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1
Combine the flour, baking powder, and brown or black sugar in a bowl. Add water gradually, mixing until a firm, cohesive dough forms. The dough should not be sticky — it must hold its shape when pressed but remain pliable. Knead briefly until smooth.
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2
Pass the dough through a die, piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, or roll by hand into short cylinders or irregular sticks approximately 4–5 cm in length. Uniform thickness ensures even frying.
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3
Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Test the temperature with a small piece of dough — it should sink momentarily, then rise immediately to the surface and begin to puff within seconds. This indicates the oil is sufficiently hot. Oil that is too cool will produce an oil-soaked, dense interior rather than the characteristic hollow, puffed structure. This is where the dish lives or dies: correct oil temperature is the condition on which the entire texture of the finished karinto depends.
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4
Fry the dough pieces in batches, turning as needed, until golden brown and puffed. Remove and drain on a rack. The pieces should feel noticeably light relative to their size — the hollow interior is audible as a faint rattle if shaken.
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5
Combine the coating sugar and water in a saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to a boil and cook without stirring until the syrup reaches approximately 150 °C — the hard-crack stage. The syrup will appear thick, glossy, and slightly amber. A drop on a cold surface will set brittle and snap cleanly.
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6
Working quickly while the syrup is still very hot, add the fried dough pieces to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly. If using sesame seeds, scatter them over the pieces at this stage and toss once more. A syrup applied at insufficient temperature will remain tacky rather than setting to a crisp shell.
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7
Turn the coated pieces out onto a rack or parchment in a single layer and leave undisturbed for a minimum of 30 minutes. The coating hardens as it cools; pieces should be fully brittle and non-tacky to the touch before eating or storing. Transfer to an airtight container — humidity is the primary threat to the finished texture.