Crystal Candy is our take on kohakutou, a traditional Japanese confection made by setting agar jelly and allowing it to crystallise slowly over several days. The result is something genuinely unlike anything else: a jewel-like outer crust that shatters to reveal a soft centre, in flavours that shift and surprise. Made by hand in our Norwich kitchen using the same unhurried process that's been part of Japanese wagashi culture for centuries, each piece is as much to look at as it is to eat.
Crystal Candy is inspired by kohakutou (琥珀糖), a centuries-old Japanese sweet that translates roughly as "amber sugar." Originally part of the wagashi tradition, the artisan confectionery that accompanies the Japanese tea ceremony. Kohakutou is made by cooking agar-agar with sugar and flavourings, pouring it into moulds, then leaving it to dry and crystallise at room temperature over three to five days. As the outer surface dehydrates, it forms a thin, glassy shell while the interior stays soft and gel-like: two completely different textures in a single piece.
The visual effect is striking. Depending on how the jelly sets and where the crystals form, each piece takes on the appearance of a rough-cut gemstone — catching the light in a way that has made kohakutou a popular subject in Japanese food photography and, more recently, a quiet obsession in Western artisan confectionery circles.
Our Crystal Candy range
At Macarons & More, we make Crystal Candy by hand in small batches in our Norwich kitchen, following the traditional slow-crystallisation method. We use flavourings and a range of colours to create pieces that genuinely look like precious stones, and taste as considered as they look. Because each batch is made individually and left to set in its own time, no two pieces are identical.
Crystal Candy as a gift
Their appearance makes them a natural choice for gifting. They work beautifully for birthdays, weddings, corporate gifting, and as a something-different treat for anyone with a sweet tooth and an eye for the unusual. They're conversation starters, most people have never seen anything quite like them.
Suitable for
Crystal Candy is suitable for vegetarians. Agar-agar, unlike gelatine, is derived from seaweed, making these sweets a plant-based alternative to many traditional soft confections. Please see individual product listings for full allergen and ingredient information.
