Tanghulu is one of the most popular snacks on the streets of China and if you’ve got a sweet tooth you’ll love this recipe. It’s such an easy and tasty snack to make, whether that be as a treat for yourself or special occasions for your family and friends.
This recipe will only take less than 20 minutes to make, so ideal if you want to make a quick snack for any guests that still looks very fancy, leaving the impression that you’ve spent a lot of time making them.
If you want to make these traditional Chinese snacks then keep on reading to find out how.
What is tanghulu?
Tanghulu or sometimes known as bingtanghulu is a traditional Chinese sweet snack made up of candied fruits on bamboo skewers. The name translates to sugar bottle gourd or rock sugar bottle gourd.
Tanghulu first originated from the Guanzhong period when the Song Dynasty of China requested the help of a doctor to help out with his wife’s battle with anorexia.
The folk doctor then created tanghulu as it’s filled with sugar and would help her slowly put on weight. Tanghulu’s popularity grew into the Qing Dynasty where it soon became a go-to snack at theatres or in tearooms.
Nowadays you’ll find tanghulu sold in both cafes, restaurants, and even on market stalls from vendors on the streets across China. You’ll commonly find tanghulu in China’s most popular cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin.
More modern-day renditions have been created, with many sellers using chocolate coatings, sprinkles, or even sesame seeds on their tanghulu.
Traditionally, the fruit that is used is the Chinese hawthorn but nowadays vendors will use all sorts of numerous fruits to glaze on the bamboo sticks.
What ingredients do you need to make tanghulu
I truly meant it when I said this recipe was simple and quick to make, there are only 3 key ingredients and you can choose any fruit that you have in your home.
Although if you want to keep it as traditional as possible, you should use Chinese hawthorn, this fruit may be difficult to find in the US, even in the Asian markets so you’ll have to look harder or enquire around to see where is best to get some.
Fruit
You can use whatever fruit you want for this recipe, but ideally, it should be something that will be easy to stick onto the bamboo skewer with. Tanghulu is a great way of using up any fruit that your kids are avoiding eating so nothing goes to waste.
I always find that strawberries look great when candied as they have a bright red gloss to them when they’re done. Using slightly unripe fruit is better as it’ll stay easier on the skewer, whereas more ripe soft fruits will leak juice and slip down the skewer.
I’d recommend only using two pieces of fruit on each skewer to start with as it can be quite challenging trying to coat the skewer with the syrup.
Granulated Sugar
Granulated sugar is best for this recipe as it’ll give the fruit a clear glossy finish, whereas if you use raw sugar, it will have a golden color to it.
If you’re an occasional baker then you’ll probably have some granulated sugar already in your cupboards, but if not, you can pop to the grocery store and pick up a small bag for this recipe.
Water
Just use water out of your tap and don’t use boiling water from the stove-top kettle if you have one. It will need to be cool or room temperature so then you can heat it on the stove with the sugar.
Ingredients measurements
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 1lb of the fruit of your choice
These measurements should be enough to make servings for 4 people, however, if you’re intending to make them for a bigger crowd then make sure to follow the 2:1 ratio of granulated sugar to water.
How to make tanghulu
- If your fruit has any greenery like stems or leaves on them, then cut or peel them off
- Wash your fruit and pat them dry (dry each fruit individually otherwise the syrup won’t stick to the fruit if they’re wet)
- Put 1 or 2 pieces of fruit on each skewer (more if the fruit you are using is smaller)
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and put it to the side
- Add the sugar and the water into a pan on a medium heat using a candy thermometer, keep checking the mixture until it is has reached 300 degrees Fahrenheit and make sure to NOT stir it
- Then carefully tilt the saucepan slightly and dip the skewered fruit into the syrup and rotate to cover all the fruit, you’ll need to work quickly and let the excess syrup drip off being moving them
- When each fruit skewer is covered with the sugar syrup, place it onto the parchment paper on the baking tray and repeat until all the skewers are done
- Leave the skewers to harden for a few minutes and then eat them immediately
How to store tanghulu
I’d recommend not trying to store your tanghulu in the refrigerator when possible and serve them up as soon as they’re made. As time goes on, the fruit will release juice which will break down the sugar content in the coating and it’ll make it very sticky and appetizing.
It’ll only take about 45 minutes before the juice starts releasing and the coating becomes very sticky, so it’s always best to eat them immediately.
As these only take 20 minutes to make, you can quickly whisk them up before any occasion or event you’re hosting or attending without it taking up too much of your time.
