Candied hawthorn tanghulu

Method

1. 1 Wash the hawthorn berries, then use a metal tube to hollow out the seeds while keeping the fruit's shape intact.
2. 2 Skewer four fruits onto each bamboo skewer, then thoroughly pat each fruit dry.
3. 3 If the fruit is still wet, the sugar won't stick and will just slide off; drying it thoroughly is the first step.
4. 4 Cook the sugar with malt syrup, water, and a few drops of lemon juice until it reaches exactly 150 degrees.
5. 5 Test by dropping a single drop into cold water; the drop should shatter into a crisp sound to meet the standard.
6. 6 Dip the skewer into the hot sugar syrup, then twist and turn it to create a thread-like consistency, and place it on parchment paper.

With an appliance

• Microwave 30 min

  Replace steps 4–5: rotate the sugar mixture in a glass pitcher at 900 W for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, then add 15-second increments to 150 degrees, reducing the cooking time by about 5 minutes compared to the stovetop method and minimizing the risk of recrystallization due to stirring. The fruit from steps 1–3 must remain completely dry, then dip it immediately upon reaching the syrup temperature to create a thin, crispy coating.