Best Fortune Cake Fa Gao Recipe By Tasty Recipes

FA GAO (CHINESE PROSPERITY CAKE)

Steps:

• Add the rice to a medium bowl, and cover it with 2 inches/5cm of water. Cover the bowl with an overturned plate and let the rice soak overnight.
• Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in the tepid water, and let it sit for 15 minutes until foamy.
• Drain the rice, and add it to a high-powered blender along with the yeast mixture. Blend until smooth. Then add in the flour and remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Blend again until well incorporated and mixture resembles thin pancake batter. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Cover with an overturned plate and let the mixture ferment in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in volume. (I placed mine in a closed microwave with a large mug of boiling water next to it.)
• Brush your steaming vessels (small tea cups, tart tins, or a muffin tin) with a light coating of oil. The rice mixture will look a bit bubbly and puffy. Fold in the salt, baking powder, and red food coloring (if using). Mix well to combine. Fill each oiled steaming vessel about 70% - 80% full, and top with the dried goji berries and raisins (if using). Set aside to rest while you heat up the water in the steamer (this short resting period will help ensure a better rise).
• Fill your steamer with at least 3 inches/7.5 cm of water. (See our post on how to set up a steamer.) Heat over medium-high heat until the water is boiling.
• When the water in the steamer is at a full boil, transfer the cakes to the steamer. Cover, and steam over high heat for 25 minutes. Do not open the lid during steaming. After 25 minutes, turn off the heat and let the cakes rest in the steamer for 5 minutes with the cover still on.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE STEAMED CAKE (FA GAO)

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup of warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Beat egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and milk together in a large bowl, until smooth. Sift cake flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl, then stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the yeast mixture until smooth. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C) until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours. Pour mixture into a 9 inch round pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with raisins.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the cake, recover, and steam until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

FA GAO

Steps:

• Fill a 12-inch skillet or wok with about 2 inches of water, then place a 10-inch bamboo or metal steamer basket in the skillet. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom insert. If it does, remove some of the water. Leave the steamer setup on the stove. Spray ten 3-inch fluted egg tart molds with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk the brown sugar, oil and 3/4 cup hot water in a large mixing bowl until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Set aside the sugar syrup until completely cool, about 10 minutes.
• When the sugar syrup is ready, sift the all-purpose flour and rice flour into the syrup in 3 additions, whisking between each addition until there are no dry spots. Stir together the baking powder and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl until there are no dry clumps of baking powder. Whisk the baking powder slurry into the batter in 3 additions until there are no streaks of slurry. Fill the prepared egg tart molds to the top (about 1/4 cup of batter per mold).
• Bring the water in the skillet to a rolling boiling water over high heat. Set 5 of the molds in the steamer basket, cover and steam until the cakes rise and the tops crack open and resemble a flower, about 15 minutes. (Don't open the lid while the cakes cook; doing so interferes with the rising.) Transfer the molds to a cooling rack. Replenish the water in the skillet as needed and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Set the remaining 5 molds in the steamer basket and repeat the steaming process.
• Serve the cakes warm or at room temperature, unmolding them only when you are ready to eat them. They can be kept, covered in their molds, in the refrigerator for up to a week and reheated by steaming over simmering water for about 10 minutes.

FORTUNE CAKE (FA GAO) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Fill a large pot one third of the way with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place a 2-tier steamer basket on top. Grease 8 3-inch fluted egg tart molds with nonstick spray.
• Add the brown sugar, butter, and water to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the self-rising and rice flours and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
• Slowly fold the sugar syrup into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until evenly combined and no dry spots remain.
• Fill each prepared egg tart mold to the top with batter, about ¼ cup each.
• Working in batches if needed, place the molds in the steamer basket and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the cakes rise and crack open. Do not open the lid while cooking or the cakes will not rise. Carefully transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Remove the cakes from the molds before serving.
• Enjoy!