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1
Wash the fruit and dry it completely — spread on a clean cloth or paper and leave until every surface is bone dry. Thread 3–5 pieces onto each bamboo skewer. Any residual moisture will cause the syrup to crystallise white rather than set glassy and clear.
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2
Lightly oil a marble slab or heavy metal tray and set it near the stove. Combine the sugar and water in a small, deep saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat without stirring. Cook, watching closely, until the syrup reaches 160°C on a thermometer — the hard-crack stage. The syrup will be pale gold and perfectly clear.
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3
Remove the pan from the heat. Working quickly — the syrup cools and hardens within 3–4 minutes — tilt the pan and dip each skewer into the syrup in a single, even motion, rotating to coat the fruit in a thin, uniform shell. Do not dip twice; a shell that is too thick will not shatter cleanly on biting.
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4
Lay each dipped skewer immediately onto the oiled slab. The sugar shell sets within seconds in cold air. It is ready when the coating is hard, smooth, and glassy to the touch — it should produce a distinct tap when a fingernail is pressed against it.
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5
Serve at once. The finished tanghulu should shatter audibly when bitten, releasing the sour fruit inside.