You might think of pâte as a fancy meat spread, but the French term can refer to any paste, pastry, or dough, and pâte de fruit is a confection that resembles both paste and dough. These candies are made of pure fruit pulp for a soft, yet moldable and sliceable treat that resembles a sort of organic Sour Patch gummy in appearance and texture.

Pâte de fruit has roots in Roman Antiquity, a time when fruits were preserved using large amounts of sugar, and virtually any fruit can be made into these soft yet firm treats. Some tart fruits like raspberries make great pâte de fruit with a simple sugar coating, while sweeter fruits may be coated in citric acid for a balance of sweet and sour.

The first pâte de fruits were made from apricots, quince, and oranges, but modern recipes vary in flavor as well as shape, with some candies shaped like half-spheres instead of squares or rectangles. Artisan pâte de fruits typically have a higher fruit content and use pectin instead of gelatin to set the fruit mixture, making them vegan.

Chocolatier Ewald Notter's pâte de fruit calls for pectin, sugar, and fruit puree. The pectin and sugar are dissolved together, then mixed with heated fruit puree and combined with a hot tartaric acid solution before the mixture is poured into a silicone mold; once the candies harden, they’re coated in granulated sugar or a mix of sugar and citric acid.