Tanghulu Strawberries (with Hardened Sugar)
Tanghulu strawberries, made popular by Chinese street vendors, are hard candied sugar coated bits of fruit that give you the immediate texture of pocket candies combined with the soft center of most fruits. These candied strawberries taste like Strawberry Bon Bons and are a great unique appetizer or dessert that really stand out.
If you are new to making Tanghulu strawberries, you are in for a sweet treat! This popular Chinese street-food hard coated dessert has found a new following all thanks to the internet and TikTok.
Take a perfectly ripe, sweet berry and give it the sweetest, most delectable sugar coating so that it shines like it’s encased in crystal. Then bite into it for the most satisfying, yummy crunch you’ve ever had.
All over the world, people simply cannot resist hard Tanghulu fruits, and videos of crunchy first-bites are being shared and posted all the time!
It’s no wonder Tanghulu dessert has become so popular!
Because the only ingredients are sugar, water, and fresh fruit, there’s no excuse NOT to try it yourself. Serve these little bites of heaven all by themselves, or use them to decorate cakes, pies, or cupcakes. You can also leave them on their skewers and serve them in place of cake pops at parties!
Why you will love Sugar Coated Strawberries!
Unique: There is no doubt that sugar coated candied strawberries will make a splash on an appetizer tray!
Viral: Everyone loves trying a viral recipe and this one is it! Tanghulu strawberries are not as popular in all parts of the world but everyone can experience making Chinese vender street food in their own kitchen! From the FYP page to the plate.
Delicious: It goes without saying, but sugar and strawberries just fit. Move over chocolate dipped strawberries, these may just be your newest favorite way to enjoy juicy, ripe fresh fruit!
Ingredients
You only need a few items to make hard coated Tanghulu Strawberries at home:
- fresh strawberries — washed and dried completely
- sugar
- water
- skewers — bamboo skewers like you would use for skis kebabs are perfect
- candy thermometer
How to make Tanghulu Strawberries
Make sure to check out the printable recipe card for full step by step instructions and ingredients.
- Dry strawberries very well with paper towel.
- Place each berry on the end of a skewer. Dry once more just in case. Set aside.
- Add water to a sauce pan.
- Pour in sugar.
- Heat on medium heat and stir until sugar is halfway dissolved.
- Stop stirring and increase heat to medium high. Use a candy thermometer to boil sugar until it’s about 300 degrees. (About 15-20 minutes)
- Remove from heat and dip berries immediately in sugar mixture.
- Tap gently to drip any extra sugar syrup and carefully place into the sugar glasses to dry. Repeat until all berries are covered.
- Let stand for 10 minutes to harden.
- Remove from skewers and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- If you are using smaller fruit, such as grapes or blueberries, you can put several on each skewer.
- While your sugar and water are heating, don’t stir it. This can cause crystallization of the sugar, and your mixture will turn opaque instead of clear.
- The mixture is extremely hot, so wear oven mitts and be really careful!
- Once your sugar and water mixture reach the perfect temperature of 300 degrees, turn your stove to low. It’s important that the temperature doesn’t continue to rise or you risk burning your sugar.
FAQs about Candied Fruit
What is Tanghulu?
Originating in Northern China, Tanghulu is a popular dessert usually made with sour hawthorn berries contained inside a hard sugar coating and is often sold by street vendors. It is popular in wintertime and can vary widely, from the type of fruit used to the toppings adorning the confection.
Tanghulu tastes best fresh, so I recommend enjoying these little morsels right away. While other fruits may last a bit longer, strawberries will only last about 2 hours after being dipped.
Blueberries, pitted cherries, and grapes all work well for Tanghulu fruit skewers. I’ve heard of people also using oranges, pineapple, mango and kiwi but I haven’t tried them myself. The sugar will stick better to a fruit with a skin, and fruits that are slightly under ripe will stay skewered better.
If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, you can absolutely still make Tanghulu. In order to reach the correct temperature of 300 degrees F, the sugar and water mixture needs to have thickened to a syrup, which takes about 10 minutes at a good boil. Test for readiness by chilling a metal utensil in ice water, then dip it as you would your fruit. If the sugar dries immediately then you’ve reached the right temperature and you’re ready to start making Tanghulu.
They taste just like Strawberry Bon Bon Candy.
Related Dessert Recipes
Looking for other dessert ideas using strawberries? Check out these sweet treat recipes!
Grape Tanghulu
Korean Corn Dogs
Strawberry Fruit Dip
Pink Cotton Candied Grapes
Ingredients
Equipment
- candy thermometer
Steps
- 1
Prep a glass with sugar to hold skewers. Please note my skewers are super long so these tall glasses worked fine. Shorter skewers means a shorter glass or coffee mug or canning jar. Don't plan to fill the sugar glasses with all the strawberries, Mine held about six each.
- 2
Dry strawberries very well with paper towel.
- 3
Place each berry on the end of a skewer. Dry once more just in case.
- 4
Add water and sugar to a sauce pan. Heat on medium heat and stir until sugar is halfway dissolved.
- 5
Stop stirring and increase heat to medium high.
- 6
Use a candy thermometer to boil sugar until it's about 300 degrees. (About 15-20 minutes)
- 7
Remove from heat and dip berries immediately in sugar mixture. Tap gently to drip and carefully place into the sugar glasses to dry.
- 8
Repeat until all berries are covered. Let stand for 10 minutes to harden.
- 9
Remove from skewers and serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Calories
- 68
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Protein
- 1 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1 mg
- Sugar
- 17 g
Estimates for one serving.
Filed under Appetizer Recipes Dessert Recipes TikTok Recipes Skewer Recipes
