Craving a silky-smooth ending to your meal? Look no further than one of Hong Kong's classic desserts – double-layered steamed milk pudding. This delectable dish has two layers of skin.
Made of steamed milk, egg whites and sugar, it may seem simple at first. But creating the "double skin" is quite complicated.
The first layer is formed by heating and cooling milk. The second layer is made by pouring a mixture of milk and egg white beneath the first skin. As it cools, the dessert gets a texture like custard. It's best served hot.
A wobbly invention
Double-layered steamed milk pudding originated in Shun Tak in Guangdong during the Qing dynasty. A cattle farmer was looking for a way to store her unsold buffalo milk. She decided to boil it, and a delicious layer of skin was formed when it cooled down.
However, the delicate skin broke easily, and the dessert spilled when it was moved around. To solve this, she added egg white to the milk. This made the milk curdle, forming a wobbly texture. The result was a delicate dessert. Not only is it delicious, but it is also nourishing.
Is it healthy?
Kathy Ng, a nutritionist, says the dessert's main ingredients – milk and egg whites – are rich in protein. This helps to make collagen, which helps keep your skin and other organs healthy.
Milk also contains vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. It may help to protect our skin from the sun's rays. Double-layered steamed milk pudding is healthier than similar desserts, such as crème brûlée or caramel egg pudding. "However, it should not be eaten every day," Kathy says.
Most shops still make the dessert with buffalo milk, which has more fat than cow milk. It can be a good idea to replace the sugar with a sweetener like sucralose. "You can also add some ginger juice, which helps to circulate your blood," she says.
Here is a recipe approved by Kathy. It needs a bit of patience but will put a smile on your face!
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 1)
1 cup of low-fat milk
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons of sucralose
Directions
- Using a microwave, heat the milk in a bowl for one minute. Let it cool for one minute, before heating it for another minute. Leave the milk to cool for five minutes until a layer of skin forms.
- Gently lift the skin with a knife and slowly pour three-quarters of the milk from below the skin, into another bowl. Keep the skin in its original bowl.
- Mix the sucralose and egg whites with the milk that has been poured out.
- After combining it thoroughly, add the mixture to the original bowl. Do this by gently lifting the layer of skin with a knife and slowly pouring in the mixture along the side of the bowl, so that the skin floats to the top.
- Cover the bowl with clingfilm, and steam it for about 20 minutes. Allow the milk custard to cool down for 10 minutes before eating it.
Quick questions
- Who invented this dessert?
- What is the benefit of vitamin E?
- How is buffalo milk different from cow milk?
