Why isn't my tanghulu hardening?

The fruit was either not patted dry, or the sugar mixture wasn't hot enough . If you followed both steps accurately, you may live in a humid climate, which can also affect the hardening process. Place the skewers in your fridge to set. What ratio of sugar to water do I need for tanghulu?

What is tanghulu made of?

For those who are unfamiliar, tanghulu is a fruit skewer coated in a clear, hardened sugar syrup . It was originally made with sour hawthorn berries, but you can use any fruit you'd like.

How to keep tanghulu from crystallizing?

📖 Recipe FAQs Make sure you don't stir the sugar after it comes to a simmer. If it does crystallize, add another half cup of water and start the process again . If making chocolate tanghulu, once the cocoa powder is added, it will begin to crystallize. Work quickly to coat the strawberries before it happens.

How long do you keep tanghulu in ice water?

Working quickly, place fruit end of one skewer in sugar mixture, rotating to fully coat; allow excess syrup to drip back into pan. Place dipped skewer, fruit side down, in ice bath, allowing to cool fully, about 1 minute.

Can you use raw sugar for tanghulu?

Normal cane sugar works fine, but I chose to use raw sugar since it was my first attempt at making tanghulu and raw sugar is harder to burn . Combine the water and sugar into a saucepan on low heat and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved, but you are still able to see some granules in the water.

Why is tanghulu so good?

The Appeal of Tanghulu What makes Tanghulu so irresistible? It's all about the contrast between the hard, sugary shell and the juicy, tangy fruit inside . The visual appeal of the shiny, candy-coated fruit also plays a significant role in its popularity.

Do you refrigerate tanghulu?

Optimal Storage Conditions Excessive humidity and heat will cause the sugar coating to melt and the fruit to spoil quicker. Avoid Refrigeration: While it might seem counterintuitive, do not refrigerate tanghulu . The moisture in the fridge can soften the hard sugar coating, making it sticky and less enjoyable.

How do I know when tanghulu is ready?

tip to know if the sugar is ready: dip a toothpick / skewer into the sugar and into the icebath if its crunchy then its ready! if its still sticky microwave for another 15 sec and try again until its not sticky!

Is tanghulu Chinese or Korean?

It's said to have originated in northern China during the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279), when the emperor's favorite concubine supposedly fell sick and a two-week diet of tanghulu healed her. (It then apparently became a favorite snack of the royal family.)

Should you stir sugar when making candy?

Combine your sugar and water off the heat, and stir it just until the sugar is evenly moistened. Avoid stirring the sugar if at all possible once you put it on the stove . Agitation can cause the sugar to crystallize. If you have to stir it, use a clean stainless steel spoon.

Do you stir sugar when boiling it?

Measure the sugar: Depending on your recipe, measure the required amount of sugar and place it in the saucepan. Heat it up: Set the saucepan over medium heat and let the sugar melt, stirring occasionally with a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon.

Does tanghulu work with raw sugar?

Normal cane sugar works fine, but I chose to use raw sugar since it was my first attempt at making tanghulu and raw sugar is harder to burn . Combine the water and sugar into a saucepan on low heat and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved, but you are still able to see some granules in the water.

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit)

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This tanghulu recipe for a popular Chinese candied fruit snack only requires 3 ingredients and has the most satisfying crunch!

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit) - FeedMi (1)

What is Tanghulu?

Tanghulu is a Chinese candied fruit snack.

It is traditionally made with hawthorn berries but can be made with other fruits as well.

The fruits are on skewers and in a thin hard candy shell.

Tanghulu is also a super popular street food throughout Asia.

When I visited Korea, there seemed to be a tanghulu vendor on every street.

The skewers usually have strawberries, grapes, or a combination of both.

Biting into it gives you the most satisfying crunch and ASMR moment.

After the crunch, you get a burst of fresh and juicy fruit that’s sweetened by the sugar.

For me, it was love at first bite and I knew I wanted to recreate it at home after my trip.

RELATED: HOW TO MAKE MANGO STICKY RICE WITH COCONUT SAUCE

Tanghulu Recipe Ingredients

Before you begin making this tanghulu recipe, you’ll need the following three simple ingredients:

Fruit: Tanghulu traditionally has hawthorn berries but you can use any fruit of your choice. I am using grapes and strawberries. I think tanghulu is best with sour and tart fruits to balance out the sweetness of the candy coating.
Sugar: Sugar creates the hard candy coating and adds sweetness to the fruits. I use Imperial granulated sugar.
Water: Water helps turn the sugar into a clear, amber syrup instead of brown caramel.

