Cold Tofu Pudding 凍豆腐花 (dong dou fu fa) can be made by taking soy milk and solidifying it using either gypsum powder, gelatin or agar agar. Not everyone has access to food grade gypsum powder. Gelatin, I find, is less suitable because it’s a bit too elastic. So, I’m going to show you how to make this soft and delicate dessert using agar agar powder. Most Asian markets will carry it.
Traditional tofu pudding is usually warm. To make it, you pour boiling hot soy milk into food grade gypsum powder and cornstarch to coagulate it. The result is a soft and smooth soy pudding. Some people are uncomfortable using gypsum powder since it is related to the gypsum used in dry wall. Food grade gypsum powder, however, is calcium sulphate, and is generally regarded as safe for human consumption . You can find it in bread, ice-cream, cheese and others as an anti-caking, dough strengthening, stabilizer and thickener. So it’s actually a pretty common ingredient that we consume regularly. The tricky part is pouring the soy milk into the gypsum powder. You're not to use any utensils to mix it, so the key is in the pour. But we'll save the details for another recipe.
In my Cold Tofu Pudding 凍豆腐花 recipe, I will show you how to make it using agar agar powder. Agar agar is Malaysian for red algae. (In Malay language, they repeat the word to give it emphasis, so it’s common to call agar agar just agar). It’s a gelling ingredient used in various food applications, especially for desserts. Gelatin has a similar usage but the texture is more elastic than agar. For those who prefer a vegetarian option, agar is the best choice.
If you’re unfamiliar with using agar, here are a few properties you should know:
- Gelatin cannot be substituted for agar on a 1:1 basis. It’s more like 1 unit of gelatin is equivalent to 1/3 units of agar, depending on how hard in texture you want the outcome to be
- All agar products will differ. Don’t assume that you used 1 tsp of a certain brand of agar, that other brands will be the same. I find that there are varying concentrations amongst different brands. So if one brand works for you, better to stick with that one
- Powder form is easiest to use as it dissolves the fastest and it’s easier to measure. The ones that look like cellophane are more economical but difficult to measure. Most people I know who use this type are really good at eyeballing the amount they need. Unfortunately, I’m not one of those people!
- Agar sets quickly at room temperature. But putting it in the fridge will set it even quicker and will prevent spoiling
- To completely dissolve agar, I find that simmering it for approximately 10 minutes is safest. Some instructions say 5 minutes but that doesn’t always seem to work for me.
- Agar dissolves at 85˚C or 185˚F and gels at 45˚C or 113˚F
- Stir the pot constantly while dissolving to prevent the agar from sticking to the bottom of the pot
- Fruits will need to be cooked before setting with agar because enzymes will prevent the agar from gelling
- The more acid there is the more agar you’ll need
Use my Cold Tofu Pudding 凍豆腐花 to make a cool, light and refreshing dessert. I’ll show you how to make the ginger and brown sugar syrup to go with it too. I’ll also show you how to make a Horlick flavour one. Add some tapioca pearls to it and you’ll get a bubble tea pudding that’s super fun and delicious!
Looking for more dessert ideas? Try my Mango Pomelo Sago Pudding 楊枝甘露布甸 or Fresh Mango Trifle 鮮芒果杯仔蛋糕.
Cold Tofu Pudding 凍豆腐花
Ingredients
- 500 ml Soy milk (sweetened or unsweetened)
- 1.5 g Pure agar agar powder (18g if using Golden Coins Brand agar + sugar powder)
- 4 tbsp Horlick powder (if making Horlick flavour)
Ingredients for ginger brown sugar syrup:
- 2 slices Ginger (you may also use 1 tsp ginger juice for a more pungent ginger taste)
- 4 tbsp Brown sugar
- 60 ml Water
Instructions
- Measure 500 ml soy milk into a pot
- Add 1.5 g pure agar agar powder (18 g if using Golden Coins Brand) to the pot. Let it sit for 5 minutes before heating so that the agar powder can soak-in the liquid
½ tsp of agar powder is approx. 1.3g. As for Golden Coins brand, 1 tbsp is approx. 14.5g - Mix and heat on the stove on medium heat
stir constantly to prevent agar from sticking to the bottom of the pot - Stir until mixture comes to a boil
- Turn heat down to low, cover with lid and let simmer for approx. 10 minutes or until agar powder has completely dissolved
You can check using a spatula. If it has not fully dissolved, you’ll see little specs of the agar on the spatula - Pour mixture through sieve
- Pour into container for setting
- Remove bubbles with a spoon
- Let cool
- Put into refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours, depending on the thickness of the pudding
- Serve with ginger brown sugar syrup, brown sugar or just on its own
Instructions for Horlick flavour Cold Tofu Pudding:
- Measure 500 ml soy milk into a pot
- Add 1.5g pure agar agar powder (20g if using Golden Coins Brand) and 4 tbsp Horlick to the pot
½ tsp of agar powder is approx. 1.3g. As for Golden Coins brand, 1 tbsp is approx. 14.5g - Follow the rest of the regular instructions
Instructions for ginger brown sugar syrup:
- Add 4 tbsp brown sugar, 60 ml (4 tbsp) water and 2 slices of ginger (or 1 tsp ginger juice) to a pot and bring to a boil
- Turn down to low heat until sugar dissolves
- Turn off heat, cover with lid and let sit for 10 minutes
- Remove ginger
- Let cool
- Pour onto cold tofu pudding
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