deeper nuttiness of tahini. Black nigella seeds, which have anise-y and peppery notes, add a bright accent to this earthy and aromatic treat.

No confection defies description like halva: dense yet flaky, creamy yet crunchy, sliceable yet spreadable. While the word “halva” can refer to a number of different sweets around the world, arguably the most popular version is tahini-based halva, a dense, semi-soft solid sweet that can be sliced and eaten, or flaked into airy, melt-in-your-mouth crumbles. The chocolate in Hebel & Co's halva is swirled in to create the perfect ratio of chocolate to soften the halva, yielding an especially soft, smooth texture. It's perfect for folding into baked goods or crumbling over oatmeal, yogurt or ice cream. We especially love how the ribbons of chocolate contribute sweet bursts of flavor but don't overpower the halva's nutty richness—think of this one as a sophisticated spin on chocolate and peanut butter.

Johan Bülow is on a mission to share with the world Scandinavia's most popular and polarizing treat: licorice. Lakrids by Bülow uses traditional black licorice—prepared using centuries-old methods—to make this small-batch candy. Licorice-lovers will appreciate the natural sweetness and earthy, herbal depth of these sweets, which don't taste like artificial or perfumey like some varieties we've tried. And the candies have a fudgy, toothsome quality rather than a gritty or grainy texture.

No confection defies description like halva: dense yet flaky, creamy yet crunchy, sliceable yet spreadable. While the word “halva” can refer to a number of different sweets around the world, arguably the most popular version is tahini-based halva, a dense, semi-soft solid sweet that can be sliced and eaten, or flaked into airy, melt-in-your-mouth crumbles. This classic flavor of halva showcases the rich nuttiness of sesame in a versatile, ready-to-eat form. Aromatic vanilla adds a light sweetness that enhances tahini's creamy quality and tempers the natural bitterness of the sesame paste. We dare you not to eat it all straight off the spoon.

Johan Bülow is on a mission to share with the world Scandinavia's most popular and polarizing treat: black licorice. Lakrids by Bülow uses traditional black licorice—prepared using centuries-old methods—to make small-batch candies with flavors that are more familiar to international consumers. These chocolate-covered licorice balls have a fudgy, toothsome quality that is much more satisfying than the gritty or grainy texture you'll find with other brands. The company's spherical Chocolate-Coated Licorice uses an especially creamy variety of milk chocolate that tempers licorice's bitter notes, for a balanced, aromatic candy. You don't have to be a licorice aficionado to fall for these treats: Even Milk Street staff members who claim to hate licorice were surprised by how much they loved Lakrids by Bülow.

Johan Bülow is on a mission to share with the world Scandinavia's most popular and polarizing treat: licorice. Lakrids by Bülow uses traditional black licorice—prepared using centuries-old methods—to make this small-batch candy. The bold, earthy flavor and naturally sweet aroma of licorice are juxtaposed by the sharp, tangy salt ammonium chloride for this Scandinavian classic, or salmiak licorice. The candies have a fudgy, toothsome quality that is much more satisfying than the gritty or grainy texture you'll find with other brands.

Wally and Whiz's Nordic Winegums are chewy—not sticky—candies that have a gumdrop-like texture without the granulated coating. Kristian Them Hansen started his company in order to create gummy candies with real fruit flavor, not just syrupy sweetness. We love the two-tone flavor and modern-looking cube shape of Wally and Whiz winegums, echoed by the neat boxes these sweets are packaged in. Each candy starts with the tart, fruity notes of the crushed whole raspberries from the sugar coating, which gives way to the floral mango finish of the winegum itself.

Wally and Whiz's Nordic Winegums are chewy—not sticky—candies that have a gumdrop-like texture without the granulated coating. Kristian Them Hansen started his company in order to create gummy candies with real fruit flavor, not just syrupy sweetness. We love the two-tone flavor and modern-looking cube shape of Wally and Whiz winegums, echoed by the neat boxes these sweets are packaged in. The spicy, warming ginger balances the delicate botanical notes of the elderflower and people who are wary of overly sweet candies will love these for their delicate flavor.

Wally and Whiz's Nordic Winegums are chewy—not sticky—candies that have a gumdrop-like texture without the granulated coating. Kristian Them Hansen started his company in order to create gummy candies with real fruit flavor, not just syrupy sweetness. We love the two-tone flavor and modern-looking cube shape of Wally and Whiz winegums, echoed by the neat boxes these sweets are packaged in. The delicate sweetness of the apricot coating perfectly compliments the tart, juicy grapefruit center, making for a scrumptious treat that's not overly sweet.

Handcrafted by the producer behind our bestselling apple cider vinegar, Little Apple Treats’ Good Food Award-winning Apple Cider Caramels are soft, creamy and melt in your mouth—without the unpleasant tooth-pulling quality that some store bought caramels have. The maker’s Spiced Apple Pie iteration of the candy offer tastes of the festive dessert, but also mulled cider. They feature a fragrant blend of warming holiday spices such as cardamom, allspice, cinnamon and crushed vanilla bean, but apple still holds the starring role. Delectable bits of the dried fruit are sprinkled throughout the caramel and a hint of sea salt and apple cider vinegar keeps the candies from becoming cloying by offering balance to the sweetness.

Handcrafted by the producer behind our bestselling apple cider vinegar, Little Apple Treats’ Good Food Award and SOFI Award-winning Apple Cider Caramels are soft, creamy and melt in your mouth—without the unpleasant tooth-pulling quality that some store bought caramels have. The maker’s Toasted Almond iteration of the candy is the first flavor she developed, yielding a taste similar to a freshly-baked apple crumble, with light notes of cinnamon and vanilla that bring out the apple flavor. Petite flecks of toasted almond blend nicely with bits of dried apple sprinkled throughout, while sea salt and apple cider vinegar keep the candies from being cloying by balancing out the sweetness.

Handcrafted by the producer behind our bestselling apple cider vinegar, Little Apple Treats’ Good Food Award-winning Apple Cider Caramels are soft, creamy and melt in your mouth—without the unpleasant tooth-pulling quality that some store bought caramels have. The maker’s Apple Brandy and Walnut iteration of the candy yields a deep, intense apple flavor reminiscent of a homemade apple butter. The sophisticated treats feature pleasantly bitter local toasted walnuts and a good dose of apple brandy, which adds warmth and complexity without being too boozy. Delectable bits of dried apple are sprinkled throughout the caramel and add a bit of texture that works well with the crunch of the walnuts, while sea salt and apple cider vinegar keep the candies from being cloying by balancing out the sweetness.

Handcrafted by the producer behind our bestselling apple cider vinegar, Little Apple Treats’ Good Food Award and SOFI Award-winning Apple Cider Caramels are soft, creamy and melt in your mouth—without the unpleasant tooth-pulling quality that some store bought caramels have. The maker’s Rose Petals and Cocoa Nibs iteration of the candy uses organic dried heirloom rose petals from the producer’s garden to subtly enhance the floral notes of the apple, while bitter cocoa nibs offer little bursts of chocolate intensity as they offset the sweetness of the caramel base.