Beancurd Desserts
Homemade Singapore Hawker Style Almond Beancurd
This refreshing chilled dessert, known in Mandarin as 杏仁豆腐 (Xìngrén Dòufǔ) meaning 'Apricot Kernel Beancurd,' offers a delicate floral aroma and a texture that melts on the tongue. By blending soaked soy beans with traditional apricot kernels, you achieve a depth of flavor that commercial almond extracts simply cannot replicate.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 210 kcal
Method
Rinse the dried soya beans and soak them in plenty of water for at least 8 to 12 hours (overnight). Soak the North and South apricot kernels in a separate bowl of water for 2 hours.
Drain the soaking water. Rub the soya beans between your hands to remove the translucent skins, then discard the skins for a whiter, smoother beancurd. Rinse the apricot kernels and drain.
Place the soaked beans and kernels into a blender with 1200ml of fresh water. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is completely white and frothy.
Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or a nut milk bag into a large pot. Squeeze the bag tightly to extract every drop of milk, discarding the pulp (okara).
Bring the soya milk to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for 15 to 20 minutes. It must reach a boil to neutralize the raw enzymes in the beans, but do not let it boil over.
Add the sugar to the pot and stir until dissolved. In a small bowl, bloom the gelatine powder in 3 tablespoons of cold water for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Stir the bloomed gelatine and the evaporated milk into the hot soya milk until the gelatine has completely melted and the mixture is uniform.
Strain the mixture one final time through a fine sieve into a rectangular tray or individual bowls. Use a spoon to skim off any bubbles on the surface for a smooth finish.
Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours until firmly set. Cut into cubes or serve directly from the bowl with canned longans and syrup.
Notes
Always use a mix of North and South apricot kernels; the North kernels provide the signature almond aroma, while South kernels provide the sweetness.
Removing the soya bean skins is tedious but essential for a snow-white appearance and a cleaner flavor.
Do not skip the final straining step after adding the gelatine to ensure there are no undissolved clumps.
If using agar-agar instead of gelatine for a vegan version, use 10g of agar-agar powder, but note the texture will be firmer and more brittle.
Questions
What is the difference between North and South apricot kernels?
Can I use store-bought soya milk?
Why did my beancurd not set?
How long can I store this in the fridge?
Another version of this dish, written for a home kitchen outside Singapore: Almond Tofu (Annin Dofu) on Recipe.net.
