Quantcast
Channel: Korean Bapsang
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 1019

Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch)

$
0
0
This nutty, crunchy and healthy sesame crunch is so easy to make with sesame seeds, honey, and sugar! You can also add your favorite nuts and/or seeds. 
Long sticks of sesame crunch in a small mason jar with dried fruit snack and a cup of tea
 
All around the world, there are many variations of sesame crunch or brittle. Here’s the Korean version! Called kkae gangjeong (깨강정), it’s a variety of Korean traditional sweet treats and often served during holidays such as New Year’s Day and Chuseok (Korean harvest festival).

To me, sesame crunch is an easy snack I can whip up with no effort! It’s also great as an edible gift to your wonderful friends and neighbors for Christmas. It’s nutty, crunchy and much healthier than most holiday cookies!
 
I hope this recipe will become a family favorite during the holiday season and all year round.
 
kkae gangjeong (sesame crunch)
 

The sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are a staple in Korean cooking, so I always have a plenty of them around.

It’s much more economical to buy raw sesame seeds than the ones already toasted. Plus, they taste better when you toast them yourself before using them. Store the portion you are not going to use anytime soon in the freezer. The low temperature prevents the natural oils in the seeds from spoiling, keeping them fresh for a long time.

In Korea, sesame crunch is also commonly made with black sesame seeds or a combination of black and white. Try it if you want something different for a change. 

You can toast raw sesame seeds in a pan over medium to medium low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly golden brown and fragrant.

Other additions 

You can make these only with sesame seeds, but the addition of some nuts and/or seeds makes it more interesting and tastier. I like to add pumpkin seeds and pine nuts. Peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and sunflower seeds are all great options. 

Long sticks of sesame crunch in a small mason jar

How to make sesame crunch

To turn the sesame seeds into candy, all you need are sugar and honey with a little bit of salt. Add the honey, sugar, salt and water to a pan. Stir to mix over medium low heat. Let it bubble up. Continue to cook, without stirring, until it turns light golden brown, about 3 minutes or a little longer depending on your heat. This cooking time is necessary for the sugar mixture to harden when cooled.

I use honey but you can use any sort of syrup such as maple syrup, corn syrup, oligo syrup (oligodang, 올리고당), rice syrup (jocheong, 조청) etc. These are less sweet than honey, so use a little more sugar if using one of these. 

The sugar mixture hardens quickly as it cools, so work quickly once the mixed sesame seeds are off the heat. With parchment paper and a rolling pin, you can roll it out as thick or thin as you want. Finally, cut into any size and shape you want. 

Wishing you and your family happy holidays!!

kkae gangjeong (sesame crunch)

Have you tried this sesame crunch recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTubePinterestTwitterFacebook, and Instagram.

Long sticks of sesame crunch in a small mason jar
Print

Kkagangjeong (Sesame crunch)

This nutty, crunchy and healthy sesame crunch is so easy to make with sesame seeds, honey, and sugar! You can also add your favorite nuts and/or seeds. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine Korean
Prep Time 6 minutes
Servings 4
Author Hyosun

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons honey or corn syrup, oligo syrup, rice syrup, etc.
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 cup roasted sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup any roasted nuts and seeds (pine nuts, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.)
  • Parchment paper

Instructions

  • Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Keep your eye on it not to burn them.
    toasting sesame seeds in a pan
  • Add the honey, sugar, salt and water to a pan. Stir to mix over medium low heat. Let it bubble up. Continue to cook, without stirring, until it turns light golden brown, about 3 minutes or a little longer depending on your heat.
    Making syrup for sesame crunch in a pan
  • Turn the heat off. Stir in the sesame seeds and nuts. Stir well until everything is well coated with the syrup.
    Sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts being mixed with a syrup in a pan
  • Place the mixture between two pieces of parchment paper. Let cool for a minute, or the mixture can stick to the paper. Press it down to flatten it, and roll it out with a rolling pin to a 1/4 to 1/2-thick rectangle. Using a side of a knife, push in the rough sides to straighten up a bit. Roll it again to an even thickness, as necessary.
    Flattening sesame crunch with a rolling pin
  • When the crunch is hardened but still slightly warm, cut with a sharp knife into desired sizes.
    cutting sesame crunch into long sticks

This recipe was originally posted in December 2012. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information, and minor changes to the recipe. 

The post Kkae Gangjeong (Sesame Crunch) appeared first on Korean Bapsang.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 1019

Trending Articles