Fa-gao
Votes: 2
Time: 1 hour.
Complexity: average
Servings: 10
Complexity: average
Servings: 10
Nutritional value per serving:
Calories 178, total fat 6 G., saturated fats 0 G., proteins 2 G., carbohydrates 29 G., fiber 1 G., cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 132 mg, sugar 13 G.
Calories 178, total fat 6 G., saturated fats 0 G., proteins 2 G., carbohydrates 29 G., fiber 1 G., cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 132 mg, sugar 13 G.
Fa Gao, or lucky cake, is a popular Chinese dessert typically eaten during New Year celebrations to attract good luck and wealth. Soft, chewy, and slightly sweet, these steamed cakes were traditionally made with yeast, which caused the tops to crack during baking, forming a flower-like shape. However, many bakeries today replace yeast with baking powder. It achieves the same effect in much less time. The key when steaming is to ensure the water is at a vigorous boil and the cakes are thoroughly steamed. The intense heat from the steam is what allows the baking powder to work its magic.
The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
Ingredients for the recipe:
- 0.5 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup neutral vegetable oil
- 1 and 1/4 cups premium flour
- 1/4 cup rice flour
- 1 tbsp + 0.5 tsp baking powder
We recommend
Recipe:
Special equipment:
A 25cm diameter bamboo or metal steamer and 10 fluted muffin tins, each approximately 8cm in diameter at the top, 4cm in the bottom and 2.5cm deep.
Recipes with similar ingredients: rice flour, brown sugar, syrup
Cooking the dish according to the recipe:
- Fill a 12-inch (30-cm) skillet or wok with about 2 inches of water, then place a bamboo or metal steamer basket inside. Make sure the water doesn't touch the basket. If it does, discard some of the water. Leave the steamer on the stovetop. Spray 10 fluted molds with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, and 3/4 cup hot water until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Let the syrup cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- When the sugar syrup is ready, sift in the wheat and rice flour in 3 additions, stirring until no dry spots remain. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking powder and 1 tablespoon of cold water until no dry lumps of baking powder remain. Stir the baking powder mixture into the batter in 3 additions until no streaks of baking powder remain. Fill the prepared molds with batter to the top (about 1/4 cup of batter per serving).
- Bring a pan of water to a boil over high heat. Place 5 cupcake tins in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until the cupcakes are puffed and the tops open up to form a flower-like shape, about 15 minutes. Do not open the lid, or the batter will not rise. Transfer the cupcake tins to a wire rack to cool. Add more water to the pan if needed and bring to a boil over high heat. Place the remaining 5 cupcake tins in the steamer basket and steam in the same manner.
- Serve the fa-gao warm or at room temperature, removing them from the pan immediately before serving. The muffins can be stored in the pans, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in a steamer for about 10 minutes.
- I tested the recipe with two types of rice flour: Erawan Elephant, an Asian brand, and Bob's Red Mill, an American brand. The Asian flour is more delicate and absorbed water better, resulting in a lighter top. The cakes made with Bob's Red Mill were also delicious, but denser. Therefore, I recommend using Erawan or another Asian brand if you can find it. (Andy Liang, recipe developer, food stylist)
Categories: