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Konpeito (Japanese sugar stars)
Tiny star-shaped sugar candies built up by rolling syrup over sugar crystals
Konpeito came to Japan with Portuguese traders in the sixteenth century and became a treasured gift; Kyoto confectioners still make them the old way, rolling them in a tilted, heated pan for two weeks or more. Today the tiny pastel stars are given as wedding and birth favours, slipped into tins of emergency hardtack biscuits, and nibbled with green tea. They crunch like a sugar cube and taste purely of sugar, sometimes with a hint of fruit. This home version uses a wok over the lowest heat and a few patient hours, which gives smaller, knobbly stars rather than the perfect shop ones. They are naturally egg-free: they are made of nothing but sugar, and the setting comes from thin layers of syrup crystallising one after another. Chef's tip: add the syrup a teaspoon at a time and keep the crystals rolling until dry. The common mistake is pouring in too much, which glues everything into one clump.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 1 oz coarse sugar crystalsthe largest crystals you can find
- 14 oz granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 3 drops natural food colouring (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz granulated sugar and ¾ cup water in a small pan over a medium heat and stir until dissolved. Simmer to 225°F, until slightly syrupy, then keep it warm over the lowest heat.
8 minStep 2: Heat a heavy wok or wide frying pan over the lowest possible heat until it feels hot to the palm held just above it. Add 1 oz coarse sugar crystals and spread them out.
3 minStep 3: Drizzle 1 tsp of the warm syrup over the crystals and keep them rolling with your fingers or a wide spatula until they look dry and white again, about 2–3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Repeat, adding 1 tsp of syrup every 2–3 minutes and keeping the crystals moving. Shake them through a coarse sieve now and then and break apart any that stick together.
60 minStep 5: After about an hour, small bumps start to appear on each crystal. Keep going, with the same rhythm, for another 2 hours, until the stars are 5–8 mm across with clear points.
120 minStep 6: For coloured stars, stir 3 drops natural food colouring into the last 3 tbsp of syrup and use it for the final layers.
30 minStep 7: Spread the konpeito on a tray to cool and dry for 30 minutes, then store airtight. They keep for months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does konpeito (Japanese sugar stars) take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 230 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 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 granulated sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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