Almond dessert perfect for festivals

XINGREN doufu, often translated as almond tofu or almond junket, is one of those rare desserts that carries with it both nostalgia and surprise.

I first encountered it not in China, but in the United States during my student days.

I can no longer recall exactly who introduced it to me, but it had become a party staple at our apartment.

It probably started with my Indonesian flatmates, who stirred cubes of almond jelly into a punchbowl of canned fruit cocktail. Our American friends loved it.

The dish was simple, refreshing and just different enough to stand out.

Xingren doufu is a traditional Chinese dessert of almond milk transformed into jelly. — Photos: LOW BOON TAT/The Star

One evening, a visitor from China recognised it instantly, exclaiming: “This is xingren tofu!”

It was my first brush with its true cultural identity – and also when I learned the curious detail that, despite its name, it contained no tofu at all.

Our student version was makeshift: agar-agar set with milk or soy milk, sugar and a dash of almond extract, mingling with grapes, orange segments, apple wedges, and syrupy longans.

But the authentic Chinese recipe calls for almond milk made by soaking and grinding almonds to extract their fragrant liquid.

With such rich natural flavour, no almond essence is needed – just agar-agar and sugar to coax it into delicate cubes of jelly.

When made with bitter almonds, easily found in Chinese medical shops, the result is aromatic and complex, though blanched sweet almonds make a fine substitute.

Traditionally, xingren doufu is paired with osmanthus syrup, a sweet floral condiment beloved in Chinese kitchens.

Bitter almonds may be substituted with blanched sweet almonds (top left).

My own favourite remains a drizzle of the syrup over cubes of almond jelly accompanied by canned longans or lychees.

The timing of this recipe is especially fitting. Oct 1 marks China Day and the start of Golden Week, a festive season of reunions, travel, and celebratory feasts across the great land.

A dish like xingren doufu, which is light, elegant and fragrant, sits beautifully on the table for such an occasion.

Xingren doufu

Almond jelly

75g bitter almonds (or substitute with blanched sweet almonds)

500ml cold water, plus extra for soaking

½ tsp agar-agar powder

40g granulated sugar

Osmanthus syrup

250g brown sugar

125ml water

¼ tsp salt

6g dried osmanthus flowers

When set after an hour in the fridge, turn the almond jelly out and cut into cubes to serve.

Directions

To make the osmanthus syrup, combine the sugar, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until dissolved.

Add the osmanthus flowers, remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean jar. Once cooled, it can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Soak the almonds overnight in cold water. The next day, drain and rinse.

Blend with 500ml fresh water until smooth. Strain the liquid through a tea sock or muslin, squeezing well to extract as much almond milk as possible.

Pour the almond milk into a saucepan, whisk in the agar-agar powder and leave to bloom for 5 minutes.

Heat gently, stirring constantly, until it comes to a slow simmer. Continue stirring for 5 minutes to ensure the agar-agar dissolves fully. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

Pour into a square cake tin and skim off any foam. Refrigerate for about 1 hour until set.

Cut the almond jelly into 2cm cubes. Dilute 4 tbsp osmanthus syrup with 125ml cold water.

Place into serving bowls and drizzle with the diluted osmanthus syrup.

Enjoy immediately, perhaps with canned longans or lychees on the side.