How to make Chinese White Rabbit Candy

Learn about the history and story of the famous Chinese candy, White Rabbit. Find a recipe included below to make your own White Rabbit candy at home.

Olivia Higgs

Jan 17

2.5 mins

Jan 17

2.5 mins

Meet the famous White Rabbit. Its distinctive sweet, milky taste is not only popular among those in China but also the Chinese diaspora around the world who are looking for a delicious dose of nostalgia. The art-deco-inspired wrapping is instantly recognizable with its bright colors and bold geometry and of course, the famous rabbit cartoon character.

However, the original candies used to be called Mickey Mouse Sweets and had a picture of Mickey Mouse on the wrapper. Why? The idea was to make them as appealing as possible to children, so who better than the cheerful Mickey? Then the 1950's came along which was a time when there was a lot of political upheaval in China, and many companies were becoming nationalized including ABC Company who originally produced the candy. It was sold to the state-owned Guan Sheng Yuan Food Group, who launched the candy under the new White Rabbit name and branding as the use of Western imagery had become politically sensitive. And the rest is history.

The retro candy has remained popular today, even among the younger generations who have adopted a taste for it from their grandparents and parents. White Rabbit is a popular choice for Chinese New Year particularly as gifts or for welcoming guests into your home.

Have a go at recreating them at home. This version mimics that sweet, milky flavor but has less of the jaw-breaking consistency.

Ingredients:

200g double cream/whipping cream
200ml milk
30g caster sugar
Optional: edible rice paper

Method:

Line a container/small tupperware box with parchment paper.
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Combine your cream, milk and sugar into a pan and slowly bring up to a boil. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat and let it simmer. You'll need to keep an eye on it, stirring regularly to make sure it doesn't stick to your pan.
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Keep simmering until the mixture changes from white/cream to a slightly yellowish color. The consistency should change to be slightly thicker (if you draw a smiley face with your cooking spoon in the mixture, it should hold its shape for a second). This should take around 15 minutes. Just be careful the color doesn't become slightly brown as this means you've burnt your sugar.
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Pour the mixture into your prepped container - you want a depth of about 1cm. Place in the freezer for around 6 hours, preferably over night.
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After freezing, your mixture will stiffen. For this next bit you'll need to work quickly, particularly if you're in a warm kitchen as your mixture will become stickier with the heat. Transfer the stiffened block from the container to a chopping board. Cut into small cuboids which are around 3cm in length by 1cm width by 1cm height (don't worry if they're not 100% accurate to size).
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If you have rice paper, you can wrap each cuboid up for a more authentic feel. Store in the freezer.

How to make Chinese White Rabbit Candy

Ingredients:

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Method:

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