This traditional Asian candy looks like a crystal and makes for a perfect ASMR mukbang item.
I ’m not trusted when exactly crystal became such a huge part of the zeitgeist . Suddenly I make out citizenry who tackle energy from valued muffin on chain looped around their necks or placed on top of their os frontale . Their plate are decorated with pointy rise vitreous silica and hexagons of calcite , and they rub down their case with jade gua sha tools .
Finding healing through cool off magma is fine by me — I understand the fixation with such beautiful objects in colourful shade of pink , over-embellished , and aquamarine . What I personally ca n’t stop thinking about , however , is how delicious they wait .
If , like me , you ’ve ever had intrusive thought about eating vitreous silica , there is no better time than now to try out out crystalcandy . Made from a base of agar agar and sugar , crystal confect — acknowledge as kohakutou in Japanese and mứt rau câu in Vietnamese — is gaining popularity on TikTok and Etsy .
Crystal candies are made from agar agar powder and sugar.|Photo courtesy of Silky Gem
“ This is something that I used to make with my grandma and mom when I still live in Vietnam , ” explain Gia Huynh , founder of crystal candy company , Silky Gem . Mứt rau câu is typically served forTêt , orVietnamese New Year , and Huynh would help her family prepare a tray of treats that included the watch crystal confect , which was her favorite . “ I ’m not a very sweet person , but this was the only treat I loved to eat on during the novel year . ”
Huynh would only get to coddle in the confect once a yr , but when she move to the states in 2016 , she found herself fondly remembering — and craving — the dainty . Although she could sometimes find it at Vietnamese food market stores , she adjudicate to try do it herself . With a background in soap - making , Huynh encounter it easy to mix the colors into alluring shades that resemble crystals , and found the mitt - on carving of the candies to be a merriment originative wall plug .
Alissa Miky , the founder ofMisaky Tokyo , had a much different entrance into crystal confect crafting . She trace her story back to post-9/11 New York , when she had to take flight back to Tokyo simple days comply the terrorist plan of attack . The prospect of getting on an plane was terrorise for a nine - yr - quondam . Red Cross voluntary at the drome , however , offer comfort : They hand out petite bags of candy .
“ It was just a yellow sticky bear , but for me at that time , it felt like a gem , ” Miky recalls . “ I cried as I eat up it — it made me feel good and happy . ”
It would be years later that Miky would make the connection about how pregnant sweets can be in one ’s life . She would go on to business school , start a floral business , and outdistance herself from that tragical day . But when she decided to bug out Misaky Tokyo in 2019 , the memory came back .
Miky settled on kohakutou , rather than myriad other candies , because of its clearly Japanese story that stretches back hundreds of years . “ In the past , these candies were eaten for tea ceremonies , ” Miky explains . “ At the tea sign , everyone is equal . Samurai were n’t allow to bring their swords in and the entry were diminished , so everybody had to bow their school principal to accede . ”
This philosophy of equality is rooted in Misaky Tokyo , the name which translates to “ beautiful time to come . ” As a Nipponese - American founder in a largely patriarchal bon ton , Miky hopes her candy and business organization can kick upstairs equality for all , disregardless of sexuality , ethnic background knowledge , or any other defining tone . That , and also spread joy throughunique sweet .
For those who have never had crystal candy , you may have seen ASMR video onTikTokfloating around that highlight its satisfying crunch . The sugar and agar agar mix that is used to make quartz glass candy is hired hand carve into crystal shapes before it is dry out for several days , leaving the confect with a crunchy tegument on the international and jelly - similar DoI . It is also gluten - free and vegan .
“ For me , it ’s not about the sugariness — it ’s about the texture , ” Huynh says , adding that the interior of the candy is indulgent than gummy candy and lack spring . “ You either love it or hate it , ” she express mirth .
That does n’t imply that Huynh does n’t manage about smack . She collects crystal herself , and uses them as a visual aid when dreaming up new candies . Some of her crystal loop draw on flavor combination from her backcloth , likepandanand coconut , mango , and butterfly pea flower . Florals are another inspiration ; lilac , originate , andhibiscusare part of her aggregation of candies . She has also recently released a dinero - destitute version and is make grow asour confect .
societal media has been everything for growing the two business concern . “ I ’m not a native English speaker and I did n’t expect to be able to part a business in a fresh nation , ” Miky says , note that Misaky is headquarter in Los Angeles . “ Because of TikTok , we could collab with Kim Kardashian , serve sweetness at the Oscars ’ and Emmys ’ pre - issue , collaborate with Nobu and so many sumptuousness brands . TikTok changed our ship’s company ’s luck . ”
For Huynh , it ’s countenance her to employ her entire family — her mom , dad , and married man all work on Silky Gem full time . “ I feel so blessed , ” she smiles . “ I get to share a small-arm of my civilization with everyone . ”
