When it comes to winter in Beijing, a bright red image immediately comes to mind — clusters of plump hawthorns wrapped in crystal-clear rock sugar shells, emitting a sweet and sour aroma in the cold wind. This is Bing Tang Hu Lu (Sugar-Coated Hawthorns). As one of Beijing’s most recognizable street snacks, it is not only a culinary delight but also carries the street memories and winter feelings of old Beijing. Its sweet and sour taste is perfect for cold weather, being a favorite dessert among children and a must-try delicacy for tourists to experience Beijing’s daily charm.
The origin of Bing Tang Hu Lu can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, with a long history full of life wisdom. Legend has it that it was initially a medicinal food in the imperial court. The ancients discovered that hawthorns have the effect of stimulating appetite and aiding digestion, so they wrapped them in rock sugar to make preserves for the royal family to regulate the stomach and intestines. Later, this snack spread to the folk. Due to its simple production, excellent taste and affordable price, it quickly became popular on the streets, especially suitable for winter consumption — in cold weather, the sweet and sour taste can awaken the taste buds, and the crispy sugar shell can bring instant warmth. After hundreds of years of evolution, Bing Tang Hu Lu has developed from a single hawthorn variety to various fillings such as strawberries, grapes and Chinese yam beans, but the traditional hawthorn version has always been a classic in the hearts of old Beijingers and the most representative look on Beijing’s streets.
The soul of Bing Tang Hu Lu lies in the “golden ratio of hawthorns and rock sugar” and the “control of the sugar shell’s crispness”, which together create the core trait of crispy outer layer, sour inner flesh and balanced sweet-sour taste. Authentic Bing Tang Hu Lu has strict requirements for raw materials: hawthorns must be high-quality varieties with uniform size, bright red color and plump flesh, with seeds removed (to avoid astringency and grittiness) while retaining the complete flesh; rock sugar must be high-purity, impurity-free single crystal rock sugar instead of white sugar or maltose. Rock sugar has high transparency and sufficient crispness after boiling, which is not easy to become damp and soft after cooling, and can firmly lock the sour aroma of hawthorns.
The production process seems simple, but every step tests craftsmanship, especially the rock sugar boiling step, which is the key to the success of Bing Tang Hu Lu. First, process the hawthorns: wash fresh hawthorns, remove seeds vertically with a special tool, keep the fruit shape intact, then soak in clean water for 10 minutes to remove residual impurities on the surface, take out and drain the water (the water must be completely wiped dry, otherwise the sugar shell will easily fall off when coating). Next, skewer the hawthorns: string the pitted hawthorns with bamboo sticks in sequence, 5-8 per skewer, arranged evenly in size, ensuring beauty and easy holding for eating.
Boiling rock sugar is the most core step, and the control of heat and time directly determines the taste of the sugar shell. Add an appropriate amount of rock sugar and clean water to the pot (sugar-water ratio is about 2:1), boil over low heat, and stir constantly with a shovel during the process to melt the rock sugar evenly and avoid local burning. During boiling, closely observe the state of the sugar syrup: initially, the syrup is white and turbid, and gradually becomes clear and transparent as the temperature rises. When the syrup drops into cold water and can quickly solidify into crispy particles that melt in the mouth, the boiling is completed (excessive heat will make the sugar shell bitter, while insufficient heat will make it soft and sticky). After boiling the sugar, quickly put the skewered hawthorns into the pot, rotate the bamboo sticks rapidly to coat each hawthorn with a thin layer of sugar evenly, then immediately place on an oil-brushed cutting board to cool, let stand for 5-10 minutes until the sugar shell is completely solidified and hard, and an authentic Bing Tang Hu Lu is ready.
High-quality Bing Tang Hu Lu has distinct characteristics: it has an attractive bright red appearance, with a crystal-clear sugar shell that clearly shows the hawthorn flesh inside, no excess sugar residue or burnt spots; it has a layered taste — when you bite down, you first feel the crispness of the sugar shell with a slight “crunch”, then the sourness of the hawthorn spreads in your mouth, with interweaving sweet and sour, refreshing and appetizing, sweet but not cloying, sour but not astringent, with a long aftertaste. The traditional eating method requires no complex matching; it can be eaten directly by holding the bamboo stick, enjoying both the crisp sweetness of the sugar shell and the original taste of the hawthorn. It does not need to be heated when eaten in winter; cold eating can better highlight the sweet and sour refreshing taste. Paired with a cup of warm jujube tea or ginger tea, the combination of cold and warm makes the taste more comfortable.
To taste the most authentic Bing Tang Hu Lu, there is no need to deliberately look for high-end shops; street stalls and time-honored brands in Beijing are the best choices. In winter, around scenic spots such as Wangfujing Pedestrian Street, Nanluoguxiang and Shichahai, you can see street stalls selling Bing Tang Hu Lu everywhere, made to order with crispy sugar shells and fresh hawthorns, high cost performance, which is the first choice for tourists. Time-honored brands such as “Yao’s Chaogan Shop” and “Huguosi Snacks” also sell it. Although the price is slightly higher, the ingredients are more exquisite, the hawthorns are completely pitted, and the sugar shell is evenly thick, allowing you to taste the most traditional old Beijing flavor. In addition, some shops also launch innovative Bing Tang Hu Lu, such as strawberry Bing Tang Hu Lu, Chinese yam bean Bing Tang Hu Lu, orange slice Bing Tang Hu Lu, etc., each with unique tastes, suitable for tourists who like to try new flavors.
There are several practical tips for tasting Bing Tang Hu Lu to help foreign tourists better unlock this delicacy. First, eating time: it is best to eat immediately after making, when the sugar shell is crispest and the hawthorns are freshest. Leaving it for too long will make the sugar shell damp and soft, affecting the taste. Second, flavor adaptation: the traditional hawthorn version has a moderate sweet-sour taste. If you don’t like sourness, you can choose fruit versions such as strawberries and oranges, which are sweeter and less sour. Third, eating precautions: hawthorns have a high acid content, so people with sensitive stomachs should not eat too much, and some traditional versions have not had seeds removed, so pay attention when eating. Fourth, storage method: for short-term storage, it can be refrigerated in an airtight container for no more than 24 hours. Take it out 10 minutes in advance to warm up before eating again to avoid the sugar shell becoming too brittle and easy to crack due to low temperature.
Beijing Bing Tang Hu Lu has no exquisiteness of imperial snacks, but with the simplest raw materials and the most down-to-earth sales method, it has become an iconic symbol of Beijing’s winter. It hides in the cold wind on the streets, in the smiles of children, and in the Beijing memories of every tourist, interpreting the daily warmth of old Beijing with its interweaving sweet and sour taste. For foreign tourists, tasting Bing Tang Hu Lu is not only a taste experience but also an immersive opportunity to feel Beijing’s winter atmosphere — in a bite of crisp sweetness and sourness, understand the freshest and most cordial taste of this city.
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