Almond Tofu with Fruit Cocktail

September 17, 2020Mrs. Lin's Kitchen
almond tofu

Almond tofu or 杏仁豆腐 (xing ren tou fu) is a refreshing dessert and perfect for hot summer day. It is like a Chinese version of Panna Cotta but without the heavy cream.

Although it’s called almond tofu, it is actually not made from almond but sweet apricot seeds instead.

almond tofu

This recipe varies depending on the region. And today, I will show you my simplified version using almond extract and milk.

A fun fact about this dish is that the name doesn’t come from the actual almond. It is called almond tofu because the pronunciation for apricot kernel in mandarin is “Shin Zen” and sounds exactly like almond in mandarin which is also “Shin Zen”


Ingredients

  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 tbsp of gelatin powder
  • 2 tsp of almond extract
  • 1 16-oz fruit cocktail can

You can use whole, low fat or non-fat milk or almond milk for this recipe.

Agar agar powder has a firmer texture and is traditionally used but I use gelatin instead because it creates a smoother texture.

Since I like to eat my almond tofu with fruit cocktail which is already sweetened so I don’t add sugar during the making. You can eat it by itself but a sweeter version would be better so feel free to add in a couple of tablespoons of sugar.

I used an 8 x 8 tray for this recipe but feel free to use any tray available to you.

Almond Tofu Recipe

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Almond Tofu

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk, whole, non-fat, low fat or almond
  • 1 tbsp gelatin powder
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 16-oz fruit cocktail can

Instructions

  • 1)

    In a clean bowl, bloom 1 tbsp of gelatin powder in 1/2 cup of milk. Leave gelatin to bloom for about 5 minutes. Gelatin will slowly absorb the milk and swell up.

  • 2)

    In a pan, pour in 1-1/2 cup of milk and add in the bloomed gelatin.
    Turn the heat on to medium-high.

     

  • 3)

    Stir the milk mixture frequently until the gelatin is all dissolved. When the milk starts to slightly bubble near the edges, turn off the heat.

  • 4)

    Let cool for about 5 minutes and add 1 to 2 tsp of almond extract. Stir well.

  • 5)

    Pour the milk mixture into a tray through a strainer. I used an 8 by 8 tray.
    Let it cool down to room temp before putting in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.

  • 6)

    When the almond tofu is completely solidified, cut into bite-size

     

  • 7)

    Add 1 can of fruit cocktail into the almond tofu cubes. And mix everything together. Don’t use too much force when mixing because you don’t want to break up the almond tofu.

  • 8)

    Serve by transferring the almond tofu with fruit cocktail into individual bowls

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