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Learn the step-by-step on how to make tofu pudding or doufu hua 豆腐花 at home. This sweet tofu pudding recipe is easy and fail-proof.
Tofu Pudding
Chinese doufu hua (tofu hua or taufu fa) or tofu pudding is a sweet dessert.
The soft, silken pudding is served with sweet syrup, making it one of the best Chinese desserts ever.
In this recipe, you will learn the step-by-step on how to make tofu pudding at home.
Tofu Pudding Recipe
After I published the “How to Make Soy Milk” post, many readers asked me to share or doufu hua (豆腐花) or tofu pudding recipe.
I have never made doufu hua before, as I always thought the recipe is hard and fail-prone.
Now that I have made this homemade tofu pudding, I can assure you that this recipe is so easy to make at home.
I grew up eating a lot of doufu hua, which is a very common and popular sweet dessert in Penang, Malaysia.
Walk down any streets or markets, one can always find soy milk hawkers (street vendors) selling both soy milk and doufu hua, freshly made each day.
There are also hawkers who cycle their mobile stall or cart around the neighborhood, hawking “doufu hua” loudly as they peddle down the street.
Both soy milk and doufu hua are excellent for the scorching hot and humid weather back home.
They are my absolute favorites.
Ingredients
- Homemade rich soy milk
- Gypsum
- Cornstarch
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Chinese Sweet Tofu Pudding
Step 1. Make the syrup by boiling the ingredients until it reduces to a thicker consistency. If you are making both syrups, reduce the amount by half. Set aside, but keep warm.
Step 2. In a bowl, mix together the gypsum, starch, and water. Stir to combine well.
Step 3. Bring the soy milk to a boil. As soon as it boils, skim off the foam and bubbles. Turn off the heat.
Step 4. Stir the gypsum mixture and add it to a wide, low-rise pot (I used a Dutch oven). Pour the soy milk into the pot from about 1 foot above; this will ensure that the gypsum mixture distributes well in the soy milk. DO NOT STIR.
Step 5. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel, then with the lid. Let the tofu pudding set for about 1 hour.
Cooking Tips
I consulted Andrea Nguyen, author of Asian Tofu for precious cooking tips and tricks to make the best tofu pudding at home.
To make the best homemade tofu pudding, you need a good master soy milk, which is a richer soy milk.
Store-bought soy milk is usually thinner compared to soy milk you make from scratch at home.
As a result, store-bought soy milk is not a good choice for homemade tofu pudding. If you want to make the best doufu hua, you have to make your own soy milk.
Here is my step-by-step soy milk recipe.
Next, you will need a coagulant. I use gypsum (石膏), which is used by the Chinese to make tofu.
You can buy gypsum online here.
To make sweet tofu pudding (Doufu Hua/豆腐花), you also need syrup to serve with it.
I like ginger and rock sugar syrup but I personally prefer gula melaka (Malaysian palm sugar), which is similar to dark brown sugar but with deeper flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read this guide “Tofu Coagulant Guide: What to Buy and Where to Find It”.
Chinese sweet tofu pudding is best served the same day it’s made.
I don’t recommend freezing but you can certainly keep it cold in the refrigerator for a day.
Please take note that water will seep out from the tofu pudding if you keep it overnight in the refrigerator.
To serve, discard the water and add syrup.
This recipe is yields 8 servings and each serving is only 181 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Tofu Pudding
Serve this dessert with other Chinese dishes. For a healthy Chinese meal, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Tofu Pudding
Ingredients
- 5 cups homemade rich soy milk
- 1 tablespoon gypsum
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch , or potato starch
- 1/3 cup water
Ginger Syrup:
- 1 piece fresh ginger knob, peeled and pounded
- 8 oz (230g) rock sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 screwpine, pandan leaf, knotted, optional
Instructions
- Make the syrup by boiling the ingredients until it reduces to a thicker consistency. If you are making both syrups, reduce the amount by half. Set aside, but keep warm.
- In a bowl, mix together the gypsum, starch, and water. Stir to combine well.
- Bring the soy milk to a boil. As soon as it boils, skim off the foam and bubbles. Turn off the heat.
- Stir the gypsum mixture and add it to a wide, low-rise pot (I used a Dutch oven). Pour the soy milk into the pot from about 1 foot above; this will ensure that the gypsum mixture distributes well in the soy milk. DO NOT STIR.
- Cover the pot with a kitchen towel, then with the lid. Let the tofu pudding set for about 1 hour.
- To serve, use a shallow metal ladle to scrape off the very top layer of the tofu pudding and discard it. Transfer the smooth, silken tofu pudding to a serving bowl. Add some warm syrup to the bowl and serve immediately
Notes
- Preferably, use homemade soy milk instead of store-bought soy milk. Homemade soy milk tends to be richer. If you use store-bought soy milk, boil it longer and reduce it so it becomes richer and thicker.
- To minimize the bubbles that form at the top surface of the tofu pudding, skim off the foam and bubbles at the top of the soy milk and pour the soy milk gently into the diluted coagulant.
- Make sure you stir the gypsum mixture well before pouring the soy milk into it.
- DO NOT do it the other way around, meaning pouring the gypsum mixture into the hot boiling soy milk. According to Andrea Nguyen (author of Asian Tofu), there will be too much agitation so the curd and whey get broken up and hence the tofu pudding will not be solid enough.
- Scrape off the top layer of the tofu pudding before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my goodness, we followed your recipe exactly and it was soooooo perfect!!! We serve it with ginger sugar water and it brought back all the lovely childhood memories! Thank you so much! All the best.
Thanks for trying my recipe. Please try more: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Hi, Can I use agar agar powder instead of gypsum?
You can try. I am not sure because I didn’t use it.
I made this for my wife and the texture was perfect but she says it has a sour taste. I have no idea why it would taste sour. Is it supposed to taste sour without the syrup?
It always has a slightly sour taste, probably from the gypsum, even if you get from restaurants. You have to discard the yellowish water sipping out of the tofu before adding the syrup.
Just tried out your recipe!! Incredibly smooth and tasty lots of compliments from my family. THANK YOU!
Thanks Louise, I am so happy that you and your family liked my sweet tofu pudding recipe. :)
Can I make this using nigari instead and if so, do I have to do anything different to the recipe? Thank you!
do you have any idea where can i buy food grade gypsum here in UAE?
i tried to order online seems like they are not doing a delivery here in UAE
Hi, do I need to make it with soy milk that’s already sweetened or should I just use plain soy milk without the sugar?
Without sugar.
we call it Kembang Tahu in Indonesia…
Hi, can I make this with store bought soy milk?
You can try.
what exactly are rock sugar and gula melaka? what do they look like/where can i buy them?
I tried making this several times, but I can’t get it to set. It looks almost solid but is way too soft and crumbles into a milky emulsion (no solids left, have to slurp it from a spoon) as soon as I try to spoon it out. Your recipe makes it look so simple! Any idea what I’m doing wrong?
I am sorry but it’s not possible for me to know, your measurement is probably off.