Tanghulu

Name: Tanghulu
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 pints strawberries, hulled; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup water; 2 tbsp light corn syrup

25 minMediumServes 6150 cal/serving

ChineseDessertStovetopVeganHalal-friendlyGluten-FreeDairy-FreeEgg-FreeNut-FreeSoy-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeAlcohol-FreeNightshade-Free

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Ingredients

2 pints strawberries, hulled
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp light corn syrup

Instructions

1

Wash 2 pints hulled strawberries and dry them completely with paper towels; any surface moisture will keep the sugar shell from sticking. Thread 3 to 4 strawberries onto a bamboo skewer, leaving a bare handle at the bottom.
2

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup water, and 2 tbsp light corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until the sugar fully dissolves.
3

Increase the heat to medium-high and clip on a candy thermometer. Boil without stirring until the syrup reaches 300 to 310 degrees F, the hard crack stage; it will turn from cloudy to perfectly clear.
4

Candy safety note: molten sugar syrup is far hotter than boiling water and causes severe burns instantly on skin contact. Keep children and pets away from the stove, use long-handled tools, and keep a bowl of ice water nearby in case of a splash.
5

Remove the syrup from the heat immediately, since residual heat keeps cooking it. Working quickly before it hardens, tilt the pan and dip and swirl each skewer to coat the strawberries in a thin, even layer of syrup, letting any excess drip off.
6

Set the coated skewers on a parchment-lined tray or lightly oiled surface, not touching each other, and let stand until the shell hardens into a glassy, crackable coating, about 3 minutes. Serve the same day; the shell softens if refrigerated or left out in humid air.

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Questions

What is Tanghulu?

Fresh strawberries threaded on skewers and dipped in a glass-thin, hard-crack sugar shell for the crackly-crunchy candied fruit skewers that keep going viral on TikTok. Best eaten the same day, before humidity softens the shell. This reference files it under Chinese dessert: made on the stovetop, rated medium and about 25 minutes start to finish.

What internal temperature should Tanghulu reach?

For Tanghulu, the target internal temperature is 310 F (about 155 C), given in step 3. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Do I need any special equipment for Tanghulu?

Beyond a knife and a board, the method uses a probe thermometer (step 3), skewers (step 1) and parchment paper (step 6).

What can I use instead of corn syrup in Tanghulu?

The entry for Tanghulu calls for 2 tbsp light corn syrup. In its place: Honey works in baking, measure for measure. In candy work do not substitute: the syrup is there to stop sugar crystals forming.

How many calories are in Tanghulu?

One serving (the recipe makes 6) is about 150 calories, with 0 g protein, 36 g carbohydrate and 0 g fat, plus 1 g fiber and 10 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

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