Description
Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack featuring fresh fruit skewered and dipped in a hard sugar syrup that forms a glossy, crunchy coating. This recipe guides you through making perfectly crisp and sweet Tanghulu, ideal for a fun treat or festive party snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 1 1/2 cups fresh fruit (berries, oranges, grapes, or kiwi)
Syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Prepare the Fruit: Wash and pat dry the fresh fruit thoroughly. Thread the fruit pieces onto skewers and set them on parchment paper or a Silpat-lined surface to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Cold Water Bath: Fill a rimmed baking sheet or large pan with at least 1 inch of cold water and add several ice cubes. Place this next to the stove for cooling the sugar syrup and testing its readiness.
- Make Sugar Syrup: Pour the granulated sugar into a pot then add the water over it, ensuring all sugar crystals are wet. Do not stir the mixture; if needed, gently shake the pot to moisten all sugar. Attach a candy thermometer to the pot’s side to monitor the temperature.
- Cook Syrup to Hard Crack Stage: Bring the sugar mixture to a boil over high heat. When the temperature hits 250°F, test the syrup’s readiness by dipping a wooden skewer into the syrup then immediately into the cold water bath. The syrup should harden and become immovable. If not, continue boiling carefully, ensuring the temperature does not exceed 300°F to avoid burning.
- Cool the Pot Briefly: Once the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, turn off the heat and briefly dip the bottom of the pot into the cold water bath for one second to slightly cool the pot and slow cooking.
- Dip the Fruit Skewers: Tilt the pot so the syrup pools to one side. Quickly dip each fruit skewer into the hot sugar syrup, twirling to coat evenly. Allow any excess syrup to drip back into the pot, then place the coated skewers back onto the parchment paper or Silpat. Work swiftly as the syrup hardens quickly.
- Serve: The coated fruit skewers are best served immediately to enjoy their crisp sugary shell over the fresh fruit inside.
Notes
- Use fresh and dry fruit to ensure the sugar coating adheres properly.
- Maintain a candy thermometer to avoid burning the sugar.
- Serve Tanghulu right after dipping for optimal crunchiness.
- Work quickly when dipping fruit as the syrup hardens fast once off heat.
- You can experiment with different fruits such as strawberries or pineapple chunks.
