Description
Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack featuring fresh fruit skewered and coated in a glossy, crunchy hard sugar shell. This sweet treat combines the natural juiciness of fruits like hawthorn berries, strawberries, grapes, or kiwis with a crisp candy coating made from boiled sugar syrup, offering an irresistible blend of textures and flavors that’s perfect for snacking or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 4-5 pieces of fresh fruit per skewer (hawthorn berries, strawberries, grapes, or kiwis)
Syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
Equipment
- Skewers or toothpicks
Instructions
- Prepare the Fruit: Wash and thoroughly dry your chosen fruits to ensure the sugar coating sticks perfectly. Remove any stems or seeds as needed. Carefully skewer about 4-5 pieces per stick, creating bite-sized portions that are easy to handle and eat.
- Make the Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves completely, then let the mixture come to a boil without stirring. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature and continue boiling until it reaches approximately 300°F (150°C), the hard crack stage. For smoother syrup and to prevent crystallization, optionally add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice once the sugar dissolves.
- Dip the Fruit: Working quickly but carefully, dip each fruit skewer into the hot sugar syrup ensuring the fruit is fully coated with the glossy syrup. Lift the skewer and allow excess syrup to drip off before placing it on a parchment-lined tray.
- Let Candy Harden: Allow the coated fruit skewers to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. This time lets the hard candy shell cool and solidify, resulting in a shiny, crunchy coating that cracks delightfully when bitten.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once the sugar coating is completely hardened, your Tanghulu is ready to serve. Enjoy immediately for the best texture, or store in an airtight container for up to two days to maintain freshness and crunchiness.
Notes
- Make sure the fruits are completely dry before dipping to ensure the sugar adheres properly.
- Use a candy thermometer to accurately reach the hard crack stage; this ensures the sugar coating hardens properly.
- Adding lemon juice helps prevent sugar crystallization for a clear, smooth candy shell.
- Work quickly when dipping to avoid the syrup cooling and thickening before coating the fruit.
- Store Tanghulu in an airtight container at room temperature to prevent moisture from softening the candy coating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
