A popular street food from the 1960s and 1970s that’s been brought to international attention with Netflix’s new Korean drama, Squid Game, dalgona candy (also known as ppopgi), is a sweet but nutty candy that your kids will love to snack on. Dalgona was traditionally made with glucose solid, whereas ppopgi uses plain sugar, but the two names became interchangeable over time. You might find this sponge toffee-like sugar candy to be tricky to make at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be stamping out sweets like a pro. Break out the cookie cutters and make them in a variety of cutouts. It’s quite similar to making homemade caramel!
What you Need to Make This Recipe
Sugar — while you can use either brown sugar or white sugar to make this candy recipe, I use white sugar. It’s easier to see the color of the sugar changing with white sugar.
Baking soda — you cannot skip the baking soda. The baking soda reacts to the sugar and turns it light, airy, and brittle.
How to Make Dalgona Candy
1. Add two tablespoons of sugar to a metal ladle, then place directly over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly with a wooden chopstick until the sugar is melted and a light amber color.
3. Remove the ladle from the heat, add a pinch of baking soda, and mix vigorously until incorporated.
4. Pour the mixture onto parchment paper in two equal circles.
5. Use a lightly oiled measuring cup to press the candy into a thin, even layer a bit less than ¼ inch.
6. Let the measuring cup rest there for about 8 seconds, then remove and press a shape in with your cookie cutter. Repeat for the remaining portion of candy.
Pro Tips for This Recipe
- If you’re having trouble pressing down the candy, let the mixture cool off for 10 to 15 seconds before pressing.
- If your candy sticks to your measuring cup even with the oil, layer a piece of parchment in-between before pressing down.
- If you are making multiple, cleanup is much easier if you have a bowl of very hot water ready to plunge your ladle into afterward.
- Do not turn the flame up too high. As the sugar starts melting, it will burn very quickly, especially on high heat. So, keep it at medium heat and a close eye on it.
- If you don’t let the dalgona candy rest for a couple of seconds before pressing the cookie cutter in, it will get stuck.
- Press a lollipop stick to the candy to turn it into a grab-and-go dessert.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I play the Squid Game dalgona game?
Hold or place your pressed candy on a plate, and using a sewing needle or a toothpick, carefully run it along the lines made by your cookie cutter. You can also try to eat your way to the shape. The goal is to pop out the middle shape without cracking the candy! Adjust the level of difficulty by pressing the cookie cutter harder or lighter into the candy or using a more complicated cookie cutter.
How did this sugar candy come to be?
Back in the 1970s, sweet baked goods were a luxury as ovens for baking were not accessible. So, street vendors with a portable charcoal stove would make sugar candy with a metal ladle and a wooden chopstick. It became part snack, part game as the children would pick out the shape pressed onto the candy. Traditionally made with glucose, it wasn’t until after the Korean War that raw sugar took its place as it was no longer expensive (Source).
How do I store this?
Store leftover candy in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the candy for up to 2 to 3 months. Simply wrap them individually in plastic wrap once they’ve cooled to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag.
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If you’ve tried this Dalgona Candy recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Dalgona Candy
Equipment
- Metal ladle or very small pot/pan
- Wooden chopstick or large skewer
- Flat metal measuring cup
- Parchment paper
- Cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 pinch baking soda
Instructions
- Lightly oil the bottom of a measuring cup and lay a sheet or parchment paper on your counter.
- Add two tablespoons of sugar to a metal ladle then place directly over medium heat and while stirring constantly with a wooden chopstick until the sugar is melted and a light amber color.
- Remove from heat then add a pinch of baking soda and mix in vigorously, stirring until incorporated.
- Pour the mixture onto parchment paper in two equal circles then use the prepared measuring cup to press into a thin even layer a bit less than 1/4 inch. Let the measuring cup rest there for about 8 seconds then remove and press a shape in with your cookie cutter. Repeat for the remaining portion of candy.
Video
Notes
- If you’re having trouble pressing down the candy, let the mixture cool off for 10 to 15 seconds before pressing.
- If your candy sticks to your measuring cup even with the oil, layer a piece of parchment in-between before pressing down.
- If you are making multiple, cleanup is much easier if you have a bowl of very hot water ready to plunge your ladle into afterward.
- Do not sure the flame up too high. As the sugar starts melting, it will burn very quickly, especially on high heat. So, keep it at medium heat and a close eye on it.
- If you don’t let the dalgona candy rest for a couple of seconds before pressing the cookie cutter in, it will get stuck.
- Press a lollipop stick to the candy to turn it into a grab-and-go dessert.
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