At the table
Choose a flavor and a small portion. Let a small piece soften in your mouth rather than biting a large hard chunk.
Hard candy is unsuitable for very young children. This version contains sesame; ask about ingredients in other flavors.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Sesame and ginger are traditional flavors; other flavors have different ingredients.
Typical ingredients
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Very sweet, with sesame and a warming hint of ginger.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Hard and brittle; softens in the mouth.
- How it’s made
- Sugar syrups are heated, pulled, cooled into a firm mass and broken into pieces.
Sesame and ginger are traditional flavors; other flavors have different ingredients.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Hong Kong.
About this regional connection
Hong Kong: HK street candy, not exclusive origin claim.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有叮叮糖吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A sweet named for its sound
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
Hong Kong street vendors traditionally broke a large candy slab into pieces to sell. The tapping sound gave ding ding candy its name; 啄啄糖 is another name for the same sweet.