Dragon's Beard Candy on the menu at the Asia on Your Doorstep Festival 2015

It's approximated that only 50 people in the world know how to make this traditional Chinese sweet.

That confectionary is known as dragon's beard candy, and Gary Au is one of only a few chefs that offer it in Australia.

Bearing a resemblance to fairy floss, dragon's beard candy is a handmade traditional art from China and an extremely fiddly sweet that requires patience and skill to make.

Au, hailing from Hong Kong, learnt how to make it when he was young.

"[I] worked out the best way to make it after I came to Australia, there's better ingredients and a variety of things to use here," he said. "I started making it 20 years ago selling it at small stores and also delivering it to some of the Asian grocery shops to sell."

Au spins the sweet treat at markets and special events such as the Friday Night Markets in Chinatown, Cabramatta Moon Festival and Hurstville Chinese New Year.

The sweet is made from corn and sugar syrup, hand-stretched into 4096 white silky strands that are wrapped around a special filling made of shredded coconut, peanuts and sesame.

"We wrap it into a cocoon shape and sell it in little cupcake patty pans. Everything's cooked, toasted and roasted so it's ready to eat," Au says.

Until last century, dragon beard candy was considered so special it was only allowed to be eaten inside the walls of the emperor's Forbidden Palace in Beijing.

"The reason it's given the name is because dragon symbolises power and courage while the white strands look like beards. It was brought through Asian countries over the last 50 to 60 years and then it became a well-known street food in Hong Kong," Au said.

According to Au, the best part about making the candy is "the fascination and art or the way it magically turns into thousands of strands. When they watch it being made, they really appreciate the effort that goes into it – all the ingredients and preparation."

City-goers can spot Au making dragon bearded candy at the Little Eat Street Friday Night Markets for the upcoming Asia on Your Doorstep Festival, being held as part of Good Food Month and supported by the City of Sydney.

Little Hay Street in Chinatown will be transformed into the Little Eat Street markets during Good Food Month. From 5-10pm on October 9, 16, 23 and 30.