Tofu pudding: what it is and how it is made

Tofu pudding is a Chinese dessert made by setting freshly made soy milk into a very soft, silky curd, then serving it warm or cold in sweet ginger syrup. This tofu pudding, called douhua in Mandarin and dau fu fa in Cantonese, has a gentle bean taste and a texture like barely set custard. It is simple to make at home with soy milk and a coagulant.

What is tofu pudding?

Tofu pudding is soy milk that has been coagulated just enough to form a trembling, spoonable curd, which is then eaten as a dessert or a snack. It is written 豆花 and pronounced douhua in Mandarin, dau fu fa in Cantonese and tau huay or tau hua in Hokkien and Southeast Asian use.

Tofu pudding is also called bean curd pudding or silken tofu dessert in English. It is the same curd that is later pressed to make block tofu, only left unpressed in its whey. The dessert tradition is strongest in southern China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, while northern cooks often serve douhua as a savoury breakfast with soy sauce, chilli oil and pickles.

What does tofu pudding taste like?

Tofu pudding tastes mild, clean and lightly beany, with the flavour of the syrup or toppings doing most of the work. On its own the taste is gentle and a little sweet from the soy milk.

The texture is the main feature. It is smooth, wobbly and delicate, closer to a soft custard than to the tofu cubes found in soup. Warm ginger syrup adds spice and heat, and brown sugar syrup gives a caramel note. Toppings such as peanuts, red beans, tapioca pearls or grass jelly add chew and crunch.

How is tofu pudding made?

Tofu pudding is made by heating soy milk, stirring in a dissolved coagulant, and leaving it to rest without disturbance until it sets.

1. Use plain unsweetened soy milk with only soybeans and water, not a flavoured carton milk.
2. Heat the soy milk to just below a boil, around 80 to 90 degrees C.
3. Dissolve the coagulant in a little cold water, following the ratio on the packet. For GDL this is often a few grams per 500 ml of soy milk.
4. Pour the hot soy milk into a heatproof bowl from a height, then stir once gently and stop.
5. Cover and leave undisturbed for 20 to 30 minutes until set. Do not move the bowl while it sets.

A common mistake is stirring or bumping the bowl, which breaks the curd and leaves a grainy texture.

Which coagulant sets tofu pudding best?

Three coagulants are common. Each gives a slightly different result.

GDL is the practical choice for a first attempt. It is sold in many Asian grocery stores and online, and it produces a consistent set when the amount is measured on a scale.

How do you serve tofu pudding?

Serve tofu pudding warm or cold, scooped in thin layers with a flat spoon and covered in syrup. The scoop shape is a signature of the dish.

Common serving styles include:

• Ginger syrup: ginger slices simmered in water with brown sugar or rock sugar until fragrant, then poured over the curd. This is the classic Cantonese and Hong Kong style.
• Brown sugar syrup: a dark, caramelised syrup, popular in Taiwan.
• Peanuts, red beans or tapioca pearls: Taiwanese street-dessert toppings, often with grass jelly.
• Savoury douhua: soy sauce, chilli oil, dried shrimp, scallions and pickled vegetables, eaten as breakfast in northern China.

To make ginger syrup, simmer 3 or 4 thin slices of fresh ginger with 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar and 1 cup (250 ml) water for 10 minutes.

What is the difference between tofu pudding and silken tofu?

Tofu pudding is set more softly and eaten as a dessert, while silken tofu is a firmer, pressed product sold in blocks for cooking. Both begin as soy curd.

Silken tofu has been set in its container and holds a shape that can be sliced or lifted. Douhua is so delicate that it must be scooped with a spoon. Neither is the same as regular firm tofu, which is pressed to squeeze out whey and has a denser, chewier bite.

How should you store tofu pudding?

Tofu pudding keeps for about two days in a covered container in the refrigerator, in its own whey. It is best eaten fresh.

Freezing is not advised, because the curd weeps water and turns spongy once thawed. If you are making it for a gathering, set the pudding in individual bowls and keep the syrup separate. Reheat the syrup, not the pudding, and pour it just before serving.

Why does tofu pudding fail to set?

Tofu pudding fails to set when the soy milk is too cool, too dilute, flavoured, or disturbed during setting. Soy milk with additives is a common culprit.

• Soy milk too cool: heat it to 80 to 90 degrees C before adding the coagulant.
• Wrong soy milk: use unsweetened soy milk with only soybeans and water. Flavoured or fortified cartons may not set.
• Too much or too little coagulant: measure on a scale. Too much gives a coarse, sour curd.
• Moving the bowl: once poured, leave it undisturbed until set.
• Not enough time: allow at least 20 to 30 minutes.

If the pudding stays liquid, warm it again and stir in a little more dissolved coagulant.

How is Taiwanese douhua different from Cantonese tofu pudding?

Taiwanese douhua is typically served with peanuts, red beans, tapioca pearls and syrup, while the Cantonese style is a plainer bowl in ginger or sugar syrup. Both use the same curd.

In northern China the dish turns savoury, with soy sauce and chilli, and in Southeast Asia it is sold as tau huay by street vendors with ginger syrup.

Is tofu pudding on the Double Ming menu?

Not on the recorded menu. The dishes found in public listings for Double Ming Chinese Dessert are black sesame soup, boiled milk with ginger, steamed egg white with milk, herbal essence jelly, coconut jelly, mango sago and glutinous rice balls. Tofu pudding does not appear among them, though the shop’s steamed egg white with milk is a similar soft, milky pudding.

Ask in store about the current paper menu, and see the menu page for what has been recorded. Opening hours are on the hours and location page. This guide is independent and takes no orders.

Common questions

Looking for the basics? Double Ming Chinese Dessert address and opening hours are on the home page.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Double Ming Chinese Dessert itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.