Haw flakes are a Chinese confectionery made from the hawthorn fruit. The hawthorn fruit is dried, ground into a powder, and then formed into small, thin, disc-shaped candies. They are bright red in color with a sweet-tangy flavor that is like a cross between apple and cherry. They are often eaten as a sweet snack, but can also be used as a topping for desserts or mixed with other ingredients as a filling for pastries. Hawthorn fruit is also used medicinally to treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels as well as low/high blood pressure and high cholesterol.