The Only 2 Ingredients You Need To Make Korea's Famous Dalgona Candy
Fans of "Squid Game" should be familiar with dalgonas, those brown sugary candies with simple (or not so simple ...) shapes stenciled in. These Korean treats have enjoyed social media fame worldwide since the rise of Netflix's hit show, and have even come up in discussions of what happens when a restaurant goes viral on TikTok. But you don't need to run out to a Korean confectionary shop for a taste – this sweet is easy to make at home, requiring just two ingredients and a steady hand.
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Dalgona, which translates to "it's sweet," is a kind of honeycomb toffee made of baking soda and sugar. The traditional method to melt the sugar is in a steel ladle over a stove, but cooking it in a pan works just as well. Once the sugar has caramelized, stir in the baking soda, which will start to foam. Pour a circle of the candy onto a parchment-lined pan, allowing it to cool before pressing it flat. Finally, imprint a cookie cutter into the mixture firmly enough so that it forms a clear outline, but not so hard that it cuts through the candy.
It's important to keep the heat low and constantly stir to avoid burning the sugar (pick your pot wisely when caramel-making, too), and remove the pan from the heat while adding the baking soda. You can eat the dalgona with your hands, or melt it onto a lollipop stick. And, of course, once you've made some, it's time to play ppopgi and try to extract the inner shape perfectly — hopefully with less morbid stakes than in the show.
History of dalgonas
Dalgona was a beloved staple far before "Squid Game" hit Netflix, as it emerged in South Korea as a cheap treat in a post-Korean War economy. It is said to have been a popular replacement for the free chocolate once given to Korean children by American soldiers. In its original form, allegedly was popularized in Busan, dalgona was made with glucose, which was cheaper than sugar at the time. The modern version made with sugar was called "ppopgi" instead. As sugar became more widely available and preferred, the two names became interchangeable.
In the 1950s and 60s, dalgona was often served outside of elementary schools by street vendors, and there arose the game also known as ppopgi, where kids could win a second candy if they successfully ate around the stenciled-in shape. Those who have only seen dalgonas on TV might be surprised to know that the candy isn't some dry, brittle wafer. While it's crunchy and definitely breakable, the frothing baking soda gives it a light, almost spongey texture once you get past the initial crunch, to go along with a delicious caramelized flavor.
The taste of this treat has also inspired another trendy dish: dalgona coffee. This delightful drink features instant coffee — or instant espresso, if you follow Alton Brown's flavor-boosting recommendation — plus sugar and hot water, stirred together until it creates a frothy, sweet concoction that is served over milk. It doesn't contain dalgona, but the taste is reminiscent of the classic treat.