Tangulu is a traditional Filipino street‑food dessert that dates back to the early 1900s. Vendors would skewer fresh tropical fruits, dip them in a sweet red syrup, and serve them as a quick, portable treat during festivals and market days.

In the Visayas, mangoes and jackfruit are often used, while in Luzon vendors favor pineapple and banana. Some regions add a hint of calamansi juice to the syrup for a subtle citrus note.

Tangulu is typically served on a platter of banana leaves at birthdays, town fiestas, and school events. The bright colors make it a festive centerpiece, and it is eaten straight from the skewer.

Tangulu is popular at barangay (neighborhood) fiestas, Christmas night markets, and school graduations, where vendors set up stalls offering the sweet fruit sticks as a nostalgic snack.

Tangulu combines the freshness of tropical fruit with a glossy, sweet syrup that hardens slightly after chilling, creating a contrast of juicy interior and a lightly caramelized exterior—something rarely found in other Filipino sweets.

Common errors include over‑cooking the syrup, which makes it too hard, and leaving the fruit in the hot syrup too long, causing it to become soggy. Dip quickly and shock in ice water to preserve texture.

The ice‑water shock stops the cooking process instantly, locking in a glossy coating and preventing the fruit from absorbing too much syrup, which would make it mushy. It also gives the glaze a firm yet tender finish.

Yes, you can prepare the fruit and syrup a day ahead. Keep the fruit refrigerated, reheat the syrup gently before dipping, and store the finished skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The syrup coating should be thin, glossy, and slightly tacky, giving the fruit a pink‑red sheen. After the ice‑water shock, the glaze should feel firm to the touch but not hard, and the fruit should remain juicy.

The YouTube channel Jenny Hoyos focuses on fun, approachable Latin‑American and Filipino home‑cooking tutorials, often highlighting street‑food classics and quick snack ideas for busy home cooks.

Jenny Hoyos blends lively, informal narration with clear step‑by‑step visuals, emphasizing minimal equipment and pantry staples. Unlike many channels that use elaborate setups, she showcases how to recreate authentic Filipino street foods like Tangulu with everyday kitchen tools.