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Dalgona
Honeycomb toffee
달고나 · ppopgi honeycomb candy pressed with a shape
Dalgona, or ppopgi, was the 1970s and 80s snack of Seoul alleyways, where an old man with a little stove melted sugar in a ladle and stamped a star or umbrella into it; if you could break the shape out without cracking it you won a free one. It is just sugar and a pinch of baking soda, puffed into a crisp, toffee-brown honeycomb that tastes faintly bitter-sweet. The common mistake is adding too much baking soda, which leaves the candy bitter and soapy; a tiny pinch on the tip of a chopstick is all it needs. Melted sugar reaches about 160 °C and burns badly, so children should watch while an adult does the melting, and should only press shapes once the candy has set a little. Chef's tip: use a stainless-steel ladle or small pan, not non-stick, and keep the flame low; the moment the sugar is clear and amber, take it off.
- Total time
- 7 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp white sugarper candy
- 1 pinch bicarbonate of sodaa very small pinch per candy
- ½ tsp neutral oilfor the press and surface
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Lightly oil a sheet of baking paper on a heatproof board, the bottom of a flat-bottomed cup or press, and a cookie cutter with ½ tsp neutral oil.
1 minStep 2: Put 2 tbsp white sugar in a stainless-steel ladle and hold it over a low flame, stirring with a wooden chopstick, until all the sugar has melted to a clear, light amber liquid. Take it off the heat as soon as it is liquid.
2 minStep 3: Add 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda and stir fast for 5–10 seconds. It will foam up and turn pale caramel; stop as soon as it puffs.
Step 4: Pour the foam onto the oiled paper in a round puddle. Wait 10 seconds, then press it flat with the oiled cup.
Step 5: Immediately press the cookie cutter lightly into the middle (don't cut through) and lift it off. Leave for 1–2 minutes until hard, then try to break the shape out with a pin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dalgona take?
- About 7 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
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