This kohakutou recipe teaches you how to make popular Japanese crystal candies with agar agar powder, water, and sugar.
You can also substitute water with juice, tea, coffee, or alcohol to make your homemade kohahutou candies colorful and flavorful.
What is kohakutou?
Kohakutou (琥珀糖), which can be translated as “amber candy”, is a traditional Japanese sweet confection made from algae.
The texture of kohakutou is so unique. It has a crunchy crystal-like outside crust and a jello-like soft inside.
Because of its special texture and impressive crystal look, kohakutou has been trending on social medias for years, especially on those ASMR eating channels.
A small box of kohakutou might cost you from $20 to $56. Considering how easy it is to make at home, I think these crystal gummy candies are really overpriced.
Make kohakutou from agar agar (vegan)
Agar agar vs Kanten
Traditional kohakutou is made from kanten (寒天) instead of agar agar powder(洋菜粉).
Both kanten and agar agar powder are made of red edible seaweed. The tastes and functions of these two ingredients are very similar. Therefore, they can often be substituted with each other in recipes.
Can I use gelatin instead of agar agar?
The short answer is no, you can’t use gelatin to make edible crystals with a firm crust.
Gelatin has a melting point range of 31.7–34.2 °C, which means that if the room temperature exceeds this range, the jelly made with gelatin may melt. In contrast, agar agar has a higher melting point between 85º – 95º C. Consequently, jelly or gummies made with agar agar tend to be more brittle, allowing them to be dried under room temperature for several days without concerns of melting or releasing water during the dehydration process.
If you’re determined to experiment with gelatin for creating edible crystals, you can attempt the drying process by leaving the jelly uncovered in the refrigerator. However, it’s important to note that gelatin jellies may take significantly more time to develop a firm crust in the fridge due to the lower temperature.
Agar agar water ratio?
When using agar agar powder to make jelly, the standard ratio of agar agar to liquid is 1:100 (1g agar agar powder to 100g water). Or you can use 1 tsp agar agar powder (3g) for 1 cup of water (236g).
When using agar agar powder to make edible crystal candy, the ratio of agar agar : water : sugar is 1:40:70 (1g agar agar powder to 40g water and 70g sugar). Or you can use 1 tsp agar agar powder (3g) for ½ cup of water (120g) and 1 cup of sugar (210g).
Do not reduce the amount of sugar when making kohakutou, otherwise the outside layer of these candies won’t form a crispy crust.
Can I make kohakutou with juice or beer?
Yes! I have tried to make kohakutou with lemonade, tea, and beer. All of them turn out great.
To make kohakutou with juice, simply substitute the water in my recipe with the same amount of juice.
There is one important thing to remember:
No matter how sweet the juice is, DO NOT reduce the amount of sugar in my recipe. Otherwise it will take FOREVER for the sugar crust to form on your crystal candies.
The lemonade I used to make these orange kohakutou was very sweet, so I secretly reduced 10 grams of sugar in this batch.
The rest of the candies turned into hard crystals within 3 days, while these orange ones are still sticky gummies on the 12th day:
Some tips for making kohakutou candy
1. Decorations you can use
As you all know, sakura is my favorite flower🌸! I always like to decorate my desserts with edible sakura. For example: sakura watermelon Jello, sakura mousse cake.
To decorate kohakutou candies, I soaked 15 dried sakura flowers in cold water for 10 minutes, rinse and drain the flowers, and gently pressed them into the syrup mixture. Make sure you rinse and drain these sakura flowers before using, because they are usually preserved with salt, you don’t want your crystal candies to taste salty.
Besides dried edible flowers, you can also use edible sugar pearls, dried herbs (such as mint leaves), or chopped dried fruits to decorate your crystal candies.
Note: Do not use fresh flowers or fruits as decorations, otherwise they will release water and make your kohakutou candies rotten during the process of drying.
2. Food coloring
The easiest method to make colorful kohakutou is adding a few drops of food coloring to the syrup after you transfer the syrup to the food container.
