Lunar New Year Candy Bars

January 25 (2020): Asian Lunar New Year

Happy new year (again)! In an attempt to make edible spring couplets, Islander asked her adult ESL students to write Korean and Chinese greetings and well wishes on auspiciously red-colored confectioners candy bars. The activity was a nice break from the usual reading/conversation/pronunciation lessons for the day and gave her students a chance to share some sweet candy, traditions and information about their cultural observances of the lunar new year with others at school. Simply make this fun and festive food to ring in the Year of the Rat!

Recipe

Ingredients

• Red candy melts (Wilton brand)
• White tube icing

Directions

Melt the candy melts according to the package instructions. Stir until smooth. Pour into rectangular candy molds. Cool to set. Unmold carefully onto paper towels.

Using a small round tip on the white tube icing, write short new year greetings in Chinese or Korean characters. Let dry but do not stack.

Notes

• Pictured above are lunar new year candies with Chinese characters. Islander’s Korean student had taken her candy bars home to her sons before she was able to photograph it.
• The candy bars may be placed in clear plastic treat bags and tied with red or gold ribbon. Give them away as gifts in addition to/in lieu of red envelopes with money.
• Learn more about East Asian lunar new year (based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar) from Wikipedia.