Dalgona or ppopgi is a nostalgic Korean honeycomb sugar candy that’s made with sugar and baking soda. Here are step-by-step instructions and tips for successfully making this Squid Game Candy at home!
Thanks to the Korean Netflix series Squid Game, my childhood sugar candy called dalgona (달고나) or ppopgi (뽑기) has come back to the global scene again. This time, in a much bigger way as a main character! Remember dalgona coffee last year which was named after this candy?
In Squid Game, the consequence of the sugar candy challenge is deadly! But, everyone is captivated by this dalgona candy. It’s all the rage!
Last year’s dalgona coffee craze brought back my childhood memories of having these sweet treats from street vendors, and I had lots of fun making them! It’s happening again! After watching Squid Game, I’ve been having fun playing around with the patterns that appear in the Netflix series and getting quite good at saving the shape.
Whether you’ve finished the series, or are thinking about watching it, try making this at home and experience the intense, competitive nature of this candy game. Regardless, making these will be a fun activity for your kids and that little kid in you.
What is dalgona (or ppopgi)?
Dalgona candy is a sponge toffee-like sugar candy we grew up having from street vendors everywhere, especially around the schools. The word dalgona came from the casual Korean word “dalguna (달구나)” meaning “it’s sweet.” It’s also called ppopgi (뽑기), which means to pick or select, referring to the game and reward aspect of this candy offered by the vendors.
Similar to honeycomb toffee candy, dalgona is basically made by melting sugar and stirring in a little bit of baking soda. The sugar mixture then foams up and turns into something that looks like light caramel-colored whipped cream. This is the part that resembles the whipped coffee.
Dalgona challenge
You can simply pour it out, cool it and enjoy it as is. However, the dalgona that’s nostalgic to every Korean is flattened to a thin round disk and imprinted with a mold before it hardens and becomes brittle.
This is where fun really begins. You’re supposed to carefully eat around the pattern, without breaking it. It’s not easy! For us children, this always was a highly intense, competitive activity. People often use a pin or a toothpick as a tool. I remember we even used our saliva to smooth out the edges. Some vendors reward you with another one if you successfully break off the outer part, saving the shape, and some others have other rewards such as small toys.
Do you need special tools?
No! You can find commercially available dalgona making kits on-line, but I use what I can find in my kitchen.
- stainless steel ladle (You can also use a small pan, but a ladle is classic.)
- chopstick to stir the sugar
- non-stick baking sheet or pan to use as a base (or use parchment paper)
- rubber spatula – optional but I find it helpful
- hotteok/dalgona press (or a bowl/small sauce pan with a smooth, round bottom, about 4 to 5 inch diameter)
- cookie cutter(s)
- lollipop sticks – optional
How to make dalgona candy
All you need is sugar and baking soda! Any sugar works, but baking powder is not a substitute for baking soda.
The process is simple, but here are a few tips to help you make dalgona candy successfully.
- Gather all the ingredients and tools before starting.
- Melt the sugar in a ladle (or a small pan) over medium low to low heat. Do not overcook or burn sugar. Stir constantly, and control the heat by moving the ladle up and down from the heat.
- Once the baking soda is added, the mixture will immediately begin to foam and can burn quickly. Keep the ladle away from the heat before adding and while stirring in the baking soda. You can go back to the heat briefly, but don’t let it puff up too long.
- The hot dalgona mixture can stick to the base surface and/or the press. Use a non-stick baking sheet or skillet or parchment paper as the base.
- It’s important to let the mixture cool off a little after pouring it out onto the base surface for 15 to 20 seconds. Then, tap it gently a couple of times, before pressing it all the way to the desired thickness. Keep the base and press cool all time.
- Some people sprinkle the base with sugar and rub the press on it, or apply oil to prevent the frothy mixture from sticking. Experiment and see which works for you the best.
- If you’re making more than one, keep a pot of hot water on the stove to rinse off the ladle and the spatula between the batches.
- Store any leftover candies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. It lasts quite a few days in the fridge and months in the freezer.
Watch how to make dalgona
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Equipment
- stainless steel ladle
- chopstick to stir the sugar
- non-stick baking sheet or pan to use as a base (or use parchment paper)
- rubber spatula
- hotteok press (or a bowl with a smooth, round bottom, about 4 to 5 inch diameter)
- cookie cutter(s)
- lollipop sticks - optional
Ingredients
For each candy
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar (white or brown)
- 1/16 teaspoon baking soda (about 2 to 3 small pinches)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients and tools before starting.
- Add 1.5 tablespoons of sugar to the ladle. Hold the ladle over low to medium low heat. When the sugar starts to melt around the edges, stir with a chopstick.
- Continue to stir constantly, controlling the heat. If it starts to smoke, raise the ladle a few inches above the heat, and lower it closer once it cools off a little. Repeat as necessary until the sugar completely melts without any lumps, but let it cool off a little before adding the baking soda.
- Holding the ladle away from the heat, stir in the baking soda.
- Stir quickly and vigorously (20 to 25 times) until the baking soda is completely dissolved and the frothy mixture turns light caramel-color. While stirring, you can bring the ladle closer to the heat for a short second or two to keep it warm, but don’t let it puff up too long. It will burn at the bottom
- Pour the mixture onto a non-stick baking sheet, skillet, or parchment paper, scraping with a rubber spatula. Place the tip of the optional lollipop stick into the mixture.
- Let it cool for 15 to 20 seconds. Then, lightly tap it to see if it doesn't stick, and then press it all the way (for 4 to 5 seconds) to the desired thickness. This helps prevent the dalgona from sticking to the press.
- Immediately, stamp it with a cookie cutter, firmly but not all the way through. Promptly remove the cutter.
Notes
- Gather all the ingredients and tools before starting.
- Do not burn sugar. Stir constantly, and control the heat by moving the ladle up and down from the heat.
- Once the baking soda is added, the mixture will immediately begin to foam and can burn quickly. Keep the ladle away from the heat while stirring in the baking soda. You can go back to the heat briefly, if needed.
- Use a non-stick baking sheet or skillet or parchment paper as the base. The key is to let the mixture cool off a little after pouring it out onto the base surface for 15 to 20 seconds. Then, tap it gently to see if it doesn't stick before pressing it all the way to the desired thickness. Keep the base and press cool all time.
- Some people sprinkle the base with sugar and rub the press on it, or apply oil to prevent the frothy mixture from sticking. Experiment and see which works for you the best.
- If you’re making more than one, keep a pot of hot water on the stove to rinse off the ladle and the spatula between the batches.
- Store leftover candies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. It lasts quite a few days in the fridge and months in the freezer.
