Easy Shortcut Chinese Tofu Pudding / Douhua (豆花 /豆腐花)

Looking to make some healthy and yummy tofu pudding at home? I have the easiest douhua(豆花) recipe for you to try. This classic Chinese dessert is sweet, silky, and delicate. You can enjoy it cold on a hot summer day!

What is Douhua?

Douhua (豆花) is a Chinese tofu pudding or dessert. It is also called soybean curd dessert, soybean pudding, sweet tofu pudding, doufuhua, or tofu brains(豆腐脑) in some parts of China. Additionally, there is a similar dessert in the Philippines called Taho. It is a sweet dessert made with very tender tofu.

Historically, douhua dates back to the Han Dynasty of ancient China. Interestingly, it is believed that douhua was invented by Liu An, the grandson of the emperor Gaozu of Han, in an attempt to make something that would beat death. While he did not succeed in fighting mortality, he did come up with this dessert that has since become a favorite worldwide.

This tofu pudding is made with common ingredients. Traditionally, coagulants such as gypsum powder(石膏粉) or magnesium chloride (Japanese nigari 苦汁/にがり) are used. However, these coagulants tend to be difficult to find, so this recipe uses gelatin.

Using Gelatin as Your Douhua Coagulant

Gypsum powder and nigari are the most preferred coagulates for making tofu pudding. Unfortunately, these coagulants are not easy to find in some stores, so a coagulant such as gelatin is more accessible.

Gelatin is a collagen-derived translucent, flavorless powder. The collagen is derived from animals, so the douhua you will be making with this recipe is not vegan. Gelatin is easy to find in most grocery stores, and creates the perfect soft, silky, and bouncy texture for our douhua.

Gelatin is the best coagulant to use for douhua in the summer. As a Taiwanese and Chinese tradition, tofu pudding is best eaten cold during hot weather to cool you down. The douhua consistency will soften and get even more delicious as it goes from cold to room temperature.

What Ingredients Will You Need for This Douhua or Tofu Pudding Recipe?

Douhua can be made savoury, sweet, or spicy using different ingredients. For example, if making a savoury tofu brains(豆腐脑) recipe, you need soy sauce plus your preferred toppings such as mushrooms, pickles, or minced meat. On the other hand, for a spicy bowl of douhua, you can use chili sauce, chili oil/crisp, or your favorite peppers along with soy sauce.

For our recipe, we will be making a simple sweet tofu pudding using soy milk, sugar, and gelatine. On top of that, we will also make a ginger syrup with sugar, sliced ginger, and water. For the toppings, you can use boba or beans.

a) Tofu Pudding Ingredients

• 3 ¼ cup soy milk (770ml)
• 2 tbsp sugar (25g)
• 1 tbsp gelatine (9g)

b) Ginger Syrup ingredients

• 1 cup water (236ml)
• ½ cup raw sugar (125g)
• 5 slices peeled ginger

c) Optional topping ingredients

• Homemade Taro and Sweet Potato Balls(三色芋圓/地瓜圓)
• ¼ cup tapioca boba(cooked according to package instructions)
• ¼ cup red, green, or mung beans(boiled)

Douhua or Tofu Pudding Cooking Tips

When you want to make the perfect tofu pudding, here are some tips to ensure you don't end up with the wrong results:

1. Cook the ingredients under medium heat, and keep stirring as they heat up.
2. Avoid adding gelatine to hot or warm soy milk, as it will solidify very fast to form lumps.
3. If the gelatine is clumping, try blooming the gelatine in 2 tbsp of soy milk first, before adding to the rest.
4. Pour mixture through a sieve to remove excess bubbles.
5. Refrigerate overnight and covered for optimal results.
6. Serve in a bowl with ginger syrup and preferred toppings.

Douhua Recipe

To make the tofu pudding:

1. In a large saucepan, combine soy milk, sugar, and gelatine. Allow to simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer to a heat-safe container and refrigerate overnight or until set.

To make the ginger syrup:

1. Add water, raw sugar, and peeled ginger slices to a small saucepan. Allow to simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened.
2. Pour into a heat-safe mug and refrigerate.

Assembly:

1. Prepare boba and beans before you are ready to serve.
2. With a large spoon or ladle, scoop pieces of tofu pudding into a bowl.
3. Top with boba, beans, and a generous drizzle of ginger syrup.
4. Enjoy!

Homemade Vs. Store-Bought Soy Milk

It is important that you use the best ingredients. We recommend making your soy milk, or looking for a high quality store-bought soy milk with simple ingredients. The ingredients list should be at most, water, soybeans, and salt.

Any homemade soy milk or store-bought soy milk will work. However, we recommend making your soy milk at home for the tastiest douhua.

1. Homemade soy milk has a thicker consistency compared to store-bought soy milk. When you make it correctly, the soy milk will require less coagulant.
2. This soy milk will contain no additives, thus reducing the amount of coagulant you need to use.
3. You know your soy milk is fresh and healthy.

We understand that making soy milk at home can take time and effort. So, if you are dedicated to making the best douhua and feel you need the best soy milk, here is a quick DIY home recipe you can follow.

