Version from Central Java, Indonesia
ampyang — Central Java, Indonesia
A crunchy Javanese snack of peanuts bound in melted palm sugar and ginger, set into thin brittle discs and eaten as a sweet, spicy-sweet treat.
- 15 min
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 8
- Servings
- Easy
- Difficulty
Ampyang is a crunchy candy of roasted peanuts set in a thick caramel of melted palm sugar and ginger, formed into small flat discs that snap when bitten.
It is reported from Central Java, Indonesia, where it is sold at markets and from roadside stalls as an everyday sweet rather than a festive one. Versions with sesame seeds or puffed rice folded in alongside the peanuts are also found, though the plain peanut version remains the most common.
To prepare it, peanuts are roasted until fragrant and the skins are rubbed off. Separately, palm sugar is melted with a splash of water and sliced fresh ginger, then simmered until it thickens into a dark, sticky caramel. The roasted peanuts are folded into the hot caramel, and spoonfuls of the mixture are dropped onto a lined tray or a banana leaf and flattened into thin discs while still warm. Left to cool, the caramel sets hard and the discs turn brittle enough to snap.
What changes between makers is chiefly how much ginger is used, sharp or mild, whether sesame seeds or puffed rice join the peanuts, and how thin the discs are pressed. This version keeps the ginger fairly sharp and stays with peanuts alone, pressed into thin discs for a cleaner snap.
Preparation
Roast the peanuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then rub off the skins.
Melt the palm sugar with the water and sliced ginger in a saucepan.
Simmer the mixture, stirring often, until it thickens into a dark caramel.
Stir in the peanuts and salt until evenly coated.
Drop spoonfuls onto a lined tray and flatten into discs, then let them cool until hard and brittle.
