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Easy Tanghulu - Chinese Candied Fruit Skewers coated in a crunchy sugar shell.

Tanghulu

Tanghulu is a popular Chinese street snack made with fresh fruit coated in a hard candy shell, perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 skewers
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fruit
  • 1 cup Strawberries, seedless grapes, mandarin segments, blueberries, kiwi chunks Choose firm fruit that's well dried.
For the syrup
  • 1 cup white sugar Main ingredient for the candy coating.
  • 1/3 cup water Used to dissolve the sugar.
  • 1-2 tablespoons light corn syrup Optional. Helps prevent crystallizing.
Equipment
  • 1 small saucepan For making the syrup.
  • 1 baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat To set the skewers.
  • 1 bowl of ice water For testing the syrup consistency.
  • 4-8 wooden skewers or bamboo sticks For skewering the fruit.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Wash and dry the fruit completely. Skewer the fruit onto wooden sticks.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Making the Syrup
  1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. If using, add corn syrup now.
  2. Heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils without stirring.
  3. Once it starts to bubble and thickens, test a droplet in the bowl of ice water to check for hard crack stage.
Coating the Fruit
  1. Turn off the heat. Dip each skewer in the syrup quickly, rotating to coat the fruit.
  2. Allow the excess syrup to drip off and place the skewers on the prepared baking sheet.
  3. Let them harden for 5 to 10 minutes until the candy shell is shiny and crunchy.

Notes

For best results, use firm fruit and ensure it's completely dry. Store Tanghulu at cool room temperature and consume within a few hours for optimal texture.