Hello everyone! Chef Ted here, I just got back from Japan and thought it would be fun to do this recipe on one of my favorite little street snacks. Something about biting into a fresh juicy strawberry with the perfectly think candy crunch is perfect for the Summer! This weeks other blog on creating a sugar coating has a picture from my previous trip when it was strawberry season earlier in the year. The picture for this is from our Japanese Street Food Class so if you would like to try your hand at coating your own and not do dishes, we would love to see you there!
Ichigo Ame (Candied Strawberry)
Ingredient List
6 -- Small Strawberries (washed and dried, leave stems on)
2 -- Skewers
3 Cups -- Granulated Sugar
1 tsp -- Rice Vinegar
1 1/2 Cups -- Water
Special Notes: While the recipe is for 2 skewers of 3. The amount of sugar this makes can coat at least 30 skewers. I like to use a large amount of sugar mix to make it easy to dip and roll the skewers.
Directions
- Mix the sugar, water, and rice vinegar in a pot and gently bring to a boil over a medium heat. Do not stir, but gently swirl the pot every few minutes. This step may take about 20 minutes.
- Bring the mixture to 300°F. Try to keep as close to temp as possible, if you go higher you may start to carmelize or burn your sugar. We want to keep it molten, but clear.
- Tilt your pan and rotate the strawberry skewers to coat with a thin layer. When you lift the strawberries out keep rotating in your fingers to keep the sugar from dripping.
- Place the strawberries on a parchment lined sheet tray to allow the mixture to cool and solidify before eating.
Equipment List
- Sauce Pot
- Sheet Tray with parchment
- Skewers (I like at use a 4"-6" wooden skewer based on the number of strawberries on it.)
- Thermometer (Ideally instant read)
- Not Required, but I use a silicone brush and water to keep sugar from coming up the sides and buring in my pot.
- Bonus Cleaning Tip: As my mixture cools I like to add enough warm water to slowly desolve the mix on the stove top instead of clearning out hardened sugar.
Sweet and Savory Classroom offers hands-on cooking classes, team-building events, kids' cooking camps, and family culinary experiences for all skill levels. Our interactive classes help participants build confidence in the kitchen while creating memorable experiences together. Gift certificates are available for cooking classes, camps, and private events.