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    Home » Recipes » Tasty Treats

    Tanghulu (Chinese Candied Fruit)

    Published: Feb 16, 2022 · Modified: Jun 28, 2022 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Candied strawberry on a bamboo skewer

    Learn how to make this simple Tanghulu or (Chinese Candied Fruit) recipe using two simple ingredients and your favorite fruit like strawberries, grapes, or mandarin oranges. This is fun and makes a delicious treat that resembles a unique Chinese street food also known as Hawthorn Candy. Better yet, this recipe does not use corn syrup!

    Tanghulu, or Chinese candied fruit  on skewers ready to be eaten.

    Making hard shelled strawberries, or your other favorite fruit, is a fun and simple thing to do with your kids. They will love the sweet treat!

    This recipe makes a simple, yet decadent dessert that can be a fun way to entertain guests at a party. Try our other fun entertaining desserts like our Oreo Trifle.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Cleaning the pan
    • Top tip
    • Recipe

    Ingredients

    water, sugar, strawberries, grapes, oranges, bamboo skewers
    • Bamboo Skewers
    • Water
    • Granulated Sugar, white
    • Strawberries, or other fruit like grapes, mandarin oranges, or blueberries

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Begin by washing and drying your desired fruit. I like to keep the tops of the strawberries on for a cute look, but you can remove the tops if desired.

    Using bamboo skewers, skewer 1-4 pieces of fruit on each skewer. Keep the fruit the same, or create a cute pattern.

    bamboo skewered strawberries, grapes, and oranges

    Prepare a sheet pan and line it with either a silicone mat, or parchment paper.

    In a medium sized pan, combine the sugar and water. Mix briefly.

    sauce pan with sugar and water mixed together

    On medium heat, bring the sugar water to a boil. Boil until the temperature reaches 300 degrees, about 10-15 minutes. Measure the temperature using a candy thermometer.

    boiling sugar and water in a sauce pan to make a sugar syrup

    When the desired temperature of 300 degrees is met, dip the skewered fruit into the boiled sugar water and remove once the fruit is covered in the syrup.

    dipping a skewered strawberry into the boiling sugar syrup

    The sugar water syrup mixture should harden around the dipped fruit almost immediately upon removal.

    Tanghulu strawberry or, chinese candied fruit on a skewer.

    Place each bamboo skewer on the lined sheet pan to finish cooling.

    Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.

    Hint: If your sugar water syrup is done, the fruit should harden almost immediately after you dip the fruit. If it doesn't reach the correct temperature, the sugar water mixture will create a sticky coating but will not harden.

    Substitutions

    You can use any type of fruit when making this hard shell fruit. Tart fruits are fun to candy as the hard candy shell brings a delicious sweet and sour taste.

    oragnes, strawberries, and grapes
    • Strawberries
    • Grapes
    • Mandarin Oranges
    • Blueberries
    • Cherries - remove the pits before dipping
    • Raspberries
    • Blueberries

    Variations

    Depending on how you want your bamboo skewers to be presented, you can mix up which fruit goes on each skewer. Make sure to only go as high as you can dip in your pot.

    • All one fruit - A single strawberry or a row of grapes makes a nice presentation.
    • Mixed fruit - create a cute pattern with your fruit alternating back and forth ⅓ up the skewer.

    Equipment

    It is important to use a candy thermometer when making this dessert.

    You will also need bamboo skewers, a medium pot, a sheet pan and a silicone mat or parchment paper.

    Storage

    This recipe is best when first made. If needed, store any extra fruit in and airtight container in the refrigerator in order to maintain the hard shell. Humidity and moisture will break down the hard sugar coat. If kept properly, the hard shelled fruit will last up to two weeks.

    Cleaning the pan

    When boiling sugar and water, the syrup mixture can get stuck to the bottom of the pan. To clean, sprinkle the scorched bottom with baking soda and then cover with water. Bring the water to a boil for 20-30 minutes. This will help loosen the burnt on sugar.

    candied strawberry on a bamboo skewer.

    Top tip

    Use a candy thermometer when boiling the sugar water. Other methods to check the temperature of the sugar water are not as reliable and may cause you to burn your sugar water. If the temperature of the sugar water doesn't get hot enough, the dipped fruit will have a sticky and gooey coating but the will not have a hard shell you are looking for.

    Recipe

    a serving platter with candied fruit on it, all on bamboo skewers

    Tanghulu (Chinese Candied Fruit)

    Andrea
    Tanghulu (Chinese Candied Fruit) is an easy way to make sugared strawberries and grapes similar to Hawthorn Candy.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Servings 6 -8 servings
    Calories/serving 281 kcal

    Equipment

    • Sauce Pan
    • Candy Thermometer
    • 10 Bamboo Skewers
    • sheet pan
    • Parchment Paper

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 pound fresh fruit of your choice - strawberries grapes, mandarin oranges, blueberries
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions
     

    • Wash and dry your fruit. If using strawberries you can choose to cut the tops off or leave them on. 
    • Take a bamboo skewer and add 1-4 pieces of fruit on each skewer. 
    • Line a sheet pan with a silicone mat, or parchment paper.
    • In a medium sized pot, combine the sugar and water,  mix. Bring the pot of sugar water to a boil on medium heat.  Bring the boiling sugar water to 300 degrees. Check using a  candy thermometer. This should take about 10-15 minutes. 
    • Dip the skewered fruit into the boiled sugar water. Remove immediately after the fruit is fully submerged in the sugar syrup.   The syrup will harden immediately. 
    • Place each bamboo skewer on the lined sheet pan to finish cooling.
    • Serve immediately or store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

    Notes

    1. Use a candy thermometer when boiling the sugar water. We have found that other methods are not as reliable as using a candy thermometer. 
    2. Keeping any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator is important to maintaining that hard shell.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 1gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 2gSugar: 70gVitamin A: 9IUVitamin C: 44mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was in the comments below
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    What is Tanghulu

    A method to candy fruit like strawberries, grapes, blueberries, and oranges. It is similar to the Hawthorn candy which is a Chinese street food.

    What is Tanghulu made of?

    Different from other candied fruit, this method is a hard sugar syrup that surrounds the fruit. This recipe does not use corn syrup.

    What does Tanghulu taste like?

    This sugar shelled fruit has a sweet taste from the sugar coating and depending on the tartness of your fruit, it can have a sweet and sour taste to it.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Dre

      February 24, 2022 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      I had a really fun time making this fun treat with my kids. They thought making fruit into candy was so much fun. We also used this recipe for a party and people thought they looked so cute!

      Reply

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    nicole and andrea

    Hi, we are Nicole and Andrea! As busy moms our favorite meals are easy, healthy and delicious. While we love eating nutritious meals, we also strongly believe in moderating them with yummy desserts! We love hiking, going to the beach and doing Spartans.

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