Barley Puff Brittle (Korean Puffed Barley Walnut Sesame Candy)
Syrup temperature decides the texture. Cook the rice syrup, sugar and honey over medium-low heat without stirring to 118°C, or until a drop in cold water forms a soft, pliable ball, because a lower temperature gives a chewy result. Add the puffed barley, walnuts and sesame seeds all at once, coat everything within 30 seconds, press to 1.5 cm thick and score the surface before it fully cools.
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Puffed barley shatters lightly between chunks of toasted walnut and sesame, all held together by a rice syrup and honey syrup.
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Its texture hinges on cooking that syrup, unstirred, to 118°C: below it the bars stay tacky after cooling, above it they set hard enough to hurt your teeth. A spoonful of sesame oil stirred in at the end calms the bubbling and leaves a nutty finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Roughly chop 40g walnuts and toast in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then transfer to a plate to cool.
- 2
Combine 120g rice syrup, 25g sugar, and 20g honey in a pot and cook over medium-low heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 118C; if no thermometer, a drop in cold water should form a soft, pliable ball.
- 3
Reduce heat to low, add 8ml sesame oil, and quickly stir into the syrup to help the bubbling subside before adding the dry ingredients.
- 4
Add 180g puffed barley, the toasted walnuts, and 12g toasted sesame seeds all at once, then toss vigorously within 30 seconds so every piece is evenly coated before the syrup begins to set.
- 5
Transfer the mixture to a square pan lined with parchment, cover it with a second sheet, and press firmly with a spatula to a thickness of 1.5 cm.
- 6
Score the surface into serving-size pieces before it fully cools, then break or cut completely once cool and store in an airtight container.
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