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Also called Tanghulu, these Candied Fruits are as pretty as they are delicious. Juicy strawberries, grapes or tangerine wedges are coated in a hardened sugar syrup that forms a sweet crunchy shell around the fruit.
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5 from 2 votes

Easy Homemade Tanghulu

Learn how to make Tanghulu or Candied Fruit with this from-scratch recipe. Best to watch the video tutorial and read the post before beginning.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Candied Fruit, Tanghulu
Servings: 10 fruit skewers
Author: Izzy

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 2 cups fruits of your choice* you can use strawberries, grapes, or tangerine wedges

Instructions

Prepare the fruit

  • Wash the fruit thoroughly with cold water. Cut the green leaves off if using strawberries. Pat dry COMPLETELY with paper towels.
  • Insert skewers into the strawberries (or other fruit). Arrange several pieces of fruit on a bamboo skewer. Set aside. (Do not add too many pieces as it might be difficult to coat all of them if your saucepan is not deep enough.)
  • Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment. This will prevent the coated fruit from sticking onto the surface.

Make the Sugar Syrup

  • Add sugar, corn syrup, and water to a heavy-duty medium saucepan over medium heat. Don’t use a large saucepan as it can make the syrup too shallow for dipping.
  • Stir gently to help the sugar melt. Do not turn the temperature up or down - keep it at medium heat the entire time. Stir constantly until the sugar is melted.
  • Once the sugar has mostly melted, stop stirring and bring it to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer into the pot, making sure the bulb is not touching the bottom of the pan, as this can lead to an inaccurate reading.
  • Without stirring, let the syrup mixture cook for about 15 to 25 minutes until the temperature reaches 320°F (hard crack stage). If you don’t have a thermometer, dip a teaspoon into cold water and then into the mixture. If it hardens immediately, then the temperature is correct. Once the temperature reaches 320°F, turn off the heat.

Coat the Fruit

  • Holding the skewer, dip your fruit into the saucepan, and tilt the saucepan as needed to submerge each piece of fruit into the syrup completely. Make sure to coat the end of the fruit. (Otherwise, the hot candy will soften the strawberries, causing the juice to come out from the end.)
  • Lift the skewer and swirl it around to gently tap it against the side of the saucepan to shake off the excess syrup. Place the coated fruit to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fruits.

Let it Set

  • Allow the candied fruit to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.
  • To eat a tanghulu, you can bite right into it or pull the fruits out of the stick and place them on a plate.
  • For later enjoyment, you can loosely cover it with plastic wraps and store the leftover candied fruit in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Notes

  • *Fruit Selection: Suitable fruits include strawberries, grapes, tangerine or clementine wedges.
  • Safety: Boiling sugar syrup is extremely hot and can cause serious burns. Use a deep saucepan and don’t let the mixture exceed 1/3 full. Never touch the liquid directly. Best to use gloves or oven mitts when handling the pot.
  • Don't stir the sugar water mixture once it’s melted, as doing so can cause crystals to form and solidify the mixture. Instead, you can gently swirl the liquid around the pot to wash down crystals that may form on the edges.
  • Tips for cleaning a sticky saucepan: Once you’ve done cooking, simply fill the sticky saucepan with water until it covers the syrup residue. Place the saucepan on the stove over low heat. Let it simmer until the residue dissolves. Pour out the water, and let it cool down slightly. Rinse it for easy cleaning.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Net Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.004g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg