Tanghuru (Chinese-Style Candied Fruit Skewers)
Quick answer
Tanghuru is a candied fruit dessert made by skewering fresh strawberries, grapes, or other fruits and dipping them into sugar syrup heated to 150 degrees Celsius, the har...
What makes this special
- Fresh fruit dipped in hot caramelized sugar syrup sets into a thin, glass-hard shell: Korean Tanghuru.
- Sugar syrup must reach 150 degrees Celsius to set into a glass-hard shell
- Completely drying the fruit prevents the sugar coat from sliding off
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 10 strawberries and 10 grapes, then trim away stems and any bruised spots.
- 2 Thread the fruit onto 4 skewers without squeezing it.
- 3 Put 200 g sugar and 80 ml water in a saucepan and set it over medium heat.
Tanghuru is a candied fruit dessert made by skewering fresh strawberries, grapes, or other fruits and dipping them into sugar syrup heated to 150 degrees Celsius, the hard-crack stage. At this precise temperature, the syrup sets into a thin, glass-like candy shell around each fruit; any lower and it remains sticky without hardening. Biting through the brittle sugar coating releases the fresh juice of the fruit inside, creating a sharp contrast between pure sugar sweetness and the fruit's natural tartness. The fruit must be thoroughly dried before dipping so the candy layer adheres in an even, transparent coat.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Wash 10 strawberries and 10 grapes, then trim away stems and any bruised spots.
Dry each piece thoroughly with paper towels because surface moisture prevents the candy coating from sticking evenly.
- 2Season
Thread the fruit onto 4 skewers without squeezing it.
Leave a little space between pieces so the syrup can coat each surface quickly, and place the skewers near the stove before heating the sugar.
- 3Control
Put 200 g sugar and 80 ml water in a saucepan and set it over medium heat.
Do not stir before the sugar dissolves; gently swirl the pan instead to avoid crystals forming on the sides.
- 4Heat
When the syrup boils clear, lower the heat to medium low and cook until it reaches 150C.
If it is cooler, it will stay sticky, so watch for smaller bubbles and a slightly thicker texture.
- 5Step
Keep the heat low and dip each fruit skewer into the syrup quickly.
Turn it only once for a thin coating, and do not hold it in the syrup long enough to warm or soften the fruit.
- 6Finish
Set the coated skewers on parchment and let them harden for about 3 minutes.
Serve as soon as the surface feels glassy and firm, and avoid leaving them in a humid place for long.
After the steps
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