tanghulu

Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack consisting of candied fruits, most commonly hawthorn berries. The fruits are skewered onto bamboo sticks and then coated in a hard sugar syrup that, when cooled, forms a glassy, translucent shell. This shell is typically clear or reddish-brown depending on the color of the sugar.

The preparation involves dissolving sugar and water over heat, creating a thick syrup. The fruit skewers are then dipped into the hot syrup, which quickly hardens upon contact with the cool fruit. The resulting tanghulu is sweet, crunchy, and slightly tart from the fruit. While hawthorn is the most traditional choice, other fruits like strawberries, grapes, kiwis, and cherry tomatoes are also commonly used, offering a variety of flavors and colors.

Tanghulu originated in the Song Dynasty, with a popular legend attributing its invention to an imperial consort who fell ill. A physician prescribed hawthorn berries, and the emperor, desperate for a cure, ordered them to be cooked in sugar syrup. The resulting dish was so appealing that it became a popular treat. Today, tanghulu is a widely enjoyed street food snack, particularly popular during autumn and winter months in China and increasingly found in East Asian communities worldwide. It is often sold at street stalls and in markets.