Dragon’s Beard Candy

Dragon’s Beard Candy, also known as Chinese cotton candy, is a traditional Chinese sweet that dates back hundreds of years. It is sweet and slightly chewy, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Making Dragon’s Beard Candy is a delicate process that requires patience and skill. Don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts are not perfect; enjoy the process and the delicious results!

EQUIPMENT

• Kitchen scale
• Saucepan
• Candy thermometer
• Nonstick silicone pastry mat
• Large baking sheet
• Non-stick food handling gloves

INGREDIENTS  

• 280 g granulated sugar (1 cup + 3 tbsps)
• 150 g water (½ cup + 2 tbsps)
• 15 g white vinegar (1 tbsp)
• 45 g corn syrup (2½ tbsps)
• 2 cups cornstarch

Tips for making Dragon’s Beard Candy:

1. Bake The Cornstarch

To make dragon’s bread candy, it’s necessary to generously sprinkle the candy dough with cornstarch to prevent the candy threads from sticking to each other.

However, according to livestrong.com, eating raw cornstarch can potentially lead to digestive issues. Cornstarch is a complex carbohydrate, and consuming large quantities of it without cooking can be difficult for your body to digest. In rare cases, it could cause discomfort, bloating, or digestive upset, especially for people with sensitive stomachs or digestive disorders.

Therefore, it is advisable to bake the cornstarch at 150°C/300°F for 10 minutes before using it. Warm cornstarch also helps in maintaining the candy dough’s temperature, preventing it from cooling down and firming up too quickly.

2. Stages of Sugar Syrup

In candy making, there are five stages represent different critical points in the heating process of sugar syrup:

1. Soft Ball Stage (235°F to 240°F): At this stage, sugar syrup forms a soft, pliable ball in cold water. Candies like fudges and caramels are made at this stage.
2. Firm Ball Stage (245°F to 250°F): Syrup forms a firmer, stable ball in cold water. Candies needing a chewy texture, such as nougats, are created at this point.
3. Hard Ball Stage (250°F to 265°F): Sugar syrup forms a hard but still pliable ball. Candies like divinity and certain types of fudge are made at this stage.
4. Soft Crack Stage (270°F to 290°F): Threads formed in cold water are thin and flexible, bending before breaking. Candies like taffy and butterscotch are produced at this stage.
5. Hard Crack Stage (300°F to 310°F): Syrup forms hard, brittle threads that snap easily. Candies like lollipops, toffee, and brittles are made at this stage.

To make dragon’s beard candy, it’s crucial to boil the syrup until it reaches the Hard Ball Stage (250°F to 265°F). This ensures the candy dough firms up while remaining pliable upon cooling.

If the temperature is too low, the dough becomes overly soft and sticky, making it difficult to pull. Conversely, if the temperature is too high, the candy threads can crack easily. Hence, a precise candy thermometer is essential for monitoring the sugar syrup temperature.

3. Cooling The Syrup

Once the syrup attains the desired temperature, promptly remove it from the heat to prevent further heating.

You can either pour the hot syrup into a silicone donut mold or directly onto a nonstick silicone mat, allowing it to cool to approximately 140°F/60°C.

When you gently touch the surface, it should feel hot but not scalding. Moreover, the dough should easily peel off from the mold or mat without sticking to your fingers.

• If the syrup has cooled excessively, becoming too firm to shape, you can fix this by lining a microwave-safe container with parchment paper. Place the hardened dough inside, then microwave it at 50% power for 30 seconds to reheat. Afterward, allow it to cool once more to reach the desired temperature of 140°F/60°C.

4. Pull Into Dragon’s Beards

Dragon’s Beard Candy should be pulled while it’s still warm and pliable. Working swiftly prevents it from cooling and becoming brittle.

Fully dust each candy thread with cornstarch to prevent sticking and helps maintain the candy’s texture.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Even if some candy threads break during the process, don’t worry or give up. Simply remove the broken or thick threads and continue pulling the rest of the dough.

Pulling Dragon’s Beard Candy takes practice. With experience, you’ll develop a feel for the right texture and technique, reducing the chances of breaking.

5. How to Enjoy Dragon’s Beard Candy

Dragon’s Beard Candy is best enjoyed fresh. Over time, it might absorb moisture from the air and turn sticky. Therefore, it’s advisable to enjoy it shortly after it’s made.

In the traditional preparation of Dragon’s Beard Candy, it is often served with fillings such as nuts and sesame seeds. You can take a handful of candy threads and wrap them around the fillings to create a cocoon-like shape. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can enjoy the candy threads on their own, akin to eating cotton candy.

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. In a saucepan, mix sugar, water, corn syrup, and white vinegar. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture vigorously bubbles. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Insert a candy thermometer into the saucepan and continue boiling until the temperature reaches Hard Ball Stage (250°F to 265°F or 121°C to 130°C).

2. The sugar mixture will require 20 to 30 minutes to achieve the desired consistency. In the meantime, you can prepare the cornstarch: Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. Spread 2 cups of cornstarch evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake the cornstarch at 150°C/300°F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the oven without opening the door and allow the baking sheet to stay inside to remain warm.

3. Place a nonstick silicone pastry mat on the countertop, then pour the hot syrup onto it carefully. Allow it to cool for 3 to 5 minutes, until you can gently touch the surface with your fingertip without it sticking.

4. As the candy dough cools, take the baked cornstarch from the oven. Place it on your countertop for convenient access later.

5. Work quickly while the dough is warm, as it will firm up once it cools down. Roll the candy dough into a log from one end to the other. Divide the dough evenly into two portions. If the dough feels too hot to handle, consider wearing a pair of nonstick food handling gloves.

6. Stretch, twist, and fold the candy dough for a couple of times. This method enhances the dough’s elasticity, reducing the likelihood of it breaking apart when pulled later on. After the final stretch, join the two ends of the candy dough together to form a bracelet-like circle.

7. Place the circular candy dough on the baking sheet and dust it with cornstarch. Gently stretch the dough to form a larger circle, reaching approximately 10 inches in diameter. Twist one side of the dough to form a figure “8” shape, fold the two circles together.

8. Continue the process of stretching, forming figure-eights, and folding the dough. Remember to consistently dust cornstarch over the dough to prevent the candy threads from sticking to each other. Repeat these steps 10 to 13 times or until the candy threads achieve your desired thinness. (*If some candy threads break during the process, don’t worry or give up. Simply remove the broken or thick threads and continue pulling the rest of the dough.)

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