Tanghulu, Candied Fruits

Tanghulu, a food that comes from childhood is always the most comforting snack for me. They are candied fruits popular in China as street food that combine the natural beauty of fresh fruit with a sweet sugar coating. It is carried by a bamboo stick or skewer. You can find it everywhere on the street, especially on cold winter days near the Chinese New Year. Typically Tanghuluis are made with hawthorn berries, which is a hard and sour fruit, but the fact is you can make Tanghulu with your favorite fruits, any type works in theory.

Let’s explore how to make Tanghulu at home. It must be a lovely family activity and a sweet memory for children.

What’s Tanghulu

Tanghulu also known as candied fruit is a traditional Chinese snack made by skewering fruits, typically hawthorn berries, with a bamboo stick or skewer and then coating them in a hard candy glaze. Hawthorn berry is the most popular option because it has a strong sour taste that can balance the sweetness of the candy coating. But you can surely use other fruit and I found that strawberry is the new trend. You can find that the Tanghulu on Chinese street contains different types of fruits.

Try it at home

To make Tangluhu at home is super easy, and takes less than 20 minutes. Whether you’re looking for a quick snack for yourself or a fun treat to make with your kids, Tanghulu is a perfect choice. You can even enjoy it as a fruity dessert after dinner. So go ahead and indulge in this irresistible delicacy today! I did not know it was so simple before I usually make my own.

Note: please don’t make large batches. The sugar coat may dissolve because of the room temperature or moisture and cause problems. Although we have store tips, freshly homemade candied fruit is the best in taste and texture. Make a small batch each time and re-make if you miss it. It really does not need too much time.

Note: please watch your room temperature first. If it is over 25 degrees C. Then you can save the recipe and make it later or turn your air conditioner on. High room temperature will lengthen the hardening time and the heat from the sugar syrup will “cook” the fruit, which appears will cause a failure.

If on hot summer days, you can prepare some iced water and dip the coated Tanghulu in to help it harden quickly.

Outline for Tanghulu

1. Choose your fruit and decide whether the size of the pieces and how to cut them. Either in whole or cut into small pieces.
2. Cook the syrup: cook the sugar with water until it turns into large bubbles.  
3. Once cooled, dip each piece of fruit into the syrup and place it onto an oiled sheet pan.
4. Wait for the syrup to be hardened, should be finished very soon.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Types of fruit to choose

While hawthorn berries are the traditional fruit used to make tanghulu, there are many other fruits that can also be used. However, fruits with a sour taste can create the perfect balance of sweetness and sourness.  Some popular fruits used for Tanghulu include:

• Strawberries: Sweet and juicy, strawberries are a popular choice for Tanghulu. Their bright red color also makes them visually appealing. You may find lots of videos on Tiktok using strawberries to make Tanghulu.  
• Grapes: Grapes, whether green or red, are a tasty and refreshing option for Tanghulu. The small size of grapes also makes them easy to skewer.
• Kiwi: Tart and tangy, kiwi make an interesting and unique flavor for Tanghulu. The green or yellow color of kiwi also adds visual interest.
• Pineapple: Sweet and tropical, pineapple makes a delicious and juicy tanghulu. The tough skin of the pineapple can be removed before skewering for easier eating.
• Mandarin oranges: Small and easy to skewer, mandarin oranges provide a burst of juicy sweetness that complements the candy coating of tanghulu.
• Apples: cut apples into smaller pieces.
• Bananas: I have tested with bananas, but this is not a very good choice. First, it only has sweet tastes and secondly, it is quite hard to keep it on the skewers. But you can still have a try.

The sugar  

The type of sugar typically used in Tanghulu is granulated white sugar. Granulated white sugar is a type of sugar that is made from sugar cane or sugar beets that are processed to extract the sugar, which is then refined and crystalized into small, granular white crystals.

Sometimes, additional ingredients like honey or maltose syrup may be added to the sugar syrup to create a stickier and more viscous coating for the Tanghulu. Adding honey or maltose may influence the color a little bit, turning the Tangluhu faintly brownish.  

