Sweet Strawberry Tanghulu (Homemade without Corn Syrup)
Crispy and Sweet Strawberry Tanghulu Without Corn Syrup! Perfect for Kids’ Snacks.
My daughter saw the fresh strawberries her grandpa bought and started asking, ‘Mom, I want tanghulu!’ How could I refuse her wish? While she’s at her academy, I’m quickly preparing to make strawberry tanghulu at home! You won’t believe how wonderfully delicious and crispy this tanghulu is, even without corn syrup. Let’s create a delightful snack time with your child!
Ingredients- 1 pack of strawberries (choose fresh, plump ones)
- 1 cup sugar (using a 200ml measuring cup)
- 1/2 cup water (100ml measuring cup)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (15ml, helps make the tanghulu extra crispy)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, to wash the strawberries thoroughly, soak them in water mixed with 1 tablespoon of vinegar for about 5 minutes. This helps remove any dirt or pesticide residue from the surface. Afterward, rinse them several times under running water.
Step 2
Gently remove the green tops from the washed strawberries. This makes it easier to skewer them and apply the syrup later, resulting in a neater finish.
Step 3
We’ll be using skewers easily found at Daiso to assemble our tanghulu. Thread two strawberries onto each skewer – this makes them easy to eat and gives them a lovely appearance. Be careful as the skewer tips can be sharp, especially when making these with children.
Step 4
To ensure the syrup adheres well, it’s crucial to completely dry the strawberries. Pat them dry gently with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, making sure there’s no moisture left on the surface.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the star of our tanghulu: the sugar syrup. Pour 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water into a saucepan. **Do not stir.** Let it simmer over low heat. Stirring can cause sugar crystals to form, making the syrup cloudy.
Step 6
Once the syrup starts to simmer, gently dip half of each strawberry into the syrup and let it cook for a short time on one side. (Although this step is not explicitly shown in the photo, when the syrup begins to boil, you can dip the skewered strawberries for about 30 seconds.)
Step 7
Here’s a crucial test to see if the syrup is ready: carefully drop a small amount of the boiling syrup into a bowl of ice-cold water. If it forms a solid, hard ball that doesn’t easily break apart, your syrup is perfectly done. It should harden like candy. This usually takes about 18 to 20 minutes. The exact time might vary slightly depending on your heat, so always perform the cold water test to confirm the consistency.
Step 8
With the sugar syrup ready, quickly dip and swirl each strawberry skewer around the saucepan, allowing the syrup to coat the strawberries evenly and thinly. Do this swiftly to prevent the syrup from melting. Once coated, immediately remove and let them set. You can place them on parchment paper to cool.
