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–+ servings
Tanghulu skewers on a white plate.

Tanghulu Recipe

This delicious candied fruit recipe has a delightful crunch! You're going to love this tasty dessert recipe.
4.96 from 63 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 6 skewers
Author: Emily Wilson

Equipment

  • Measuring Cup
  • Wooden Skewers
  • Parchment Paper or Silpat
  • Rimmed Baking Sheet or a large pan
  • Stainless Steel or Enameled Pot do not use nonstick pan
  • Candy Thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups fresh fruit berries, oranges, grapes, or kiwi
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Wash and pat dry the fruit. Thread fruit onto skewers. Set the fruit skewers on a piece of parchment paper or a silpat.
    Wooden skewers with kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and oranges on a marble board.
  • Fill a rimmed baking sheet or a large pan with at least 1 inch of cold water and a few pieces of ice. Set next to the stove.
  • Add the sugar to a pot, then pour the water over the sugar making sure every part of the sugar gets wet. DO NOT stir the sugar. Shake the pot if necessary to cover the sugar. Put a candy thermometer on the side of the pot to continuously check the temperature.
    A pot with water and sugar.
  • Bring the sugar to a boil over high heat. Once the sugar reaches 250 degrees F on the candy thermometer, check the sugar readiness by dipping a wooden skewer in the sugar and then dipping it immediately into the cold water. If it's hard and immovable, the sugar is ready. If you can still manipulate the sugar, let it continue to boil. The sugar should not go above 300 degrees F or it will burn.
    A pot with bubbling sugar and water.
  • Once the sugar is ready, turn off the heat and dip the pot in the cold water for one second. Put the pot back on the stovetop.
  • Tip the pot so the sugar pools on one side and begin dipping the fruit skewers one by one. Twirl them in the sugar, allow any excess sugar to drip back in the pot, and then place them back on the parchment paper or silpat. Work quickly to dip the rest of the fruit.
    A skewer with strawberries being dipped into sugar.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Preparation Tip - Make sure to dry your fruit before dipping it in the sugar. If your fruit is not dry, the sugar won't stick.
Cooking Tip - If the sugar is not hard after 1 minute, the sugar either didn't get hot enough or the berries were too wet. They'll still taste good, but unfortunately, there's no way to get them to harden up if the sugar didn't get hot enough.
Recipe Tip - I've found 6 to 7 fruit skewers is the maximum you can fully dip and coat (before the sugar hardens) when using 2 cups of sugar. If you'd like to make more, you'll need to increase the amount of sugar and water you use.
Storage - leftovers can be saved for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but they will lose their crunch. This recipe does not store particularly well in the refrigerator. It can sit on parchment paper for 30 to 40 minutes before it needs to be served. Any longer than that, and the juices in the fruit will break down the sugar coating.
Cleanup Tip - Excess sugar can be removed from the pot just by soaking the pot and tools in water for an hour. Or you can add a few cups of water to the pot and boil it with the tools inside, let the sugar dissolve, and then you can pour it out and clean your pot.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Sodium: 2mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g