Tanghulu Recipe

Step 1

Wash and pat dry the strawberries. Place each strawberry on a skewer or long toothpick. Pull the greens back from the top of the berries so they won't get stuck in the sugar. Set the strawberries on a piece of parchment paper or a silpat.

Step 2

Fill a rimmed baking sheet or a large pan with at least 1 inch of cold water. Set next to the stove.

Step 3

Add the sugar to a small 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.

Step 4

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.

Step 5

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.

Step 6

Tip the pot so the sugar pools on one side and begin dipping the strawberries 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 berries.

Step 7

The sugar on the berries should harden almost immediately.*