Or you can just use some colorful drinks to substitute the water in this recipe. Lemonade, beer, coffee, and tea are all good choices.
But DO NOT use milk, juice with pulp, or any other drink with protein, otherwise your crystal candies will go bad fast.
And keep it in mind that the syrup itself has a light yellow color because of the large amount of sugar, therefore no matter what color you add, it’s going to mix with yellow.
Blue + Yellow pigment yields the color green. Pink + Yellow pigment yields the color orange. Therefore, you may not able to make pink or light blue crystal candies with this recipe.
3. Drying the crystal candies on parchment paper
The biggest mistake I’ve made this year was drying my kohakutou candies on a cooling rack. They totally stuck to the cooling rack, and broke when I tried to pull then off.
The best equipment for drying crystal candies is a large piece of parchment paper. You will just need to flip them every other day to make sure that all the surfaces are dried evenly.
EQUIPMENT you will need:
INGREDIENTS for making kohakutou:
For making one box of Kohakutou (about 25 pieces of 1” candies)
- ½ cup water (About 120g. Can be substituted with juice, tea, alcohol, coffee. Do not use milk, otherwise your kohakutou will get bad soon.)
- 1 tsp agar agar powder (About 3g)
- 1 cup sugar (About 210g)
Decorations (Optional)
- 15 edible dried sakura flowers
- 1 tsp edible sugar pearls
- food coloring
Step-by-step INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add ½ cup of cold water (or juice, tea, beer…) to a small saucepan, sprinkle 1 tsp of agar agar powder over the water, stir until completely dissolved.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, pour in 1 cup of sugar, stir until completely dissolved. Let cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the syrup turns thickened in texture and light yellow in color.
3. Pour the mixture into a square or rectangle food storage container.
4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, put the lid on, keep it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
5. Two hours later, run a thin knife around the edges of the container. Insert the knife under the jelly, then insert your fingers under the jelly to gently take it out from the container.
6. Cut the jelly into 25 pieces of 1” cubes, or into any shape or size of your choice. You can also tear the jelly into irregular shapes so that they look more like gems.
7. Place cubed jelly on a large piece of parchment paper (Do not dry them on a cooking rack, otherwise they will stick to it). Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 days until they from a hard crust on the surface.
8. Store in an air tight container at room temperature (avoid high temperature or direct sunlight) for up to 1 month.
My other candy recipes you will also like:
Kohakutou (Japanese crystal candy) Recipe – Flavored with Juice
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Kitchen scale
- food storage containers with lids (Mine are 20oz size.)
- Parchment paper (Or wax paper)
Ingredients
For making one box of Kohakutou (about 25 pieces of 1'' candies)
- ½ cup water (About 120g. Can be substituted with juice, tea, alcohol, coffee. Do not use milk.)
- 1 tsp agar agar powder (About 3g)
- 1 cup sugar (About 210g)
Decorations (Optional)
- 15 edible dried sakura flowers
- 1 tsp edible sugar pearls
- food coloring
Instructions
- Add ½ cup of cold water (or juice, tea, beer…) to a small saucepan, sprinkle 1 tsp of agar agar powder over the water, stir until completely dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, pour in 1 cup of sugar, stir until completely dissolved. Let cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the syrup turns thickened in texture and light yellow in color.
- Pour the mixture into a square or rectangle food storage container. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir if you want your kohakutou candies to be colorful. If you want some extra decorations, you can add some soaked edible sakura flowers, sugar pearls, or mint leaves to the syrup.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature, put the lid on, keep it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- 2 hours later, run a thin knife around the edges of the container. Insert the knife under the jelly, then insert your fingers under the jelly to gently take it out from the container.
- Cut the jelly into 25 pieces of 1'' cubes, or into any shape or size of your choice. You can also tear the jelly into irregular shapes so that they look more like gems.
- Place cubed jelly on a large piece of parchment paper (Do not dry them on a cooking rack, otherwise they will stick to it). Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 days until they from a hard crust on the surface.
