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    Home » Newest Recipes! » Dessert » Tanghulu

    Tanghulu

    Published: Aug 29, 2020 · Modified: Sep 10, 2020 by Aubrey · This post may contain affiliate links

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    This tanghulu recipe highlights delicious crunchy candied strawberries or other fruit made popular as a favorite Chinese street food!

    tanghulu strawberries on white plate with blueberries and grapes next to plate

    This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through this link (at no extra cost to you).

    Tanghulu

    Tanghulu is a popular candied fruit snack popular throughout northern China. This Chinese street food is different from a traditional candied fruit. Instead of a soft candied fruit, the hardened sugar syrup creates a hard crunchy shell around the fruit. It is served on a long bamboo skewer. If you were wondering how to make tanghulu, you have come to the right place!

    Why this recipe works

    • This delicious candied fruit is easy and beautiful.
    • If you have ever wondered how to make candied fruit, this is an excellent starter option. You can even make this tanghulu recipe without a thermometer!
    • Tanghulu without corn syrup is even more delicious and easy to make!

    Ingredients for this recipe

    labeled photo of individual ingredients to make tanghulu
    1. Granulated Sugar
    2. Water
    3. Strawberries or other fruit of choice

    Best fruit for this tanghulu recipe

    Tanghulu is traditionally made with the hawthorn fruit which is prevalent in China. It is also known as mountain hawthorn, shanzha or hawberry and the flavor is tart, not overly sweet with a texture similar to an apple.

    This candied fruit snack, also referred to as hawthorn candy or candied haw, works well with almost any fruit! I recommend candied strawberries, grapes, mandarins, blueberries, oranges, pineapple and kiwi. My favorite is the candied strawberries recipe!

    How to make this recipe

    Tanghulu recipe process shots 1-4
    1. Wash and pat dry strawberries or fruit of choice.
    2. Arrange fruit on bamboo skewer. I recommend 1-3 pieces per skewer.
    3. Bring water and sugar mixture to a boil.
    4. Using candy thermometer, boil sugar water mixture until the temperature reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take approximately 5-10 minutes. If you do not have a candy thermometer, you can test the temperature by dipping a spoon into cold ice water and then dipping the spoon into the syrup. If it hardens immediately, then you have reached the proper temperature.
    5. When sugar water mixture has reached the desired temperature, dip your fruit skewer into the sugar mixture to coat the fruit.
    6. Place each fruit skewer on your sheet pan, silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. If you parchment paper is not good quality, your candy may stick to the paper. You can spray parchment paper with pan spray to help prevent sticking.
    7. Sugar coating should harden almost immediately. This recipe is best eaten right away. If you need to store, cover lightly with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
    8. Enjoy!

    FAQ and expert tips

    How to store tanghulu?

    Tanghulu is best when it is first made so that you can enjoy the delicious crunchy shell. If you wish to store it, it is best to store in the refrigerator to maintain the candy shell

    How to make tanghulu sugar?

    Bring a combination of sugar and water to a vigorous boil. Once the temperature reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit, your tanghulu sugar is ready to coat your fruit. The sugar coating should harden quickly.

    How long does tanghulu take to harden?

    If your tanghulu sugar reached the proper temperature of 300 F, it should harden almost immediately.

    Can I make this tanghulu recipe without a thermometer?

    Your sugar and water combination will need to boil for about 10 minutes and start to reduce to a very thick syrup. You can test the temperature by dipping a spoon into cold ice water and then dipping the spoon into the syrup. If it hardens immediately, then you have reached the proper temperature.

    tanghulu strawberries on white plate with orange strawberry and grapes in background

    Looking for other summer desserts to enjoy?

    • Thai Tea Ice Cream
    • Homemade Cake Pops
    • Boxed Cake Mix Hacks
    • Oreo Cheesecake Bites
    • Chickpea Cookie Dough

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    You can also comment below. I LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, a 5 STAR RATING is the ultimate compliment as food is my love language!

    tanghulu fruit strawberries grapes blueberries orange slice on white plate

    Tanghulu

    This tanghulu recipe highlights delicious crunchy candied strawberries or other fruit made popular as a favorite Chinese street food!
    5 from 282 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: asian, Chinese
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 423kcal
    Author: Aubrey
    Cost: $8

    Equipment

    • Candy thermometer, sheet pan, parchment paper or silicone baking mat

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 lb strawberries or other fruit of choice

    Instructions

    • Wash and pat dry strawberries or fruit of choice.
    • Arrange fruit on bamboo skewer. I recommend 1-3 pieces per skewer.
    • Bring water and sugar mixture to a boil.
    • Using candy thermometer, boil sugar water mixture until the temperature reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take approximately 5-10 minutes. See Note 1 if you do not have a candy thermometer.
    • When sugar water mixture has reached the desired temperature, dip your fruit skewer into the sugar mixture to coat the fruit.
    • Place each fruit skewer on your sheet pan, silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. See Note 2 about parchment paper.
    • Sugar coating should harden almost immediately. See Note 3 regarding storage.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note 1: If you do not have a candy thermometer, you can test the temperature by dipping a spoon into cold ice water and then dipping the spoon into the syrup. If it hardens immediately, then you have reached the proper temperature.
    Note 2: If you parchment paper is not good quality, your candy may stick to the paper. You can spray parchment paper with pan spray to help prevent sticking.
    Note 3: Best eaten right away. If you need to store, cover lightly with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 105g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AubreysHealthyKitchen or tag #aubreyshealthykitchen!
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    About Aubrey

    My name is Aubrey. I am a busy lawyer and momma. While I am passionate about both, I have a place in my heart for great food and want to share it with other food lovers!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Omayra

      March 07, 2021 at 10:28 pm

      Can you use bananas?

