Squid Game Honeycomb Candy Dalgona

Squid Game Honeycomb Candy Dalgona Recipe - Sponge toffee candy dalgona or ppopgi is a fun Korean street food made with two simple ingredients that have gotten the contestants in this K-drama sweating and struggling to cut out the cookie shapes. Do you want to play this trending game dalgona challenge? How about let's make this super fun old school Korean candy and have a challenge of our own!

Netflix's Squid Game

Remember when the Dalgona craze last year? So fluffy. So creamy. You only need a few simple ingredients to make Dalgona coffee. Instant coffee, sugar and water. So simple!

The popular Korean Netflix series Squid Game brought back this childhood sugar candy treat called dalgona (달고나) or ppopgi (뽑기). Ppopgi is another common name used in popular street vendors in South Korea.

Korean Young Children Game

After watching Squid Game, we to recreated this Korean honeycomb toffee at home with small cookie cutter and a few dalgona candy ingredients.

It is our first time playing this children's game to break brittle candy on a flat metal surface with a needle.

What Does Dalgona Mean Anyways?

The word "dalgona" comes from the Korean word “dalguna (달구나)” meaning “it's sweet.”

In case you are wondering what Dalgona tastes like, imagine that old fashion, nostalgic chocolate bar Cadbury Crunchie. The dalgona is basically melted sugar. Dalgona is the best sponge toffee recipe made without corn syrup.

What Do You Need To Make Honeycomb Toffee Cookies

You can buy a dalgona cooking set, but you can use most equipment and tools already found in your kitchen to make the perfect dalgona candy!

• stainless steel small ladles
• stainless steel saucepan with spouts for easy pour
• wooden chopstick - I saved a lot of chopsticks from ordering take-out 🙂
• silicone mat
• hotteok press cooking set, a small bowl or saucepan with a flat smooth bottom will do also
• cute cookie cutters
• rubber spatula, optional
• flat surface
• parchment paper

Getting Started with Cinder Toffee Candy

Whether you choose to make Dalgona with a honeycomb dalgona candy kit, a ladle spoon or a stainless steel saucepan, the process is simple. Here are some essential tips to help you make a successful honeycomb candy!

I struggled with making these sweet treats several times before nailing them. In the beginning, I didn't have all my ingredients handy, and I also waited too long before pouring it onto the silicone baking sheet. The key to making Dalgona honeycomb toffee is to move quickly but not to rush through each step!

I highly recommend reading thru these Dalgona candy recipe tips before starting. It will increase your dalgona honeycomb recipe success rate exponentially!

Dalgona Candy Ingredients

Per Honeycomb Candy Dalgona Cookie

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/10 tsp baking soda

Tips for Making Honeycomb Toffee Candy

• Get all your ingredients and tools ready before starting making your own dalgona candy. Once you begin, you won't have time to run around gathering tools.
• Control the heat and do not burn the Korean sugar candy. Remove the saucepan or ladle away from the heat source if it gets too hot. You want to melt two tablespoons of sugar at a medium-low heat.
• A gas stove or portable butane stove works much better than a stovetop.
• Use a pair of wooden chopsticks or a heat-prove rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir the sugar while it is melting. Remove any clumps.
• Once the sugar begins to turn light caramel color (light brown), quickly add a little baking soda. The mixture will immediately start to foam. The plain sugar will turn into a honeycomb texture.
• It is best to remove the ladle from heat before adding in the baking soda and stir immediately. You only have a small window before it starts to cool down!
• You can briefly put the squid game candy back over the heat, but don't let it foam up too long.
• Spoon the hot dalgona mixture over the silicone baking mat. Let it cool off slightly for 15-20 seconds before pressing it all the way down to desired thickness. 
• Do not melt sugar over high heat or medium heat or the sponge candy will burn quickly.

Why Is My Dalgona Candy Sticking?

• Quickly press your cookie cutter into the dalgona honeycomb candy (but not all the way thru).
• Let it cool for 5 minutes before removing it from the baking sheet.
• Keep a pot of hot water nearby to rinse off the ladle and chopsticks in between batches.
• If you do not have baking soda, you can substitute baking powder. Use three times the amount that the recipe calls for. For example, if the recipe calls for 1/10th a teaspoon, use 3/10th a teaspoon.

Is It Easier to Make Dalgona Candy with a Ladle or Saucepan?

From experience, I find that using a ladle to portion out each dalgona mixture and heated over an open flame is much easier than using a saucepan. The error rate is much lower. There is less surface area for the hot sugar mixture to cool down when you pour it onto the non-stick cookie sheet.

What To Do With The Broken Honeycomb Toffee Pieces?

While it is frustrating when the honeycomb breaks - as you are making the cookies or when you fail to complete the challenge - the bright side is you can store the broken pieces in a jar and save them for later!

Also, I love making myself a Dalgona latte topped with honeycomb pieces! It is super delicious whether it is hot or cold! The experience is just as delicious!

Step By Step Instructions For Making Dalgona Coffee

Simply add one shot espresso to your choice of milk (I like using oat milk) and add as much airy honeycomb toffee on top. Remember, if it can get quite sweet if you are used to drinking your coffee without sugar! Add a little bit dalgona candies at a time.

This is a little different than Dalgona coffee (whipped coffee) made by whipping four hundred times with instant coffee, sugar and water, but equally as wonderful!