Strawberry Tanghulu
This has been all over TikTok lately and that’s how I found it! Tanghulu is basically strawberries on a stick with this super crunchy sugar coating. Everyone’s making it now. The videos make it look so easy and honestly? It kind of is once you figure out the sugar part.
I’m not gonna pretend this is some authentic traditional recipe. There’s probably way better versions if you want the real Chinese street food experience. Mine is just the simple home version that actually works.
You need sugar, water, strawberries, and some patience while the sugar heats up. That’s pretty much it! The hardest thing is waiting for it to get hot enough, but then you dip the berries and put them in ice water and boom – that glass-like shell forms. When you bite it, it cracks! So satisfying!!
Ingredients
- 10-12 big fresh strawberries – Pick ones that are firm and not mushy. The bigger ones work better because they’re easier to dip!
- 1 cup of sugar – Just regular white sugar from the store. Nothing fancy needed here.
- 1/2 cup water – Tap water is fine. I use tap water every time.
- Ice cubes (enough to fill a bowl) – You want a lot of ice! The colder the bath, the crispier your coating gets.
- Wooden skewers – I get mine at the grocery store in the bbq section. The longer ones are easier to hold while you’re dipping.
Note: Dry strawberries are super important! Water makes the sugar not work right.
How to Do It
Step 1: Prep Your Strawberries
Wash them first. Then you gotta dry them and I mean really dry. Paper towels work good for this. The green parts stay on because they look cute. Put 2 or 3 on each stick, set them somewhere close by.
Step 2: Make the Sugar Syrup
Sugar and water go in a pot, then turn on the stove to medium heat. Stir it sometimes until the sugar melts away. Now here’s the tricky part – it has to get to 300°F! That’s what the candy thermometer tells you. Maybe 10 minutes, maybe 15? Just don’t leave because it burns fast.
Helpful tip: No thermometer? Drop some in cold water. If it gets hard right away and breaks easy, that means it’s done!
Step 3: Let It Cool for a Sec
Take the pot off. Wait like 30 seconds or a minute maybe. Too hot and it just slides off the strawberries, which is bad.
Step 4: Get Your Ice Bath Ready
Bowl with water. Add a bunch of ice. This makes the crack happen!
Step 5: Dip the Strawberries
Go fast now! Each skewer goes in the sugar. Spin it around so it gets covered. Hold it up so extra drips back down into the pot.
Warning: Don’t touch the sugar because it’s crazy hot! I almost burned myself one time.
Step 6: Cool Them Down
Put them in the ice water right away. They make a crackling sound and that’s good! Leave them for like 10 or 20 seconds, then take them out, use a paper towel to dry them a little bit.
Strawberry Tanghulu
Ingredients
- 10-12 large fresh strawberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- Ice cubes
- Wooden skewers
Instructions
- Wash and dry the strawberries, leaving the stems intact. Skewer 2-3 strawberries on each wooden skewer.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer (hard crack stage).
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Prepare a bowl filled with ice water.
- Dip each skewered strawberry into the hot sugar mixture, coating it thoroughly. Allow any excess sugar to drip off.
- Immediately dip the coated strawberries into the ice water bath to cool and harden the sugar coating. Remove and pat dry.
- Serve the strawberry tanghulu skewers chilled and crispy, as a delicious and unique treat. Enjoy!
