Dalgona candy is a beloved treat among Korean children. My husband and I recently watched the hit series "Squid Game," in one episode of which these very dalgona candies play a central role. We decided to make them at home so we could play along! The recipe for Korean dalgona is very simple and straightforward. Dalgona candies are quite similar to the old-fashioned lollipops many of us remember from childhood — sugar candy on a stick — but with one key difference. Those classic lollipops are made from hard, transparent amber-colored caramel. Many of us made them as kids on the stove. I don't remember doing it myself, but my husband says he used to melt sugar in a ladle over a gas burner as a kid and burned it to a crisp every time! The Korean version of this treat — Dalgona — is that same caramel, but with a pinch of baking soda added. The baking soda reacts with the hot caramel as it cooks, making it bubbly. This gives the dalgona candies their characteristic opaque appearance and makes them less hard than regular caramel — firm, but easy to bite into. Flavor-wise, dalgona candy tastes just like any other caramelized sugar candy. We really enjoyed Korean dalgona, especially the kids — but then again, what kid doesn't love candy?! By the way, there's also a dalgona coffee recipe, also from Korea. While it doesn't typically contain caramel, its look and flavor are reminiscent of dalgona candy. Here on Kamelist you can find that very recipe: Korean "Dalgona" Coffee.
Ingredients:
- Per 1 piece:
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- a pinch of baking soda
Preparation
For one large candy, I recommend using 2 tbsp. of sugar (about 30 g). It's best to make no more than 1–2 candies at a time, because the caramel sets quickly and you may not always have enough time to pour and shape it. Pour the sugar into a small saucepan and set the heat to just below medium.
It's best to stir the sugar using a wooden stick, the way they do in Korea. Caramel tends to stick, and a spoon isn't ideal for the job — much less sticks to a skewer. That said, if you don't have a stick, a spoon or silicone spatula will work too.
Cook the mixture until it reaches a light caramel color — amber and honey-toned. If your caramel has turned brown, that means it's burned. Time to wash the pot and start over with a fresh batch of sugar!
Wait for the caramel to cool slightly, then press it flat with a smooth lid or something similar. Use a cookie cutter to press a shape into the candy without cutting all the way through. Wait for the dalgona to cool completely, and then the game can begin!
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