Are you all ready for Christmas? Each Christmas Eve, I find myself busy with last minute gifts and preparations. I’ll have to make this post very short and get going! I want to wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas, and share my recipe for a Korean holiday treat. Variations of sesame crunch are eaten all over the world. Korean sesame crunch is called kkae gangjeong (깨강정). It is a variety of Korean traditional sweet treats, and it is served during holidays such as New Year’s Day and Chuseok (Korean harvest festival). I decided to make it for my wonderful neighbors this Christmas!
It’s commonly made only with sesame seeds, but the addition of some nuts makes it even tastier. I liked how the combination of pumpkin seeds and pine nuts turned out. You can use any of your favorite nuts (peanuts, almonds, pistachios, etc). I hope this recipe will become a family favorite during the holiday season. You’d be very surprised how easy it is to make. It’s nutty, crunchy and much healthier than most holiday cookies!
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas, filled with love and happiness!!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup roasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup any roasted nuts
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Add the honey, sugar, salt and water to a pan. Stir to mix over medium low heat. Let it bubble up. Continue to cook, without stirring, until it turns light golden brown, 2 - 3 minutes.
- Stir in the sesame seeds and nuts. Stir well until everything is well coated with the syrup.
- Place the mixture between two pieces of parchment paper. Let cool for a minute. Press it down to flatten it. Roll it out with a rolling pin to make a 1/4 to 1/2-thick rectangle. Using a side of a knife, push in the rough sides to make straight lines. Roll it again to a even thickness, as necessary.
- When the crunch is hardened but still slightly warm, cut with a sharp knife into desired sizes.
