Korean Dalgona Milk (Caramel Puffed Sugar Candy Milk)
Quick answer
Dalgona milk starts with melting sugar in a small pan over low heat until it reaches a deep amber color, then adding baking soda, which causes the hot caramel to foam and...
What makes this special
- Baking soda reacts with hot caramel to create the honeycomb structure of the Dalgona candy.
- Baking soda hits hot caramel and instantly foams, creating the honeycomb structure of dalgona
- Caramelized char and butterscotch sweetness spread over the neutral milk layer
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Line parchment paper first, then keep a spoon and 0.3 teaspoon baking soda within reach.
- 2 Spread 6 tablespoons sugar evenly in a small heavy pan and place it over low heat.
- 3 When the sugar becomes a clear syrup and turns light amber, turn off the heat immediately.
Dalgona milk starts with melting sugar in a small pan over low heat until it reaches a deep amber color, then adding baking soda, which causes the hot caramel to foam and aerate instantly into a honeycomb-like structure. Once cooled, the puffed candy is crushed and dissolved into cold milk. The baking soda reaction is what gives dalgona its distinctive lightness: instead of a dense, hard caramel, the aerated structure makes it brittle and easy to break while also helping it dissolve quickly in the milk. The caramelized sugar delivers a deep, toasty sweetness with a slight bitterness at the edges, similar to butterscotch, that spreads through the milk as the pieces melt. A small amount of vanilla extract sharpens the flavor and a pinch of salt rounds it out. Keeping some crushed dalgona pieces separate and dropping them on top of the finished drink as a garnish adds a crunchy contrast to the creamy liquid beneath.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Line parchment paper first, then keep a spoon and 0.3 teaspoon baking soda within reach.
Caramel sets quickly after foaming, so finish this setup before heating the sugar.
- 2Control
Spread 6 tablespoons sugar evenly in a small heavy pan and place it over low heat.
Do not stir at first. Tilt the pan gently as the edges melt so the syrup forms evenly without gritty clumps.
- 3Season
When the sugar becomes a clear syrup and turns light amber, turn off the heat immediately.
Check the color before anything else. If it darkens too far, the drink will taste bitter instead of gently toasted.
- 4Step
Add the baking soda and stir quickly for about 5 seconds, just until the caramel lightens and puffs.
Do not keep stirring after it foams, because the bubbles collapse. Pour it onto the parchment right away.
- 5Step
Spread the puffed dalgona thinly and let it cool at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
Once it is firm and brittle, crush it into small pieces. Keep some crunchy bits aside for topping.
- 6Finish
Mix 500 ml milk with 1.5 cups ice, 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 0.1 teaspoon salt until the salt dissolves.
Stir in crushed dalgona to sweeten the milk, then top with the reserved pieces and serve cold.
After the steps
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