Crunchy Sesame Peanut Candy is a lightly sweet, delicious and festive treat, usually enjoyed at Chinese New Year.
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What is sesame peanut candy?
Sesame peanut candy is a crunchy sweet and nutty Chinese treat, with a texture similar to brittle.
There are variations of the candy, with varying "hardness."
Soft sesame candy is more chewy and malleable, whereas this version is crunchy, but not tooth-breaking hard.
Why you'll love this recipe
This small-batch recipe is straightforward to make.
Like Chinese Red Date Candy, this sesame peanut candy is not too sweet and doesn't contain any corn syrup.
The candy is crunchy yet not too hard.
It's a naturally gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free treat.
Ingredients you'll need
Toast or roast the peanuts and sesame seeds beforehand.
- peanuts: toasted; if the peanuts are too large, you can give them a rough chop
- white sesame seeds: toasted; you can also use black sesame seeds or a mixture of both
- granulated sugar
- maltose: is an all-natural sweetener with a consistency similar to honey used in candy making, such as in red date candy
- sea salt: balances out the sweetness
- water: to make the sugar syrup
- white vinegar: helps prevents too much sugar crystallization
Optional additions
Feel free to change it up and add:
- freeze-dried raspberries/strawberries
- other nuts
- ginger
- vanilla extract
How to make it
Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in a dry skillet or in the oven until aromatic, about 5-10 minutes.
Keep the white sesame seeds and peanuts warm in a 200F oven for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, place an 8" by 10" pan in the oven to warm up.
Combine water, vinegar, maltose and sugar into a small saucepan with a candy thermometer attached by the side.
Heat over medium heat and do not stir the mixture until it turns into a syrup.
When the sugar syrup temperature reaches 275F-280F, turn off the heat and add salt.
Take the peanut and white sesame seeds out of the oven and pour the mixture into the syrup.
Quickly combine the mixture with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Remove saucepan from stove.
Dump the sesame mixture into the warmed 8" by 10" by 1" pan, lined with a piece of parchment paper.
Level and flatten the nuts and seeds.
Fold the parchment paper in half to cover the candy and use a rolling pin to press the candy evenly to compact it.
Transfer candy out of the pan onto a cutting board and roll it with the rolling pin to further compact the candy.
Cut the candy with a sharp thin blade knife while it is still very warm into ½" by 1" bite pieces.
How to store
Store sesame peanut candy in an airtight container after it cools completely.
Keep well at room temperature for 1 month or 3 months in the freezer.
Expert tips
For best results, the sugar syrup temperature should reach above 275F, but not over 280F.
There should be strands of maltose visible.
When syrup temp is reached, process has to be quick. Pour nuts and seeds in the pot and mixing well.
Keeping the baking tray/pan, nuts and sesame seeds warm in the oven at 200F will delay the candy from setting too quickly.
Have a cutting board, wooden damper, rolling pin, and thin edge knife or cleaver ready for cutting the candies.
If candies harden too quickly and cannot form shape, place candies in hot oven for a few minutes and quickly roll it to form into shape. Then cut into pieces.
Other recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Peanut Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)
Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes (Feng Li Su) 鳳梨酥
Chinese Macau-Style Almond Mung Bean Cookies
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Sesame Peanut Candy
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 180 g peanuts toasted
- 75 g white sesame seeds toasted
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 36 ml maltose
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Instructions
- Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in a dry skillet or in the oven until aromatic, about 5-10 minutes.
- Keep the white sesame seeds and peanuts warm in a 200°F/93°C oven for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, place an 8" by 10" pan in the oven to warm up.
- Combine water, vinegar, maltose and sugar into a small saucepan with a candy thermometer attached by the side.
- Heat over medium heat and do not stir the mixture until it turns into a syrup.
- When the sugar syrup temperature reaches 275°F-280°F/135°C-138°C, turn off the heat and add salt.
- Take the peanut and white sesame seeds out of the oven and pour the mixture into the syrup.
- Quickly combine the mixture with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Remove saucepan from stove.
- Dump the sesame mixture into the warmed 8" by 10" by 1" pan, lined with a piece of parchment paper.
- Level and flatten the nuts and seeds.
- Fold the parchment paper in half to cover the candy and use a rolling pin to press the candy evenly to compact it.
- Transfer candy out of the pan onto a cutting board and roll it with the rolling pin to further compact the candy.
- Cut the candy with a sharp thin blade knife while it is still very warm into ½" by 1" bite pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
David @ Spiced
These photos are beautiful! I'm not sure I've seen maltose in stores, but I'm not sure I've really looked for it either. I love peanuts, and this sounds like a delicious and fun sweet treat!
Michelle
Thanks David, you can usually find maltose in Asian grocery stores, maybe in specialty baking stores as well since it's an ingredient used in making candies 🙂
Linsey
This sesame peanut candy is very crunchy to the bite and not too sweet to the taste. It is not too hard like some peanut brittle which could break your tooth! Excellent candy! Thanks Michelle!
Tasia
The texture and flavor of this sesame peanut candy is such a treat! The girls and I were looking for something new to make and this was a perfect way to start coming down of the sugar laden cookie season. Thanks Michelle!
MLG
My mom usually likes to have a piece of this peanut candy after her dinner. It tastes very good.