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        March 08, 2021 at 8:09 am

        I have not tried tanghulu bananas. I think the bananas will likely turn brown due to the hot sugar. Let me know if you experiment!

        Reply
    2. Tay

      March 07, 2021 at 8:12 pm

      It was so easy and delicious! As a horrible chef, I’m proud of myself for making this. Unfortunately, now my keyboard is a little sticky. lol

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        March 07, 2021 at 8:32 pm

        So happy you enjoyed!!! 😁

        Reply
    3. Someone :)

      February 23, 2021 at 1:35 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you! This helped me a lot 😀

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        February 23, 2021 at 1:44 pm

        So happy to hear!

        Reply
    4. Deborah

      January 23, 2021 at 6:26 pm

      Delicious and beautiful I actually put the glossy fruits in a vase on my kitchen table and they looked gorgeous! Family ate my center piece and enjoyed watching them crunch! Thank you

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        January 24, 2021 at 7:21 am

        I love that Deborah! I am so happy you all enjoyed!

        Reply
    5. AnneMarie

      January 09, 2021 at 3:39 pm

      how long do these last after they are made, particularly strawberries?

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        January 09, 2021 at 5:36 pm

        Hello AnneMarie! I would recommend eating within 24 hours. You can keep then in the refrigerator overnight. Let me know how they turn out for you. 😁

        Reply
    6. John

      January 07, 2021 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this and then made it for my family and they loved it thank you so much

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        January 07, 2021 at 4:45 pm

        Thanks John! So happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    7. Erika

      January 02, 2021 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      Me and my husband tried this for the first time tonight and it turned out great! Our favorite fruit was the strawberry but they all turned really good!

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        January 04, 2021 at 3:00 pm

        Thanks Erika! I am so happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    8. Grace

      December 05, 2020 at 1:03 am

      5 stars
      It is soooo delicious! My kids loved it! It was really successful!

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        December 05, 2020 at 6:38 am

        Thank you Grace!!! I am so happy you and the kiddos enjoyed! 😁

        Reply
    9. Ava

      November 22, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      Not entirely sure what happened, the first few oranges turned out great, but after that when the sugar mixture started cooling it all crystallized at once, turning into this weird light brown sand that hardened almost instantly. No harm done to the pan, it boiled down all the same! The few oranges that turned out were amazing! My picky little brother even loved them!

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        November 25, 2020 at 7:52 pm

        Hello Ava!!! Thank you so much for your feedback and kind words and so happy you and your little brother enjoyed! Your feedback is excellent. When the sugar starts to cool it can definitely get tricky but it sounds like you did great! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Annabel

      November 12, 2020 at 9:47 am

      Hi! I hope to make this; I was wondering, once the sugar-water mixture reaches 300 degrees and is ready to dip, do I remove from the heat to dip the fruit, to dip the fruit in when it is still boiling.

      Thank you I love your blog and recipes!

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        November 12, 2020 at 9:51 am

        Hello Annabel! Thank you for your kind words. That means the world to me.

        Great question! Once the sugar reaches temp, remove from heat and then dip the fruit. Having everything prepped ahead is very helpful so you can start dipping. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Laila

      October 28, 2020 at 12:59 pm

      5 stars
      Love itttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt It tasted so good and I’m going to make these more often now

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        October 28, 2020 at 6:36 pm

        Thanks Laila!!! You totally made my day. So glad you enjoyed! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Lyzz Matzke

      October 24, 2020 at 10:28 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe and super easy to do with my 11 year old daughter. Turned out tasty.

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        October 24, 2020 at 3:28 pm

        Thanks Lyzz! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Lana

      October 21, 2020 at 7:41 pm

      5 stars
      I kept trying different recipes from other sites until I reached this one. I got it right the first try! It was also so delicious. My kids loved it.

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        October 21, 2020 at 7:44 pm

        Thanks so much Lana! I am so happy to hear that! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Jennifer

      August 29, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! The fruit was so crunchy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        August 29, 2020 at 6:57 pm

        Thanks Jennifer! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Sasha

      August 29, 2020 at 9:20 am

      5 stars
      I first tried tanghulu on a trip to China and fell in love with it. This recipe tastes just like what I ate there. Candied strawberry tanghulu is my favorite variation.

      Reply
      • Aubrey

        August 29, 2020 at 9:21 am

        Thanks Sasha! I am so glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
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    My name is Aubrey. I am a busy lawyer and momma. While I am passionate about both, I have a place in my heart for great food and want to share it with other food lovers! And for some more super top-secret fun facts....

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