Kohakutou (Edible Crystal Candy)

With its colorful, translucent appearance that resembles crystals or gems, Kohakutou is a traditional Japanese candy that has recently regained popularity in Japan, thanks to its Instagram-worthy appeal. Experience the unique texture of its crispy exterior and jelly-like interior-often referred to as "edible crystals."

Kohakutou is a traditional Japanese candy made by dissolving agar-agar (a seaweed-based vegetarian gelatin) in water with sugar, then coloring the mixture before allowing it to set slowly over a long period of time. "Kohaku" means amber, and "tou" refers to sugar.

This treat has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries and was given its name because it was traditionally colored amber, which was achieved using gardenia pods, a natural dye. It is also known as "Kingyokutou" or "Kingyokukan," as it was once considered as valuable as gold (kin) or gems (gyoku) during a time when sugar was scarce.

It has remained a popular candy in Japan for centuries, thanks to its beautiful, clear appearance, and is now gaining renewed attention. Beyond its appearance, the texture created by the combination of agar-agar and sugar is unique and truly one of a kind, making it well worth trying.

This Japanese candy has a crystal-clear appearance when made without any added coloring. To make it colorful, you need to add coloring agents during preparation. Common options include:

• Edible food coloring
• Flavored sugar syrups

If you want to easily achieve vibrant colors, edible food coloring is your best option. When using flavored syrups, their flavors also enhance the taste.

In addition to these options, using brown sugar instead of white sugar or substituting tea for water will give the candy a brownish color. In my experience, while juices and fruit extracts add flavor, they don't contribute much to the color, so I wouldn't recommend them.

A single color is appealing, but you can also combine multiple colors to create a gradient effect. Feel free to enjoy its vibrant appearance in any way you like.

Kohakutou can be made in any shape you like.

The most common method is to tear it by hand, which gives it a mineral-like appearance. Cutting it with a knife, on the other hand, gives it a more refined look, while using molds allows you to shape the candy into hearts or stars.

No matter the shape, the flavor stays the same-so feel free to experiment and make it in whatever form you like.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 5 days days 1 hr hr 25 mins mins

Step 1
Mix water and agar-agar powder in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes to fully dissolve the agar-agar.

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Step 2
Add sugar to the pot and continue simmering for another 5-10 minutes, stirring with a spatula until the mixture thickens. The consistency should be thick enough that when you lift the spatula, the mixture falls off in a strand.

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Step 3
Lightly moisten the inside of a glass or metal container, then pour the mixture into it. If there is any foam or bubbles on the surface, skim them off with a spoon. Add a few drops of food coloring or flavored syrup in different colors (or just one color if you prefer a single tone) at intervals, and gently swirl each area with a skewer or spoon. Then, let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

Note: To create a marbled pattern, wait about 10 minutes until the mixture has cooled slightly, then gently swirl along the edges where the colors meet.

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Step 4
Cut the solidified mixture into your preferred shapes using your hands, a knife, or molds, and arrange the pieces on parchment paper, making sure they do not overlap. Let them dry in a well-ventilated room until the surface firms up and develops a frosted-glass-like appearance.

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Step 5
Once the surface of the pieces has firmed up, flip them over and continue drying until the other side also firms up. The total drying period is about 5 to 7 days.

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To store

You can store it at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Avoid refrigerating it, as condensation may cause mold growth.

• Measure your sugar by weight rather than by volume (cups). This is because the density of sugar varies significantly depending on the type (granulated, powdered, etc.), which can result in considerable differences in weight when measuring by cup. Additionally, using too little sugar may prevent kohakutou from crystallizing properly and cause it to remain unset.
• Lightly moisten the inside of a glass or metal container before use. This helps prevent the water-agar-sugar mixture from sticking to the container.

To achieve a crispy texture on the outside of kohakutou, it is crucial to let it dry thoroughly. This recipe suggests drying it for 5-7 days, but if it still hasn't set, you may need to wait up to 10 days.

If it doesn't set no matter how long you let it dry, there may have been an issue during preparation. If the agar-agar wasn't fully dissolved or if there wasn't enough sugar, it might fail to crystallize properly and remain unset.

Additionally, not swirling the mixture enough during the coloring stage can trap excess moisture, making the candy difficult to set. To ensure success, measure the ingredients accurately and follow the steps carefully.