Rice candy is a popular sweet treat made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water, with variations throughout Asia. Botan Rice Candy is a popular brand, and dragon’s beard candy is also popular in China and Korea. Rice candy is often safe for vegans and gluten intolerant people.
Rice candy is a type of candy made with a rice base ingredient, typically in the form of glutinous rice flour or sweet rice flour. Numerous variations on this sweet treat are eaten throughout Asia, with Japan, Korea, and China all making traditional rice candies. One of the most popular forms of this candy is Botan Rice Candy in Japan, made by JFC International, Incorporated. This candy is widely distributed beyond the borders of Japan and is often available in Asian markets and specialty candy shops.
The ingredients in rice candies vary according to the country of origin. At a minimum, the candies are made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water. Colorants and flavors are often added, and the candies are usually soft and chewy in texture, with a subtle flavor. Many manufacturers make light of the sugar, reflecting a preference for lightly sweetened candy in Asia. Rice is also naturally sweet, and too much added sugar will create a cloying taste.
Many types of rice candy are designed to be eaten fresh as they are made. Other manufacturers cut their candy into small pieces and wrap the pieces in rice paper for packaging and shipping. The rice paper wrapper keeps the candy from getting too moist and keeps the candy in a wrapper from sticking to each other. It’s also edible, although some people aren’t aware of this and may have a hard time peeling the rice paper wrappers off the gummies.
In addition to Botan Rice Candy, another popular style of rice candy is dragon’s beard candy, which is made from pulled sugar that’s rolled in rice flour to keep the sugar strands from sticking together. The candies are usually wrapped around a nut filling such as ground peanuts. Dragonbeard candy is very popular in China and Korea, where it is often served fresh at markets and fairs.
Most rice candies are safe for vegans and people who are intolerant to gluten, making them a relatively safe treat to have around the house. However, it’s a good idea to read the candy packaging, as each manufacturer uses different ingredients. If you happen to live in an area where these candies are made, you might want to take a tour of the factory, as the process of making the candies is quite interesting and the opportunity to taste candies packaged in fresh form can be quite a revelation.
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