Dragon's beard candy
Dragon's beard candy (traditional Chinese: 龍鬚糖; simplified Chinese: 龙须糖; pinyin: lóng xū táng) or Chinese cotton candy or Longxusu (simplified Chinese: 龙须酥; traditional Chinese: 龍鬚酥; pinyin: lóng xū sū) is a handmade traditional art of China. It is a traditional Chinese confectionary similar to floss halva or Western cotton candy, which can be found in many Chinese communities. Dragon's beard candy was initially created in China, but soon spread in popularity in other parts of East Asia and South East Asia, becoming a regional delicacy in South Korea in the 1990s, and Singapore in the 1980s, as well as more recently in Canada, and the United States.
| Dragon's beard candy | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 龍鬚糖 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 龙须糖 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | dragon beard candy | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 銀絲糖 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 银丝糖 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | silver silk candy | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Second alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 龍鬚酥 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 龙须酥 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | dragon whiskers pastry | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
It has a low sugar content (19%) and low saturated fat content (2%). By comparison, cotton candy is fat free with a very high sugar content (94%). Dragon's beard candy has a very short shelf life. It is highly sensitive to moisture and tends to melt when exposed to higher temperatures, notably during warm weather.