INTRODUCTION

Every year after moon cake festival, this cake will start to appear in Facebook. The reason is simple because many family have leftover Gao Fen (糕粉） or cooked glutinous rice flour from the preparation of snow skin moon cake.

Yes, traditionally, this cake was prepared using gao fen without the need to steam. I will share this traditional recipe and another recipe that need no gao fen method. The second method will beneficial overseas member who have difficulty to get gao fen and in fact, the newer method of steaming has a better texture and I personally prefer it. The one prepared using gao fen is with green brushing whereas the newer method is using the red brushing.

This cake can be found every where and i just saw it being sold in Kuching two weeks back.

Unsure of the reasons, in many countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam, this cake is banana flavoured. There is no banana in it but banana essence was added to the cake. As to why banana essence was used, I have no clue. In fact, I have watched some documentaries of old shop in Hong Kong selling this. They used banana essence also. The most immediate thing that popped into my mind is has banana essence existed 50 years back? When and why is this flavouring being introduced? Is it because the cake is very bland?

As far as I am concerned, whatever colour and flavouring you used is very individual. If you do not like colouring, you can try to use natural colouring such as bunga telang or even without colouring, it is a piece of tasty cake. As for the flavouring, this recipe is original flavoured and milk flavoured. You can always extract pandan juice and become pandan flavoured or you can add your favourite flavouring such as strawberry, vanilla, mint and etc.. to suit your taste buds.

RECIPE 1 – TRADITIONAL METHOD USING GAO FEN (糕粉版本）

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Servings: Prepare about 10-12 slices depends on thickness

• 150 grams of gao fen or cooked glutinous rice flour
• 140 grams of icing sugar
• 220 grams or ml of cold water
• 20 grams of peanut oil
• Few drops of prefer colouring
• Flavouring of your choice (banana, pandan, vanilla etc.)
• 1-2 tablespoons of gao fen for dusting

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Put the cold water, peanut oil, flavouring and icing sugar together, stir until icing sugar dissolved.
• Sift the gao fen into a bowl, gradually add the above syrup and use hand to knead until it forms a soft and evenly mixed dough. Transfer the dough to a plastic bag of about 20 cm wide.

• Use a rolling pin to roll it flat following the size of the plastic bag with about 0.5 cm thickness. Make it into a square shape. Use a scissor to cut open the plastic bag.

• Brush the cake with your preferring colouring and roll it like rolling a sushi. Ensure that the rolling is tight.

• Transfer to a work surface lightly dusted with gao fen and use a sharp knife to cut into small pieces of your desired thickness. The cake can be eaten immediately when it is prepared. Store in an air tight container in fridge or at room temperature.

RECIPE 2 – NEWER METHOD USING RAW GLUTINOUS RICE FLOUR (生糯米粉版本）

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Servings: Prepare about 10-12 slices depends on thickness

• 60 grams of glutinous rice flour
• 50 grams of rice flour
• 50 grams of tapioca starch
• 90 grams of condensed milk
• 250 grams or ml of fresh milk
• Few drops of prefer colouring
• Flavouring of your choice (banana, pandan, vanilla etc.)
• 1-2 tablespoons of gao fen for dusting **
• 8” x 8” square baking tray

** If you do not have any gao fen at home, just stir fry 1-2 tablespoons raw glutinous rice flour under low heat in a pan over the stoves for 1-2 minutes . This is only for dusting purposes.

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Well grease the steaming tray with cooking oil.

• Sift the flour into a bowl, add the condensed milk followed by the milk and preferred flavouring. Stir until well mixed. Sift the mixture into the greased steaming tray. Steamed under high heat for 20-25 minutes.

• Once the steaming is done, let the cake cools slightly. Brush the cake with your preferring colouring and roll it like rolling a sushi. Ensure that the rolling is tight.

• Transfer to a work surface lightly dusted with gao fen and use a sharp knife to cut into small pieces of your desired thickness. The cake can be eaten immediately when it is prepared. Store in an air tight container in fridge or at room temperature.

CONCLUSION

There are two recipes in this post. Depend on what you have, you can choose either one of the recipes. If you are looking for traditional version, use Gao Fen method and add banana essence. Personally I prefer the second method which to me is much tastier.

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