Tanghulu (Chinese Candied Fruit Skewers)
Back to Recipes & MoreIngredients
- 1 lb (454 g) fruit of choice, washed and dried
- Strawberries, green tops removed
- Cherries, stems removed and pitted
- Seedless (red or green) grapes
- Kumquats
- Mandarin or clementine oranges, peeled and segmented, pat dry
- Blackberries
- 2½ cups (500 g) Redpath® Special Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
Equipment
Baking sheet
Parchment paper OR silicone mat
Skewers
Paper towels
Scale OR dry measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup
Medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (preferably not non-stick)
Heatproof spatula
Candy thermometer OR food thermometer
Instructions
Step 1
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (see Chef’s Tips).
Step 2
Arrange and spear the completely dried fruit of choice onto the skewers. Lay skewers on paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
Step 3
Add the Redpath® Granulated Sugar into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slowly pour the water into the pan, saturating the sugar. Be careful not to splash any sugar onto the sides of the pot. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and gently stir. Before the mixture begins to simmer, stop stirring. Stirring while the sugar is simmering will increase the chance of the mixture crystallizing. Heat the simple syrup until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310°F (149 to 154°C), known as the hard crack stage.
Step 4
Turn off the heat.
Step 5
Dip a skewer of fruit into the hot sugar, slowly turning the skewer and lifting the fruit out of the sugar while turning a few times to “cut off” any stray sugar strands. If necessary, tilt the pot slightly when dipping. Do not double dip, as this will create a candy coating that is too hard to bite. Place the coated skewer onto the prepared baking sheet.
Step 6
Repeat process with the remaining fruit.
Step 7
Serve immediately, before the sugar coating has a chance to soften.
