The secret behind strawberry love: how to make your berries look crisp, glossy, and irresistible
Sunday 7 September 2025 15:30 - Mirella Mendonça
Candied strawberries, inspired by tanghulu, are a fun twist on the classic love apple. Juicy, sweet, and coated in shiny, crackling caramel, they’re perfect for parties, gifts, or romantic treats—and easier to make than they look!
Ingredients
- 12 large strawberries, washed and dried well
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn glucose (Karo)
- A few drops of red food coloring (optional)
Materials
- 12 wooden sticks
- baking sheet (or board)
- baking paper
- pan
How to prepare
- Stick each strawberry onto a toothpick, keeping the leaves for charm.
- Put the sugar, water and glucose in a saucepan. Mix lightly and bring to the boil over medium heat.
- Do not stir any more to prevent crystallization. Let it boil until it reaches the point of a hard candy (when you pour a little of the syrup into cold water, it hardens and breaks).
- If desired, add red food coloring to enhance the color.
- Remove the pan from the heat and quickly dip each strawberry into the hot syrup, swirling to cover completely.
- Place the strawberries on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper until the syrup hardens.
The result is this hard, shiny shell, crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Important tips
- If you're making more strawberries (24 for example), simply double the recipe.
- Corn glucose helps prevent the caramel from "sugaring" once it's cold, but it can be replaced with a spoonful of white vinegar.
- Work quickly: strawberries are small and the syrup hardens much more quickly than with love apples.
- Place the strawberries on lightly greased baking paper (or butter) so they don't stick.
Mirella MendonçaI am the editorial manager at Petitchef (Portugal and Brazil) and a huge enthusiast of travel and world cuisine, always in search of new flavors and experiences. However, as much as I love exploring the delights of different cultures, my mom's cooking will always be my favorite — with that unique flavor that only she can create.
Comments