Traditional Chinese childhood favorite snack- peanut candy with the best partner white sesame seeds. It is holiday season now, I am making this as my yearly gifts.

It is autumn and winter season again. We always to make some snacks for childhood in those two seasons as energy supplement among meals. Peanut candy has been one of my favorite snack during my childhood time. We used to purchase the handmade ones from the nearest store. Nowadays, peanut candies are more likely to be made in factories. It requires very simple ingredients to make those yummy snack, with the right produce. I often make this version for my grandma since she is a big fan of traditional peanut candy.

Cook’s Note

1. You may find traditional peanut candy using peanut only. But adding white sesame seed is a better version for cutting and taste.
2. Note about the syrup: do not stir it frequently before the white sugar dissolves. The temperature of the syrup is the key to successful peanut candy. If the syrup is under-cooked, the candy cannot turn crispy after cooled and cannot form lovely shapes. When the syrup is around 110 temperature C, it produces very soft and chewy texture like what we want in another traditional snack Sachima (沙琪玛). If the syrup is over cooked, it produces a strange bitter taste to the candy. I suggest heat the syrup around 125 to 130 degree C with the help of the syrup drop testing described in the instructions.
3. You need to cut the candy when it is form shape and still hot for beautiful cuts.
4. You can adjust the peanut and white sesame seeds based on personal preference.
5. Adding baking soda can make the candy even more crisper by mixing it previously with nuts. But we do not include it in traditional Chinese version. I do not use it this time too.

Ingredients

• 150g raw peanuts
• 100g white sesame seeds, toasted
• 100g white sugar
• 150g maltose
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 cup water
• a very small pinch of salt

Instructions

Pan-fry the peanut over slowest fire until slightly brown. Or if you prefer a oven method : Pre-heat your oven until 150 degree C, place peanuts in the middle rack of oven. Roast for 25 minutes.

Remove the peanut skins and roughly smash with a rolling pin. Mix with sesame seeds and a very small pinch of salt.

In a non-stick pan, add sugar, salt, oil and maltose. Heat over medium fire until the syrup obtains a lovely amber color and there are large bubbles formed.

Test the syrup, use a chopstick to and get a small drop of syrup. Soak it in cold water quickly and taste the drop after cooled down. If the syrup is well cooked, the drop should be cooled very quickly and taste quite hard and crisp. Otherwise it might be quite soft and chewy. Or if you get a thermometer, heat the syrup around 125 to 130 degree C. Do not touch the bottom of your pan when placing the thermometer.

Slow down the fire and mix the nuts quickly until well mixed.

Transfer to a baking paper and shape it into a rectangle. Cut into small pieces about 3 cm long and 2 cm wide when it is still hot.

Keep in air-tight container up for 2 weeks.

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Peanut Candy (Peanut Sugar)

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Famous traditional Chinese snack -- Peanut candy 花生芝麻糖

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 15

Calories: 168 kcal

Author: Elaine

Ingredients

• 150 g raw peanuts
• 100 g white sesame seeds
• 100 g white sugar
• 150 g maltose
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 cup water
• a very small pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Pan-fry the peanut over slowest fire until slightly brown. Or if you prefer a oven method : Pre-heat your oven until 150 degree C, place peanuts in the middle rack of oven. Roast for 25 minutes.
2. Remove the peanut skins and roughly smash with a rolling pin. Mix with sesame seeds.
3. In a non-stick pan, add sugar, salt, oil and maltose. Heat over medium fire until the syrup obtains a lovely amber color and there are large bubbles formed.
4. Test the syrup, use a chopstick to and get a small drop of syrup. Soak it in cold water quickly and taste the drop after cooled down. If the syrup is well cooked, the drop should be cooled very quickly and taste quite hard and crisp. Otherwise it might be quite soft and chewy. Or if you get a thermometer, heat the syrup around 125 to 130 degree C. Do not touch the bottom of your pan when placing the thermometer.
5. Slow down the fire and mix the nuts quickly until well mixed.
6. Transfer to a baking paper and shape it into a rectangle. Cut into small pieces about 3 cm long and 2 cm wide when it is still hot.
7. Keep in air-tight container up for 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

nutrition is calculated based on every single piece of the sugar.  

Nutrition Facts

Peanut Candy (Peanut Sugar)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 168 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 3mg 0%

Potassium 105mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 19g 6%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 16g

Protein 3g 6%

Calcium 7.6%

Iron 7.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.