- Store in an air tight container at room temperature (avoid high temperature or direct sunlight) for up to 1 month.
Video
I made it and it worked! Turned into a great sugar crust, but I made a terrible flavor so it didn’t taste good 🙁 reccomend though!
Omg I can’t believe it really worked! They turned out just like the pictures. I shared them with my friends they were all so impressed.
Mine have been drying now for about 1,5 day. Its fun to see the crystals slowly forming on the outside. The recipe works great and everything went smoothly. Highly recommend!!
Hi i was wondering if you can make this with stevia instead of sugar? Will it work?
No unfortunately you can’t make kohakutou with stevia, because stevia won’t crystalize like sugar, you won’t get the crunchy sugar crust with stevia.
I’m having some trouble with mine. How do i let it dry without the jelly sweating? Does it have something to do with the amount of water I added?
Hi Xiao, it’s possible that you accidently added too much water, or the environment is too warm or humid.
And it’s normal for the jelly to sweat a bit on the first day or two. Depending on the room temperatures and the agar agar brands, it might take 5 to 10 days for the candies to get hardened, it will eventually form a dry crust.
can you use aloe vera drink with small pieces of aloe vera in it?
Yes you can!
Hello, I have been making this recipe and it was supposed to be refrigerated for 2 hours. However, its still water….
Can i use agar agar strips instead ?
Hi Hana, yes you can use agar agar strips instead.
Soak 5g agar agar strips in cold water for 20 minutes, drain. Place soaked agar agar strips in the pot, add 1/2 cup of water or juice (120g), bring to a simmer over medium heat, stir at the same time until completely dissolved. Then pour in 1 cup of sugar, stir until completely dissolved.
The rest of the steps are the same.
After 2 hours in the fridge, it is still sticky. What should I do?
Fridge it for 1 more hour. It could be that the container is too heat resistant. The jelly hasn’t fully cooled down yet.
mine sat in the fridge for 12+ hours and isn’t solidified, just a very thick syrup what do i do?
Mine is doing the same thing. I’m on my 3rd try now 😭
I could only find agar flakes in my town, and it did not turn out. My jelly didn’t set fully. Do you know what conversion it would be to use flakes instead of powder?
What brand of agar agar powder did you use?
here is the link https://amzn.to/3jghzOT
What will happen if I use some unflavored Gelatin or cornstarch instead of agar agar powder
I don’t have agar agar how much gelatin should I use?
Hi! ms. Shi Can you use Chinese jelly power to replace agar agar powder ??
Hi Ree. Nope they don’t work the same~
I’ve tried making this 3 times so far and it just won’t set the way it’s supposed to. It’s had a taffy-like texture every time and I really don’t know why. Am I not cooking it long enough maybe?
Hello!!! This happened to me and I realized that I did not let everything once combined (sugar, water, agar) come to a boil!! Everything has to be dissolved in the water evening if the times do not add up. For example it may say cook 15mins, no you want to cook it until it is boiling and you see no particles left. At the end, when you look into your pot, it should look like you have nothing but water (may be slightly yellow or red based on the type of agar you have) in the pot. But it will feel thicker when you stir it. Hopes this helps!!!! I tried it a couple times and finally I realized I wasn’t cooking it really and I changed up the times a little and girrllll it worked!
hi i made these and over the days of letting them crystalise ants got into them! just wondering where you put your whilst they crystalised? also can you use gelatin powder instead of agar agar powder or can that affect the process?
As said in the article above,
Since the melting points of all gelatins are range of 31.7–34.2 °C, jelly made from gelatin will melt in your mouth.
Agar agar’s melting point, on the other hand, is between 85º – 95º C. Therefore, jelly or gummy made from agar agar will be more brittle, and won’t melt in your mouth.
Because of its high melting point, kohakutou made from agar agar powder can be stored at room temperature without melting.
Hii!She also wrote that there and of course you can use it!
Can i let them crystalize In a box???
Where do I need to let it dry ? In a good container? Or just in air
Thank you for the reaction 💗
Just in air.
