Easy Tanghulu Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my tanghulu not hardening? ›

The fruit was either not patted dry, or the sugar mixture wasn't hot enough. If you followed both steps accurately, you may live in a humid climate, which can also affect the hardening process. Place the skewers in your fridge to set. What ratio of sugar to water do I need for tanghulu?

For those who are unfamiliar, tanghulu is a fruit skewer coated in a clear, hardened sugar syrup. It was originally made with sour hawthorn berries, but you can use any fruit you'd like.

Normal cane sugar works fine, but I chose to use raw sugar since it was my first attempt at making tanghulu and raw sugar is harder to burn. Combine the water and sugar into a saucepan on low heat and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved, but you are still able to see some granules in the water.

For the best result, cover the pan with a lid and DO NOT STIR the sugar — stirring the sugar will make it crystallize and harden. If you sugar hardens, you can either retire that batch and start all over or add more water and remelt the hardened sugar until it reaches the right temperature to make chocolate tanghulu.

Even a small amount of sugar left on the sides of the pot can cause crystallization. Add Acid: Adding a small amount of acid, such as lemon juice or cream of tartar, to the sugar syrup can help prevent crystallization by interfering with the formation of sugar crystals.

Tanghulu is rich in Vitamin C, pectin and chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, quercetin, ursolic acid, chrysin, epicatechin and other organic acids and nutritional elements. The Chinese Hawthorn may have medicinal effects, such as reducing the effects of constipation and dysentery and ...

Not to worry, you can keep tanghulu in the refrigerator and preserve its yummy candy shell. Store it in an airtight container with parchment paper lined on a single layer and not stacked since you want to avoid losing the hardened sugar coating. You can keep it in the fridge for up to three days.

You can also use powdered sugar to replace up to 2 cups of granulated sugar, using 1 3/4 cup unsifted powdered sugar for each cup of sugar. This substitution is best for moist quick breads and muffins. Avoid powdered sugar, if possible, for recipes that require creaming together the butter and sugar.

Drying these really well. I'm gonna put the strawberries just on toothpicks instead of skewers, because the skewers makes it hard to dip.

Tanghulu is a popular Chinese street food made by skewering fresh fruits and dipping them in a hot sugar syrup. Dango is a traditional Japanese rice ball made from glutinous rice flour.

Why is my candied fruit not hardening? ›

If your candied coating isn't hardening, the candying mixture did not reach a high enough temperature. Allow your candying mixture to cook until it bubbles, thickens, and turns a rich golden color, sort of like caramel. Then, quickly turn off the heat so it doesn't burn.

Why aren't my candied strawberries hardening? If your candied coating isn't hardening, the candying mixture did not reach a high enough temperature. Allow your candying mixture to cook until it bubbles, thickens, and turns a rich golden color, sort of like caramel. Then, quickly turn off the heat so it doesn't burn.

Keep heating and stirring your candy until it reaches 300°F (148.89°C). This is very important. If you don't get your mixture hot enough, it won't harden properly. Your candy will be soft and sticky, no matter how long you let it sit, harden, or cool.

If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

You can't have tanghulu without a hard crunchy candy coating so it is important to test the syrup. To do this, simply drizzle a spoonful of the syrup into an ice water bath. If it hardens within seconds and cracks when you bend it, then it is ready for dipping.