My witchy little heart just loves an option to bring more crystals into the house, edible or not. These are some of my favorite little candies to have on hand. I put them in a variety of jars and tuck them away in places around the house. They have a long storage life, so they are perfect for edible decor and transportation.

What is Kohakutou?

Kohakutou is the Japanese crystal candy that has a hardened outside and a jelly like center. They are becoming popular as an ASMR candy due to the crunch they provide.

These candies are traditionally left outside to dry in the sun for a few days. Living in wet humid bug-infested Florida I can barely make candy without it turning tacky so I am not tempted to try and dry these outside. Even drying inside, the time will vary based on time of year and humidity wherever you are.

You can flavor and color these however you like but I would recommend candy-based flavorings and colors. You can also make these using juices or other drinks, but do not adjust the sugar amount in the recipe or it will not jell the way you need it to.

What is Agar Agar?

Agar Agar is a by-product of seaweed and happens to be high in minerals. It is used to make many jelly like desserts. While it is similar in texture to gelatin and is often used as an alternative to make vegan treats, it functions very differently so it is not a direct substitute. Its consistency is not as stretchy and chewy as gelatin. If I had to make a very random reference think of it as gluten free verses gluten-based breads. The chew and the bite are very different and doesn’t have that rubber band stretch or pull we are used to.

Kohakutou

The ratio for this candy is 1:40:70 (agar agar: water: sugar)

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon agar agar powder (I prefer the telephone brand)
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
Flavoring and Coloring

Directions:

1. Bring water and agar to a boil. Once agar is dissolved, add in the sugar.
2. Place a candy thermometer in the mix and cook mixture over medium heat until mixture reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit. This is about 10-12 minutes.
3. Pour into a greased 13×9-inch dish
4. Add flavoring and color as needed
5. Let mixture set for at least 4 hours
6. Cut or rip the set agar apart and place on parchment
7. Let candies sit for 3-4 days until a sugar crust develops on all sides.
8. Candy is then ready for eating or packaging.