Edible Crystals (Easy Kohakutou Clusters Recipe)
Edible crystals, or kohakutou (琥珀糖), is a beloved traditional Japanese snack made from agar agar. With just three simple ingredients and a silicone mold, you can produce a large sheet of heart-shaped or mineral cluster-shaped edible crystals without breaking the bank, all for under $5.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons (Or kitchen scale)
- Heart silicone mold (Optional. You can use molds of different shapes of your choice, or simply use a food storage container instead.)
- Parchment paper (Or wax paper)
Ingredients
For each color of edible crystals (I made 8 different colors)
- ¼ cup juice of your choice (About 60g; Can be substituted with juice, tea, alcohol, coffee. Do not use milk.)
- ½ tsp agar agar powder (About 1.5g; Can not use gelatin powder.)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (About 105g; Can not use artificial sweeteners.)
- food colorings (Optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine ¼ cup of juice (or water, tea, soft drinks) and sprinkle ½ tsp of agar agar powder over it. Stir the mixture until the agar agar powder is fully dissolved.
- Place the mixture on medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Add ½ cup of sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until the syrup thickens in consistency and takes on a light yellow hue.
- Transfer the mixture into a heart silicone mold. If there is any remaining mixture, you can pour it into a regular food storage container. Once the mixture is set, you can cut the jelly into small pieces and reshape them using the heart mold as desired.
- To create a variety of edible crystals, follow the previous steps, utilizing different flavors and colors of drinks. Alternatively, you can apply a few drops of food colorings to the mixture to achieve a colorful assortment of the crystal candies.
- Allow the mixture in the mold to cool down to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator overnight until it's fully set.
- Remove the jelly from the heart silicone mold. Arrange the heart-shaped jellies on a large sheet of parchment paper, ensuring they are placed in a single layer without touching each other to prevent sticking. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, away from direct sunlight, until a firm crust forms on the surface.
- To create edible crystal clusters, take a large piece of jelly and cut it into irregular fingertip-sized pieces. Arrange these small pieces closely together within the heart-shaped silicone mold and allow them to dry in the mold for about 5 days until they adhere to each other and develop a solid crust on the surface.
- Store in an air tight container at room temperature (avoid high temperature or direct sunlight) for up to 1 month.