Description
Strawberry Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack featuring fresh strawberries coated in a crisp, glossy sugar syrup. This sweet treat combines the natural juiciness of strawberries with a crunchy, caramelized sugar shell, creating a delightful contrast in textures that’s perfect as a festive snack or a charming dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- 1 pound fresh strawberries (about 12-15)
Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Other
- 6 wooden skewers
Instructions
- Prepare the strawberries: Wash the strawberries thoroughly under cold water, then pat them dry completely using paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth. Ensuring the strawberries are dry is crucial to help the syrup adhere properly.
- Skewer the strawberries: Insert wooden skewers through the tops of the strawberries, placing about three to four berries on each skewer. Arrange them so they are spaced evenly and securely held for dipping.
- Make the sugar syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and filtered water. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves completely. Continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage around 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer.
- Add lemon juice: Remove the saucepan from heat and swiftly stir in the lemon juice. This addition helps prevent sugar crystallization and adds a slight tangy brightness to the syrup.
- Dip the skewers: Hold each skewer by the base and dip the strawberries into the hot syrup, coating them evenly. Allow any excess syrup to drip off before placing the skewered strawberries upright on a sheet of parchment paper to set.
- Cool and set: Let the tanghulu cool completely at room temperature. The sugar coating will harden to form a shiny, crisp shell around the strawberries, creating their characteristic glossy finish.
Notes
- Use fully ripe, firm strawberries for best results, as softer berries may become mushy when dipped in hot syrup.
- If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can test the syrup by dropping a small amount into cold water; it should form a soft, pliable ball.
- Work quickly during the dipping process as the sugar syrup hardens fast once removed from heat.
- Store tanghulu at room temperature and consume soon after preparation to enjoy the crispy sugar coating.
