Kohakutou Crystal Gummy Candy Recipes

HOW TO MAKE KOHAKUTOU CANDY (JAPANESE CRYSTAL GUMMIES)

Steps:

• In a saucepan, soak the agar-agar powder in water for 4-5 minutes.
• Bring the agar-agar mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, or until the agar-agar powder has fully dissolved. Make sure to stir constantly to prevent burning.
• Add in the granulated sugar and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until sugar has fully dissolved and mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.
• Spray a few rectangular heatproof dishes with oil and pour in the gummy mixture equally (1 dish = 1 flavor). Add your flavoring of choice into each dish, and a few drops of liquid food coloring. You can choose to swirl different colors to make a pattern, or just blend one color thoroughly.
• Refrigerate the kohakutou for 1-3 hours, or until set.
• Once the candy has set, remove the kohakutou from the dishes and use a sharp knife to cut it into crystal shapes. You may need to rinse the knife every now and then as the candy will be very sticky.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the kohakutou to dry for 2-3 days. You'll know they are ready when a hard crust forms on the outside. ENJOY!

KOHAKUTOU RECIPE - JAPANESE CRYSTAL CANDY

Steps:

• Gather all your equipment and ingredients. Lightly oil the pans to prevent sticking later.
• Add agar-agar and water to a saucepan. Stir with spatula to combine, then let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent any burning. Boil for about 3 minutes. Make sure the agar-agar is fully dissolved.
• Add sugar into the mixture and boil for another 2-3 minutes while stirring constantly still to prevent any burning. Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.
• Pour the mixture into heatproof pans equally, with each pan taking on 1 flavor and color combination. Add desired flavoring and coloring to each pan. You can play around with the designs by swirling or stirring to combine multiple colors.
• Place the pans into the refrigerator for 2-3 hours until they are set.
• Once set, take the pans out from the refrigerator and remove the Kohakutou from the pans onto a working space. Use a sharp paring knife to cut and shape the candies to your liking. If the knife gets too sticky, rinse before continuing.
• Transfer cut pieces to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let it sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours to form a hardened outer crust. Recommended to leave it for 2-3 days for best results!