Cocoa Milky Layered Agar Agar (可可牛奶千层燕菜)

SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT

Prior to sharing about this recipe, I wish to take this opportunity to announce that Guaishushu’s second E-book will be due to be released this few day and I seek your kind support. I will further advise the link to purchase the E-book.. As this is an E-book, readers are paying a rather low price and if you need a hard copy, you can use the soft copy to print it yourself using PDF software..

The second E-book will have 25 noodles recipes commonly found in Singapore and Malaysia hawker centre. It includes mee soto ayam, Hokkien prawn noodles, Assam Laksa, fish head beehoon and etc..

INTRODUCTION

Agar agar is a common Asian dessert and there is nothing to shout about.. I have a long post on Agar agar background and some basic preparation techniques in this post: Agar Agar is not the same as Agak Agak… Agar Agar is Red Algae !! and if you are interested, you can read about what is agar agar..

I do not actually intend to share this simple agar agar recipe but when I posted my agar agar pictures, members of Facebook Group are requesting for a recipe..

Hmmmm, is there a recipe for agar agar? In my humble opinion, i always think that the most reliable recipe of agar agar are those printed in the packaging.. Every brand of agar agar is different and hence, one should always take into consideration what is printed in the package.. Otherwise, your agar agar may be too soft or too hard..

What I am sharing today is a concept on how I did this layered agar agar. Layered agar agar is not uncommon even when I was young.. The most classical agar agar combination is milo and condensed milk.. Some have coconut milk and gula melaka.. There are even those with yam cubes or water chestnut cubes. Of course the recent development is the rainbow agar agar.

I am not rejecting food colouring and I am never be a fan either.. The colour I have chosen this time is a big contrast layering using dark cocoa powder and milk.. A striking black and white layer.. I have to be frank that any agar agar that uses white layer may have a possibility of stained by colour.. Your colour design with have to take into consideration this factor.

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Servings: One 4”x4”x8’ tray of Agar agar

Milk Layer

2 tablespoons of milk powder
12 grams of agar agar powder
200 grams of white sugar
800 grams or ml of plain water
3 pieces of pandan leaves

Cocoa Layer

2 tablespoons of dark cocoa powder or milo
12 grams of agar agar powder
200 grams of white sugar
800 grams or ml of plain water
3 pieces of pandan leaves

STEPS OF PREPARATION

Put about 4 tablespoons of hot water each to the milk and cocoa powder separately. Stir until the powder dissolves and form a paste.

Get ready 2 pots. Put in the agar agar powder, water, sugar and pandan leaves for each pot. Bring to boil. Once it boils, add the cocoa paste and milk paste to the relevant pots. Stir until well combined and turn the heat the the lowest.

Get ready the agar agar mould. The mould will need to be surrounded by another bigger mould filled with icy water.

Pour one cup of milky agar agar into the smaller mould and let it set. As it is surrounded by the icy water, the setting can be quite fast about 5 minutes. Once it sets, use a fork to lightly scratch the surface of the milk layer. Pour one cup of the cocoa agar agar LIGHTLY on top of the milky agar agar. Ensure that it is at water level . Once the cocoa agar agar have set, pour another layer of milk agar agar. Perform the same procedures until all the agar agar was used. Once all the agar agar have been used up, chilled in refrigerator for at least one hour before cutting into desired shape.

Note:

The process will not be very wrong if icing water was used. When ice melt, add more ice to expedite the process.

You can temporary off the heat for the agar while doing the layering. If they start to harden in the pot, open the heat and heat until it melts.

Scratching prevent sliding between layers. Otherwise, layer will slip if not properly set.

CONCLUSION

This is a simple recipe that yields an elegant dessert. May be you want to give it a try. Feel free to alter to your preferred flavour, may be santan and coffee. If gula melaka was used, remember to adjust the sugar downwards. Once again, I hope reader will support me for my second E-book.

Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have a nice day.

For more recipes, you can refer to my RECIPE INDEX (updated as at 13 March 2015) here and you can follow me at PINTEREST or visit the blog’s FACEBOOK PAGE to keep abreast of my future posts. Also follow me at INSTAGRAM or TSU, a new social network for some more personal sharing other than recipes.