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit) - FeedMi (2)

RELATED: HOW TO MAKE AN EASY VIBRANT PITAYA SMOOTHIE BOWL

How to Make Tanghulu Recipe

Tanghulu is a simple sweet snack that gives any fruit the most irresistible crunchy candy coating.

This recipe only takes about 25 minutes and makes 10 small skewers

The candy coating can be tricky to get right but don’t worry, I will give you all the tips and tricks!

Let’s walk through how to make this tanghulu recipe step-by-step so you can feel confident about making it at home.

As always, there is a recipe card at the end that you to print out, pin to Pinterest, or save for later!

RELATED: HOW TO MAKE A BERRY COCONUT POKE CAKE

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit) - FeedMi (3)

Step 1: Prepare the Fruit

Firstly, wash fruit and completely pat dry.

If the fruit is wet, the sugar coating will not stick.

Remove leaves, stems, peel, seeds, or any other inedible parts.

Step 2: Make Sugar Candy Coating

To make the sugar coating add sugar and water in a 2:1 ratio in a small pot on low to medium heat.

I am using a Hexclad 2 quart pot.

Do not stir. Stirring introduces more air bubbles causing the sugar to crystalize.

Crystalized sugar will be cloudy and chunky instead of clear and smooth, which is what we want for this tanghulu recipe.

Bring the sugar mixture to a boil and simmer until it is thick like syrup and amber in color.

This takes about 10-20 minutes.

An amber color indicates that the sugar is hot enough to harden like candy which is about 300°F.

If you do not wait until it is hot enough to begin dipping, the sugar coating will not harden.

Instead, the coating will be more chewy and stick to your teeth when you bite into it instead of giving you that satisfying crunch.

RELATED: HOW TO MAKE UBE PANCAKES WITH UBE COCONUT SAUCE

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit) - FeedMi (5)

Step 3: Test the Candy Coating

Once the sugar is amber in color or about 300°F, test the syrup to make sure it is hot enough before dipping the fruit skewers.

You can’t have tanghulu without a hard crunchy candy coating so it is important to test the syrup.

To do this, simply drizzle a spoonful of the syrup into an ice water bath.

If it hardens within seconds and cracks when you bend it, then it is ready for dipping.

If it dissolves in the water or is soft and bendy, then let the syrup simmer longer on the stove and test again.

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit) - FeedMi (6)

Step 4: Coat Skewers

When the syrup is ready, quickly dip the fruit skewers into it.

Tilt your pot and swirl as needed to ensure that all sides of the fruit are coated.

Then remove from the syrup.

Tanghulu Recipe (Chinese Candied Fruit) - FeedMi (7)

Hold the skewer over the pot and quickly swirl to evenly coat a thin layer while letting the excess sugar drip down.

The quick swirl and drip is important because you don’t want the sugar coating to be too thick and end up breaking a tooth while trying to eat it.

Then immediately dip the skewer into an ice water bath to cool and harden the sugar coating.

Step 5: Enjoy!

Lastly place the sugar coated skewer on a plate or a cup so that it stands.

Then repeat with the remaining skewers.

It is important to work fast so the syrup doesn’t burn or crystalize.

If it does burn or crystalize, it cannot be fixed. You will have to create a new sugar mixture.

Tanghulu is best enjoyed immediately and not kept as leftovers.

How to Clean Pot

After you are done dipping your skewers, you may notice that the sugar is crystalized or stuck onto your pot.

However, do not worry, it is super easy to clean.

Simply pour water into your pot and turn the stove onto medium heat.

The sugars will easily dissolve. You can use a wooden spoon to scrape the sugar down off the sides if needed.

Then discard the water and wash your pot as usual.

Tanghulu Recipe Key Tips & Tricks

make sure fruit is dry before dipping into the sugar coating
do not stir the sugar and water syrup mixture
wait for the syrup to turn amber (~300°F) before dipping skewers
drizzle syrup into ice water bath to test the temperature before dipping skewers
quickly dip and swirl to coat a thin and even layer of the sugar coating

More Asian Desserts to Try:

If you like tanghulu, here are some more Asian dessert recipes that you should try!

Mango Sticky Rice

Ube Pancakes

Sticky Rice Pudding

Save This Tanghulu Recipe!

Tanghulu is a simple snack but has such a satisfying crunch.

I hope this tutorial for how to make Chinese candied fruit is helpful and that you try to recreate this fun treat at home.

Be sure to save this recipe and share it with your family and friends!

If you make this tanghulu recipe, please leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear what you think!

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram @feedmi_

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