Gather ingredients: 2 cups (about 400 g) hawthorn berries (tanghulu berries) or other firm fruit, rinsed and dried
Gather ingredients: 1 to 1 1/4 cups (200–250 g) rock sugar (冰糖), or regular sugar if needed
Gather ingredients: 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
Prepare skewers: wooden sticks or bamboo skewers
Dry the fruit completely
Skewer the fruit firmly, one berry per stick (or as preferred)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Cook sugar: combine rock sugar and water in a saucepan
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat
Do not stir after it boils; swirl the pan gently if needed
Cook until it reaches hard-crack stage (about 150–160°C / 300–320°F)
Test readiness: a drop of syrup in cold water forms a hard, glassy thread
Remove from heat briefly if needed to prevent burning
Dip each skewer into the hot syrup, coating the fruit evenly
Let excess syrup drip off
Place coated fruit on parchment paper
Allow to cool until the coating hardens (typically 5–10 minutes)