Description
Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese street snack featuring fresh fruits skewered and coated in a hard, glossy sugar candy shell. This recipe shows you how to make these delightful sweet treats at home by preparing a simple sugar syrup and dipping your choice of fresh fruits, resulting in a crunchy, sweet exterior with juicy fruit inside.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- Fresh fruits (hawthorn berries, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, or other fruits of your choice) – quantity as needed
Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
Others
- Sticks or skewers (wooden or bamboo) – as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Fruit: Wash and dry the fruits thoroughly. If you have large fruits, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Thread the fruits onto wooden or bamboo sticks, leaving some space at the bottom so you can hold them comfortably while dipping.
- Make the Sugar Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice if using. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Bring the syrup to a simmer and cook without stirring until it reaches 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer, approximately 10–12 minutes. This temperature will create a hard candy coating once cooled.
- Coat the Fruit: Remove the syrup from heat once it reaches the hard crack stage. Working quickly, dip each fruit skewer into the hot syrup, turning to coat the fruit evenly. Let the excess syrup drip back into the pan to prevent pooling on the stick.
- Let the Candy Harden: Place the coated fruit skewers on a parchment-lined baking sheet or other heat-resistant surface to cool and harden. The candy shell will become crisp as it sets.
- Serve: Once the candy coating has hardened completely, serve the Tanghulu immediately for the best crunch. You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container, but the candy shell is best enjoyed fresh.
Notes
- Be cautious handling hot sugar syrup to prevent burns.
- If you don’t have a candy thermometer, watch for the syrup to become thick and brittle when dropped into cold water (hard crack stage).
- Use fresh, firm fruits for the best texture contrast with the candy shell.
- Try different fruits to customize your Tanghulu, but avoid very watery fruits as they may weaken the candy coating.
- Serve immediately after the coating hardens for optimal crunchiness, as humidity can make the candy sticky over time.
