Easy Strawberry Tanghulu
Learn how to make strawberry tanghulu with a crunchy candy shell and juicy strawberries. This easy viral TikTok treat uses simple ingredients and hardens perfectly.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pinch cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 15 medium-sized strawberries
- Bowl of ice water
Instructions
- Rinse and thoroughly dry the strawberries.
- Place one strawberry on each skewer and set aside.
- In a cold saucepan, combine water, corn syrup, sugar, and cream of tartar. Stir to moisten the sugar.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, boiling until the sugar dissolves and it begins to bubble. Avoid stirring while boiling.
- After 7 to 8 minutes of bubbling, the sugar coating should be ready. If using a candy thermometer, the syrup reaches the "hard crack" stage at 300°F. Alternatively, dip a stick into the syrup and then into ice water to check if it hardens.
- Turn off the heat immediately.
- Tilt the pan so the syrup pools to one side.
- Dip and swirl a strawberry in the syrup to coat.
- Quickly immerse the coated strawberry into ice water to set the candy and chill the fruit.
- Continue with the remaining skewers until the candy or strawberries are used up.
- Remove the strawberries from the ice bath and place them on a serving dish.
Notes
- Most basic tanghulu recipes rely on just sugar and water, but that syrup can harden too quickly after a few dips. This version includes a touch of cream of tartar to stop large sugar crystals from forming, and a bit of corn syrup to keep the coating smooth and crystal-free. Thanks to these additions, you can skip the candy thermometer. Just wait until the syrup starts bubbling.
- Dry the strawberries thoroughly before dipping to help the syrup stick properly. Even a little moisture on the strawberries can prevent the candy shell from setting properly.
- Avoid stirring the syrup once it starts boiling to prevent crystallization.
- Tilt the saucepan when dipping to make the coating easier and more even.
- If you have leftovers, avoid refrigerating them, as the moisture can cause the candy coating to melt or turn sticky.
- Reheating isn’t recommended, as the sugar shell is meant to stay hard and crisp, and heat will only cause it to melt or lose its texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.002gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg
Equipment
- 15 wooden toothpicks or skewers to dip the berries
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