Tanghulu (Candied Fruit Stick)
Shiny, shiny Taiwanese fruit candy that is so popular in Shin-Okubo
Description
A visually cute night market dessert staple where strawberries or Taiwan's specialty cherry tomatoes are skewered and coated in a thin, crackly hard candy glaze.
Restaurants serving Tanghulu (Candied Fruit Stick)
Researching
We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Cherry tomatoes(or Strawberries)
- Dried plum(Mijian)
- White sugar
- Water
- Bamboo skewers
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Fruit Prep] Wash strawberries or Taiwan's night market staple 'cherry tomatoes (Taiwanese style sandwiches sweet/sour dried plum 'Mijian' between them)', dry completely, and skewer (moisture prevents candy from setting).
- [Candy Making] Put white sugar and water in a 2:
- ratio in a pan (or shallow pot).
- Heat and boil down 'absolutely without stirring' (stirring crystallizes sugar and ruins it).
- When the syrup changes from large to small bubbles and turns light golden (~150°C), dip the skewered fruit, tilting the pan to coat them thinly and quickly.
- Place on parchment paper (or oiled plate) and wait a few minutes until the candy cools and hardens with a snap.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Sweet/sourness of dried plum
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Grapes, mandarin oranges, or preferred fruits
Pairing
Unsweetened Taiwan Tea(to reset sweetness)
Trivia
[For Women] Similar to Japanese festival 'candy apples', but in Taiwan, 'cherry tomatoes sandwiching dried plums' are most popular. The perfect balance of tomato acidity and candy sweetness is causing a massive 'Tanghulu' boom in Shin-Okubo too.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Thick candy is NG! Crush the Taiwanese-style 'ultra-thin crackly candy' with your teeth, enjoying the marriage with the sour fruit juice bursting from the cherry tomato inside!
Allergen
None