Almond Tofu (Almond Jelly)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes (includes chilling)
Servings: 4
Country of Origin
China (Beijing / Northern Style)
Description
A cooling, jiggly dim sum dessert that mimics the appearance of white blocks of tofu. It is a light gelatin dessert flavored intensely with Chinese sweet almond apricot kernels, sliced into diamond cubes and served floating in a sweet, ice-cold fruit syrup.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Served chilled in a small bowl, topped with a ladle of sweet syrup and a spoonful of mandarin oranges or fruit cocktail.
Ingredients
400ml whole milk
200ml water
7g agar-agar powder (or 1.5 tbsp gelatin powder)
40g granulated sugar
1.5 tsp pure almond extract
1 can mandarin oranges or fruit cocktail (drained, for serving)
Step-by-Step Directions
Dissolve Agar: In a small saucepan, combine the water and agar-agar powder. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously for 2 minutes until the powder is fully dissolved and clear.
Infuse Milk: Pour the whole milk and sugar into the pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves completely—do not let the milk come to a boil, or the proteins may separate.
Flavor: Remove the saucepan from the stove heat and stir in the almond extract.
Strain and Set: Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a flat-bottomed rectangular baking dish to catch any undissolved particles. Pop any surface bubbles with a toothpick. Let it cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours until firm.
Slice: Once set, use a sharp knife to score parallel lines diagonally across the jelly to create clean, 1-inch diamond-shaped cubes.
Serve: Slide a spatula under the cubes to loosen them. Place into bowls, spoon over a cold syrup (or the juices from the canned fruit), and garnish with fruit pieces.
Cooking Tips
No Boiling Milk: Never boil the mixture once the milk is added. Boiling milk breaks down its emulsions and kills the delicate aromatic compounds of the almond extract, leaving you with a dull flavor and a grainy, less silky texture.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving without fruit)
Calories: ~110 kcal
Total Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 2.2g
Cholesterol: 12mg
Sodium: 45mg
Total Carbohydrates: 15g
Protein: 3g
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