Another popular Chinese new year treat I want to share is this black sesame peanut candy that has a soft and chewy texture. They are so easy to make with only 5 basic ingredients and no maltose is needed.
Toast the black sesame on a dry pan over low-medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan. Do the same with the peanuts if they are not roasted already. Remove from the pan and let them cool down completely.
Prepare two large sheets of parchment paper, a chopping board, and an oiled knife
Roughly chop the peanuts into smaller pieces using a food processor or a rolling pin. Set aside
Put sugar, vinegar/lemon juice, and water in a medium saucepan. Let them cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and start to bubble. Do not stir. Stir in honey and reduce the heat to low and let it cook on low heat for about 15 minutes
Test the sugar with cold-water method:
Get a small cup of water and carefully get a small amount of the molten sugar and drop it into the water. It will form a ball. Wait for a few seconds so it's not so hot and use your fingers to pick it up and it will flatten or bend when you touch it. We call this a soft-ball stage. It's perfect for making soft and chewy candy like this. Turn off the heat and add 1 Tbsp of oil and stir to mix for a few seconds then quickly add the black sesame seeds and peanuts and stir to combine everything
Shape and cut:
Quickly but carefully transfer to an oiled parchment paper or silicone mat (need to oil the mat too or it will stick). Cover with another oiled parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it into about 1/4-inch thickness. Peel the parchment paper off and use an oiled knife to cut into the desired size while they are still warm. It's harder to cut when it has cooled down completely
Storing:
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature and they can last for months