• Ingredients: ½ cup of white soybeans, water, and pinch of salt(optional).
• Supplies: Mason jar, blender, nut milk bag, and heavy bottom pan.

When you have everything ready to go, here is how you prepare your white soybeans.

1. Soak your white soybeans in two or three cups of water to soak overnight.
2. In the morning, take out the soybeans and discard the water.
3. Rinse the soybeans and remove the skins the best way you can.
4. Bring your blender, add the soybeans with four cups of water. Blend until you get a smooth soy milk mixture.
5. Use your nut milk bag to strain the soy milk mixture.
6. Once you have collected most soy milk, you can heat it in a pan at 212ºF (100ºC), ensuring to stir frequently to prevent sticking.
7. After 20 minutes of heating, turn the heat off and let the hot soy milk cool down before storing it in the refrigerator for up to four days.

With your healthy, additive-free and preservative-free soy milk, you will be ready to make the best tofu pudding. If you do not have the time to make the soy milk at home, make sure you buy a high quality soy milk from your grocery store. In particular, look for soy milk made with only soybeans and water and free of additives.

Health Benefits of Homemade Douhua

Written above, we recommended making your soy milk at home since it contains no additives and preservatives. This recipe is rich in nutrients and offers the following health benefits:

1. According to Wikipedia, Douhua, made from tender tofu, is rich in iron, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous.
2. It has high-quality protein derived from soybeans and is one of the best desserts for vegans if made with gypsum powder or nigari.
3. Douhua has low calories and is also gluten-free.
4. It is cholesterol-free.
5. Douhua is said to help ease some symptoms of menopause in women.
6. This study suggests that tofu can help with liver disease.
7. When consumed with ginger syrup, douhua may help with digestion, nausea, or help boost your immunity.

Afterthoughts

Making douhua at home is easy with this 15-minute recipe. It is best for you if you need to recreate your childhood snack or explore new foods from around the world. The tofu pudding is delicious and it is easy to scale up for more portions. Serve with your favorite toppings. Mine are tapioca boba, taro and yam balls.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Douhua Recipe

a) What is Douhua (豆腐 花)?

It is a popular Chinese dessert made from soy milk, water, and sugar and eaten with a sweet syrup made with ginger, brown sugar, and water. Douhua is also known as soybean curd, tofu pudding, tofu brains, and soybean pudding, among other Asian names. The soy milk used for recipe is made from white soy beans soaked in water overnight, then blended in the morning.

b) Can I make tofu pudding at home?

Yes, you can make healthy and sweet douhua at home using sugar, soy milk, and gelatine. Unlike when making tofu, douhua makes the process easier since you only need to add the coagulant, in this case, gelatine, into your soy milk and wait for it to set. You can follow this recipe that will guide you through every step.

c) Is douhua made with gelatin healthy?

Yes. Contrary to many views online, gelatine is safe and easy to use when making douhua. Gelatine is derived from animal collagen and sold in grocery stores as a translucent, flavorless powder. If looking to make douhua to serve cold, gelatin is the easiest and most convenient coagulant to use. However, this recipe is not vegan.

d) How long will this recipe take to cook?

This tofu pudding recipe will be ready in about 15 minutes after making your best soy milk at home. It will take five minutes for preparation and another 10 minutes to cook it. Then allow the pudding to set overnight.

e) What are the best ingredients for this tofu pudding recipe?

To make this tofu pudding, you need the following ingredients;

• Tofu Pudding Ingredients: 3 ¼ cup soy milk (770ml), 2 tbsp brown sugar (25g), 1 tbsp gelatine (9g)
• Ginger Syrup ingredients:1 cup water (236ml), ½ cup raw sugar (125g), 5 slices peeled ginger

f) How many calories are in one cup of douhua?

A cup of douhua comes with about 140 calories.

g) How does the tofu pudding taste?

This tofu pudding is sweet and even better when served with sweet ginger syrup. It is not very thick; it comes in a smooth, silky texture that dissolves quickly in your mouth.

h) Does Douhua have carbs?

Yes. This recipe uses soy milk which contains 2-5g carb per cup. So, on average, a cup, or 235g of douhua, contains 25g carbs.

i) How long can I store my douhua in the refrigerator?

You can keep douhua in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Then, if you don't want to eat it all in one sitting, you can split it into separate portions and put them in the refrigerator. Make sure to keep it covered in the fridge, otherwise the texture will get firmer as the moisture evaporates.

j) How can I serve douhua or tofu pudding?

Traditionally, douhua is served cold in the summer or hot in winter. In any season, you can serve douhua as:

1. A snack, especially in hot months when you want to stay cool. You can include optional toppings such as boba, taro yam balls, and beans.
2. Traditionally served with sweet ginger syrup.
3. As breakfast, douhua contains tofu which is rich in proteins from soy milk, which will give you the energy to go about your day.
4. In a smoothie. If you enjoy a healthy but sweet smoothie, you can add a scoop or two of this douhua and add it into your green or fruity smoothie.

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