Dalgona or Ppopgi are Korean Cookies made with Sugar and Baking Soda that became famous thanks to the Netflix series Squid Game. While in the series they represent a challenge to be overcome with patience and speed, in everyday life they are a fun activity for the whole family. The distinctive feature of Dalgona, now known as Squid Game Cookies, lies in how they should be eaten.
The caramel-like mixture used for their preparation is stamped with a mold to create a shape. To eat them, you must remove all the excess without breaking the imprinted design. The Original Korean Dalgona or Ppopgi Recipe is so popular that many street food vendors offer them. There’s also a tradition of rewarding skilled eaters with either another cookie or a small prize. The term Ppopgi actually refers to the chance of winning a prize for your skill.
Dalgona, which roughly translates to “it’s sweet,” might sound familiar from Dalgona Coffee, the upside-down cappuccino also Made in Korea. However, this Korean Cookie has nothing to do with the beverage, and if it weren’t for Squid Game, probably no one would have known about its existence. If you want to try making the Dalgona or Ppopgi Recipe and feel like the TV series characters, get yourself a Needle, start the timer, and begin carefully removing the shape. Though you can skip the rather bloody “win or die” rule.
If you’re curious about this far-eastern culture, you might want to try Yul-lan No-Bake Chestnut Cookies. Alternatively, speaking of caramel recipes, you could try making Homemade Toffee Candies or delicious Caramel Cream.
