For those of you who aren't familiar with the latest TikTok trend, something called Dragon's Beard Candy is a recipe inspired by a TV show, possibly related to “Game of Thrones” in some way, and ” You might imagine it to be similar to Ted Lasso's shortbread. This is our imitation recipe) or Dalgona candy from “Squid Game” (we also have a recipe for that). Although Dragon's Beard candy has no TV tie-in, it is a popular street food in Asia (along with Dalgona his candy) and is quickly going viral on social media.
Dragon's beard candy originates from China, and its recipe can be traced back more than 2,000 years. Often associated with Lunar New Year celebrations, it naturally skyrocketed in popularity during the Year of the Dragon (2024), when people started sharing recipes on his TikTok. What makes Dragon's Beard Candy a bit difficult (albeit satisfying) is that it combines elements of a classic toffee pull with an opportunity to do mental arithmetic. If you pull the candy many times, you will get more than 1 million sweet threads.
In appearance, dragon beard candy looks like a cross between cotton candy and a wad of embroidery thread. However, recipe developer Katie says his version of Mr. Rosenhaus has more depth of flavor than the former (and the latter, for that matter), as it is seasoned with a chopped nut filling. This “adds a crunchy, salty, earthy depth to the candy,” she says. She also recommends trying other fillings, so feel free to get creative.
Read more: 12 popular ice cream brands ranked from worst to best
Gather the ingredients for DIY Dragon's Beard Candy
Dragon's beard candy itself is very simple and consists of just light corn syrup, white vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. At Rosenhaus, we stuff and season with chopped roasted peanuts, but you can also use other types of nuts, such as walnuts or pistachios, or substitutes such as shaved chocolate, toasted sesame seeds, shredded coconut, or finely chopped dried nuts. You can also replace it with stuffing. fruit.
Step 1: Mix liquid and sugar
In a medium saucepan, stir together water, corn syrup, vinegar, and sugar.
Step 2: Add food coloring to create a vibrant beard
Add food coloring and mix if desired.
Step 3: Cook the candy syrup
Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the “hard ball” stage of 260-265°F.
Step 4: Prepare the pot
While the sugar syrup is cooking, line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat.
Step 5: Prepare candy molds
If you have metal ring cutters, place two lightly greased 4-inch cutters on the mat and place a 1-inch ring in the center of each. (If you don't have a ring cutter, lightly grease a 2-pint container or silicone donut pan.)
Step 6: Pour the syrup into the mold
Once the sugar syrup reaches the right temperature, pour it evenly into the ring mold, leaving the center empty. (If using plastic molds, cool syrup to 212 F before pouring into containers.)
Step 7: Wait for the candy to harden
Let stand for about 15-20 minutes until the sugar has set.
Step 8: Pour the cornstarch into the bowl
Place the cornstarch in a large bowl.
Step 9: Remove the first candy ring from the mold
Remove one of the sugar rings from the mold.
Step 10: Start drawing candies
Dust your hands and sugaring with cornstarch and begin pulling gently and evenly to create a large ring (about 12 to 15 inches in diameter).
Step 11: Keep drawing candies
Make a figure 8 and overlap the loops. You now have two strands. Repeat by dipping the loops in cornstarch from time to time, pulling them, and stacking them. The amount will be doubled each time.
Step 12: Reach the 1 million threads milestone
Stop after completing 20 pulls. At that point, you will have 1,048,576 strands.
Step 13: Cut the candy
Use kitchen scissors to cut the candy into 4-inch pieces and gently stretch with your fingers to make the candy even thinner.
Step 14: Add peanuts
Place on a cutting board and place about 1/2 tablespoon of peanuts in the center.
Step 15: Cover peanuts with candy
Fold the candy and wrap it around the peanuts.
Step 16: Make the remaining candies
Repeat with remaining candies.
Step 17: Keep candy at room temperature
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
What does Dragon's Beard candy taste like?
As Rosenhaus points out, the main ingredients in Dragon's Beard candy are sugar and corn syrup, so the taste is “sweet and cotton candy-like.” She notes that the pulling creates some differences in texture, calling the multi-threaded mass “stringy rather than feathery.”
The additional ingredients used also affect the flavor of the candy. Many dragon's beard candy recipes mix in or omit flavoring, but as mentioned above, Rosenhaus likes to add chopped peanuts to her candies. , which gives it “salty and nutty flavors for extra depth and crunch,” she says. Of course, other fillings will have a different effect on the candy. Alternatively, you can change the flavor without changing the texture by omitting the nuts and adding a few drops of mint, vanilla, almond, or lemon extract to the sugar mixture before pouring into the ring mold.
Does Dragon's Beard Candy really have a million threads?
One of the reasons the Dragon's Beard Candy videos have become so popular is that viewers can't wait to join the candy maker in counting down the tiers to see how many layers they can achieve. Of course, you don't have to reach 1 million, but this is not just an exaggeration, but a realistically achievable goal (for example, century eggs are only aged for a few months).
So how do we reach 1 million threads? As Rosenhaus explains the process, “The candies are pulled and stacked, doubling the amount of strands with each loop. From 4, 8, 16, 32…262,144, 524,288, and finally 1,048,576, doubling each time'' strand. ” So technically it's 1 million and change, but who's counting? Ah, that's right, everyone. However, if you really enjoy this attraction, there's no reason to stop there. Because some ambitious candy makers have reported hitting the 1 billion thread mark.
You can settle for a small amount of 1 million yen.
DIY recipe for dragon beard candy
Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 24 piecesmaterial
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1 cup of water
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1/3 cup light corn syrup
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1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
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2 cups granulated sugar
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2 cups cornstarch
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3/4 cup finely chopped roasted peanuts
Optional materials
direction
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In a medium saucepan, stir together water, corn syrup, vinegar, and sugar.
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Add food coloring and mix if desired.
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Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the “hard ball” stage of 260-265°F.
-
While the sugar syrup is cooking, line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat.
-
If you have metal ring cutters, place two lightly greased 4-inch cutters on the mat and place a 1-inch ring in the center of each. (If you don't have a ring cutter, lightly grease a 2-pint container or silicone donut pan.)
-
Once the sugar syrup reaches the right temperature, pour it evenly into the ring mold, leaving the center empty. (If using plastic molds, cool syrup to 212 F before pouring into containers.)
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Let stand for about 15-20 minutes until the sugar has set.
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Place the cornstarch in a large bowl.
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Remove one of the sugar rings from the mold.
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Dust your hands and sugaring with cornstarch and begin pulling gently and evenly to create a large ring (about 12 to 15 inches in diameter).
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Make a figure 8 and overlap the loops. You now have two strands. Occasionally dip the loops in cornstarch, pull them, and stack them, repeating the process. The amount will be doubled each time.
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Stop after completing 20 pulls. At that point, you will have 1,048,576 strands.
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Use kitchen shears to cut the candy into 4-inch sections and gently stretch with your fingers to make the candy even thinner.
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Place on a cutting board and place about 1/2 tablespoon of peanuts in the center.
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Fold the candy and wrap it around the peanuts.
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Repeat with remaining candies.
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Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Read the original article on Mashed