On Wednesday 13 August, our Chinese teacher Mrs Kuang invited Mr Peng Wang to teach us how to make Dragon Beard Candy. Dragon Beard Candy began over 2000 years ago in China as an imperial delicacy, passed down through generations as a symbol of artistry. Mr Wang comes from a family with over 200 years of history making the Candy.
He began the lesson by working with pink-colored sugar while we watched a short video showing what the finished candy would look like. After the video, each of us received a tray of flour and a small ball of the sugar mixture.
We first shaped the mixture into small rings, then placed them in the flour. From there, we stretched the sugar three times before folding it into a figure-eight shape, repeating the process until the strands became thinner and thinner. Mr Wang walked around the classroom, offering guidance and tips to help us improve our technique.
Once the candy was ready, we used it to wrap around a crunchy, cereal-like filling to add extra flavor. Personally, I thought the taste was similar to White Rabbit, a hard candy I’ve had before. Overall, I really enjoyed learning how to make Dragon Beard Candy—it was not only fun but also fascinating to experience a traditional Chinese treat firsthand.
~ Jessica Bird 9S4