Prepare the Fruit:
Wash and dry the fruit thoroughly. For larger fruits like strawberries or grapes, leave them whole. If using hawthorn berries, skewer them onto wooden sticks, leaving some space at the bottom.

Make the Sugar Syrup:
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Place the pan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
Once dissolved, increase the heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Let it boil for 5-8 minutes, or until it reaches 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer. This is the hard crack stage for the candy coating.
Alternatively, drop a small amount of syrup into cold water—if it hardens immediately and forms brittle threads, it’s ready.

Coat the Fruit:
Once the syrup is ready, carefully dip each skewer of fruit into the syrup, ensuring the fruit is fully coated. Let the excess syrup drip off for a few seconds before placing the skewered fruit on a parchment paper-lined tray to cool and harden.

Cool and Serve:
Let the Tanghulu cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until the candy coating hardens completely. Once set, the candied fruit is ready to enjoy!