I savored homemade candied grapes for the first time recently, and they were delish!

As bursts of juicy, yumminess delighted my taste buds, my thoughts swirled with questions of:

"O candied grapes! Where have you been all my life?"

Tanghulu is an ancient Chinese dessert that looks like a fruity kebab coated in a sugar-licous candy shell.

Transforming juicy fruits into a fun and flavorful confection has been a Chinese tradition for over 2,000 years! Since the Tang Dynasty in the first century, C.E.

So, if you're in the mood to eat something sweet, juicy and candied — that's smaller, faster and easier to eat than a candied apple — bite into this simple, ancient Chinese recipe instead.

Ingredients

• Assorted fruits (grapes, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, apricot)

• 300 grams caster sugar

• 250 ml water

• 2 cups ice cubes

• 10 wooden skewers, thin and flat

• 1 candy thermometer

Directions

1. Rinse the fruits. Dry each thoroughly with a clean, soft towel. Cut the larger fruits, like kiwi and apricot, into slices so they are easier to skewer.

2. Thread each of the skewers with 4 to 5 fruits. You can mix n' match if you like!

3. Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan. Do not stir. (Note: the saucepan should be deep and wide enough for dipping.)

4. Heat the the sugar mixture over a high heat for approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Do not stir. Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to 275° F (135°C).

5. Fill a wide bowl with ice and water, then set aside.

6. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Then, working quickly, gently dip each skewers into the sugar syrup. Be sure to coat the fruits 360°, completely. You can use a spoon to pour syrup over hard-to-dip places.

7. Shake the coated skewer, then dip it into the bowl of ice water so the sugar coated fruit can chill and harden.

8. Once all of the skewers are coated and chilled, remove them from the ice water and serve immediately.

9. Enjoy. Yum!

Chef's Notes

• Caster sugar is more finely grained than regular sugar. You can purchase caster sugar online or at specialty retailers and grocery stores. Or you can use regular sugar.

• To add a bit of zest and balance to the sweetness, add a dash of lemon juice or lime juice — or both! — to the sugar mix.

• You can experiment with adding other juicy fruits to the mix, like strawberries, blueberries, mandarins and kiwi.

• Make sure the candy shell is not too hard or thick, so it is safe to bite into, for kids and adults alike.