Description
Fresh strawberries coated in a thin hard candy shell. Working with sugar to make candy is tricky. Achieve that hard candy shell the first time with this foolproof recipe.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb fresh strawberries
- Wooden skewers or toothpicks
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
Instructions
- Prepare strawberries: Wash strawberries or your favorite fruit. Pat dry with paper towels. Pierce each strawberry with a wooden skewer or toothpick so they sit at the end of the stick for easy dipping. No more than three on a wooden skewer or one on a toothpick. Set aside.
- Make the syrup: In a small saucepan, add sugar, water, and light corn syrup. Give it a mix until evenly combined. Heat on medium-high until the mixture reaches 305°F (hard crack) on a thermometer.
- Dip: Acting quickly, dip strawberries into the syrup, one stick at a time. Tilt the pot at a slight angle so the syrup can pool to one side for easier dipping. You can also spoon the mixture over the fruit. Allow any excess syrup to drip off then transfer to parchment paper or a silicone mat. Allow spacing between the strawberries to prevent sticking. Strawberries should start to harden immediately and completely harden within 3 minutes. Best to enjoy them immediately or within 4 hours, as they will liquefy over time.
Notes
If you don’t have a thermometer, allow the sugar and water to boil for about 10 minutes until it reduces to a thick syrup. Dip a spoon into cold ice water and then dip the spoon into the syrup. If the syrup hardens immediately, you have reached the correct temperature.
Clean-up tip: If you have burnt sugar or hardened sugar in your pan, scrubbing will not work and is a waste of effort. Simply soak the pan in hot water and allow time to dissolve the sugar.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: asian, chinese, american