Homemade Night Market Classic Candied Strawberries

Prepare 8 strawberries, 150g granulated sugar, 150g water, and 8 small forks. Wash the strawberries, remove the stems by hand, and trim them neatly with scissors. Dry each strawberry thoroughly with a paper towel, as remaining moisture prevents the sugar coating from adhering. Finally, insert a fork firmly into each strawberry so they are easy to dip later.

Add 150g granulated sugar and 150g water into a saucepan, and swirl to let the sugar evenly contact the water. Turn to medium-low heat; from now on, do not touch or stir the pot, as stirring causes crystallization (anti-sand), which is the key to success. Continue boiling until the sugar dissolves and the syrup thickens, then reduce to low heat. As golden edges appear, gently swirl the pot to even out the color. Test by dipping a drop of syrup into ice water; if it hardens into a firm ball, it is ready (takes about 12 minutes). Turn off the heat when it reaches a deep golden color.

Turn off the heat. The cooked sugar is very hot, so tilt the pot to concentrate the syrup to one side for easier dipping. Quickly dip each strawberry into the syrup and rotate it once; place the coated strawberries directly onto parchment paper to let them set and prevent sticking. Since the syrup is extremely hot, keeping the strawberry in too long will overheat it and cause water to release, resulting in soggy, non-crispy candied fruit. Dip quickly because the syrup will thicken over time, making it harder to coat evenly.