How to Prepare the Fruits for Tanghulu

After choosing the type of fruit, the first step is to prepare the fruits. Wash them, peel them, and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary.

Remember to drain the fruit completely to make sure the syrup can be well coated.

Leave space between each one

To avoid an uncoated button: thread the fruit onto the skewers with some space between each piece, so the syrup can coat the bottom of the fruits too. If you are not familiar with this step, you can also use a scoop to help. But I use very small skewers and thus I get one fruit only.

How to make the sugar syrup

Place water and white sugar in a saucepan, and heat until the sugar dissolves. You may need to stir it at the very beginning to avoid the sugar burning at the bottom.  Then let the syrup heat until reaches 270 degrees F to 280 degrees F, don’t higher than 300 degrees F. This process may take 5 to 7 minutes.

Note: don’t stir the syrup, otherwise recrystallization will happen.

How to store homemade Tanghulu

Room Temperature: If you plan to eat your Tanghulu within a few days, you can store it at room temperature in an airtight bag to avoid the sugar dissolving.

Refrigerator: If you want to store your Tanghulu for a longer time, you can keep it in the refrigerator. Place the Tanghulu in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Ingredients:

• Fresh fruit (such as strawberries, kiwi, grapes, or mandarin oranges)
• White granulated sugar
• Water
• Wooden skewers

Instructions:

• Wash and dry the fruit you want to use. Make sure to remove any stems and air dried completely. If you are in a hurry, you can use kitchen paper to pat dry be gentle and don’t spoil the texture of the fruit.
• Thread the fruit onto the wooden skewers. Leave some space between each piece of fruit.

• In a wok, combine 1 cup of white granulated sugar with 1/2 cup of water.
• Increase the heat to high and bring the sugar syrup to a boil. Let it boil for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes thick and bubbly. It is very important for the syrup to reach the temperature. The well-cooked syrup will have a very light yellow color with small and fine bubbles.

• Dip each fruit skewer into the sugar syrup, and roll a round to make sure all the surface is coated with syrup. Place the skewers onto a sheet of parchment paper or a non-stick surface.

• Let the Tanghulu cool and harden for a while. This happens very quickly usually.  
• Enjoy your homemade Tanghulu on a stick as a delicious and unique snack or dessert! If you smash two Tanghulu against each other, you will find the surface will crack very soon. I love the cracks so much, crystal, transparent and so beautiful.

Concerns about Tanghulu

It’s best to enjoy Tanghulu in moderation as an occasional treat, rather than as a regular part of your diet, there are a few health concerns to keep in mind when consuming it:

1. High sugar content: Tanghulu is coated with a thick layer of sugar, which can be a concern for people who are watching their sugar intake. Consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, tooth decay, and an increased risk of diabetes and other chronic health conditions.
2. Contamination risk: Because Tanghulu is made by dipping the fruit skewers into a sugar syrup, there is a risk of contamination if the syrup is not heated to a high enough temperature. To reduce this risk, make sure to use clean, fresh fruit and heat the sugar syrup to at least 300°F (150°C) before dipping the skewers.

Where Tanghulu come from?

Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack that has been enjoyed for centuries. Its exact origin is not known, but it is believed to have originated in northern China, specifically in the city of Beijing during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Why it is named Tanghulu?

The name Tanghulu is derived from the Chinese language. “Tang” refers to sugar, while “hulu” means gourd or bottle gourd. The name is thought to have originated from the way the sugar syrup hardens and forms a shiny, transparent coating around the fruit, giving it a resemblance to a small bottle gourd. The name “Tanghulu” has been used for this snack for many generations and is still used today.

Afterthoughts:

I hope you enjoy the recipe and have fun with your family. Tanghulu can be a great snack for families and children. You can make it with different types of fruits. But remember to watch out the room temperature and make sure your fruit is completely drained before dipping into the syrup.