Dalgona Candy (Ppopgi)
Crunchy with a light snap, this thin candy (as seen on Netflix’s “Squid Game”) has a distinctive toasty sweetness. In postwar South Korea, vendors outside schools and toy stores made and sold these tan disks stamped with shapes. They would offer a free one to children who could pick out the shape with a needle without breaking the candy in a game called ppopgi. Preparing the candy at home requires only two ingredients and attention at the stove. The ladle needs to be moved away from the heat occasionally to stir away any lumps without burning the melting sugar. If you want to make multiple candies quickly, keep a small saucepan of boiled water in the sink to quickly clean hardened sugar off the ladle.
- Total:
- Serves: 1 person
Ingredients
- A pinch of baking soda
- Vegetable oil, for greasing
- 1heaping tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Step 1
The candy sets quickly, so have everything ready: Set the baking soda, a sheet of parchment paper, a small skillet and a 3-inch metal cookie cutter (any shape) on a heatproof work surface next to the stove. Rub a thin sheen of oil on half of the paper.Step 2
Place the sugar in a metal ladle and gently wave over a medium-low flame on a gas stove until the sugar melts all around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly and continuously stir the sugar with a wooden or metal chopstick until any lumps have dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. You want the sugar to melt very slowly and not darken past gold, so move the ladle away from the heat or lower the heat as needed. (If you don’t have a ladle, see Tip.)Step 3
Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Quickly stir until evenly incorporated, then immediately pour onto the ungreased side of the parchment in a round. Fold the oiled side over the round, flatten with the skillet, uncover and press the cookie cutter in the center. Cool completely.