Things You'll Need
Tea towel
Hammer
Airtight container
Yellow rock sugar is also known as Chinese rock sugar. Unlike Western granulated sugar, rock sugar is sold in solid, honey-colored chunks. To use the sugar in recipes, you must break it apart. Using rock sugar will require the use of force and a heavy tool. "The Chinese Kitchen" recommends using a hammer rather than a rolling pin for breaking apart lumps of yellow rock sugar. Authors Deh-Ta Hsiung and Ken Hom note that the hardness of the rock sugar could damage the wood of common kitchen rolling pins.
Step 1
Place a lump of yellow rock sugar into a towel.
Step 2
Fold the edges of the towel over the sugar to prevent broken chunks from falling out and to protect the counter.
Step 3
Tap the sugar with a hammer through the towel until the lump breaks down into smaller pieces.
Step 4
Add the broken down chunks of rock sugar to hot dishes or drinks so the heat further melts the sugar. Each lump of yellow rock sugar replaces 1 tablespoon of white or brown sugar in recipes.
Step 5
Break more sugar than you need and store the extra in an airtight container at room temperature indefinitely.