These were so fun and easy to make thanks to your detailed instructions.
HI! when i cut out the jelly ish texture thing out of the container,the consistency was kinda slippery and a little thick too,i see that in different videos its jiggly and a little sticky.what do i do,its the second day i let them crystalize
hey can add instead of sakura flowers can i just add like a jam in the middle of the edible crystals?and if i add a colored juice do i still and food coloring?
Yes you can add a jam in the middle, and you don’t need food coloring anymore if you use colored juice.
Hi! I made these and just set them out to dry, but im worried that bugs will get to them! Will it interfere with the drying process if i cover them with plastic wrap or a plastic lid? I will be going away for a few days while they set, and wont be able to tend to them.
Hi Liz~ If you have concerns about bugs, a viable option is to cover them with a fine net food tent. This protective method will ensure that the candies remain safe while still allowing proper airflow for the dehydration process.
I tried this and when I put mine in the fridge it didn’t turn into jelly just a really thick syrup, do you know what I did wrong?
Make sure you bring the agar agar, sugar, water mixture to a full boil, and let the mixture keep boiling for at least 5 minutes so that the agar agar is fully dissolved. And you can leave the mixture cool in the fridge overnight before removing it from the container.
Is it possible to use lemon juice to make crystal candy?
Yes you can add lemon juice to the mixture.
Yes, that’s how I make mine, just be sure to set it lower or under 85°. Takes about 3 days for mine.
Hello! Would you recommend using a dehydrator to speed up the “drying out” process?
Yes, that’s how I make mine, just be sure to set it lower or under 85°. Takes about 3 days for mine.
How can I store this to let it dry safely in the house ? I live in apartment and this time of the year ants come quick right now no matter what I do to avoid them. Any ideas? And what kind of juice can we substitute for the water ? Concentrates only, fresh juices etc?
Hello! I really want to try making these for my little cousin’s birthday party. I was wondering if the crystalization of the candy would be affected by humidity? I live in Puerto Rico (very hot weather) and I don’t have central air conditioner, so the house tends to get hot. Will that affect the cristalization of the candy or make them get moldy? Any suggestions? Thank you!
Can anything be added that will preserve them longer than a month?
Hello! Wondering if it’s possible to use carbonated beverages (such as Irn-Bru or Fanta) instead of water, or will it not work?
Yes it will work. The blue kohahutou I made in this recipe was made from a carbonated beverage. But it will be decarbonated anyway as the liquid gets heated up in the pot.
Will it possible to not air dry it ? I’m afraid it will attract ants if leave in open in air dry
i dont have parchment paper. can i use aluminum foil instead?
Yes! I did that when I didn’t have parchment either. But the side that is adjacent to the foil doesn’t dry. So after a while you need to turn the kohakuto so that this side also dries
Question, is this the same as the jelly candy they sell with the rice paper in the store? That is the recipe i’m looking for, don’t want a sugar crystal crust so if I make this recipe and wrap it with the rice paper and don’t let it dry will it turn out like this candy?https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SU3IZY2/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_5?smid=A3MHJLD3VN5CH9&psc=1
Hi Ms Shi!
My mixture right now is really sticky and I have refrigerated it for 12+ hours now and I’m trying to find why it isn’t turning into jelly yet. But I’m confused I boiled my mixture for the time you gave and until it was thickened in texture. Could it be that I used brown cane sugar instead? Thank you!
Thank you so much 🙂
I was looking for the correct ratio for this candy and this is perfect!
Is there a way to speed up drying time? My son made these for school project and only has two days drying time 🙁
Hello! I used cherry juice instead of water, and it turned jelly, but for some reason it doesn’t hold its shape: I can’t get it out of the container without it falling apart :c
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing this! Question… after they have fully crusted, can they be refrigerated or frozen? I’d like to use them to decorate a baked good that needs to be refrigerated or frozen. Thanks!
Can you use liquor as the liquid?
Can i not dry it on parchment paper but instead drying in in a plastic container