Okay... to be honest, I've been so immersed in HK period-themed dramas since my last post, I totally dropped everything I wanted to do. Once you start a drama, its hard to stop. So in relation to dramas, I LOVE to watch period-themed dramas. I'm not from that time/era, so I'm always so captivated by how dramas depict the different dynasties with the clothing of the rich nobles and royalties, how the palace and the living quarters looks like inside... and most of all, THE FOOD. =D From the peasant class, one thing that is always present, the ever so reliable... big honkin' steaming plain baos. Traveling snacks, fried stinky tofu and more steaming baos. From the royal/noble class, grand regal dishes like roast pork, braised stuff... and my most favorite, and the main topic of today's post... elegantly made desserts. Ladies of the court in the palace all love to make this... Osmanthus Jello (桂花糕 / 桂花果凍). They all describe the dish as floral, fragrant, refreshing, and gently sweet.
I couldn't take it anymore... 20+ years of hearing about Osmanthus Jello, I finally CRACKED! I HAD to make it!!!!! I did some research online (I based some of my measurements from Noobcook and Anncoo Journal), and some info-search from my family.
Osmanthus flower IS NOT a very strongly fragrant flower. It is very light. In fact, you really have to try to up that scent. Online research all pointed to upping the sweetness and fragrant using Osmanthus Jam/Fructose. I hunted for the elusive Osmanthus Fructose/Jam for about 3 weeks by myself (online and in Asian supermarkets), until my aunt took me to San Mateo's Marina Market. One thing I learned, not all Asian markets sells things like this. Beware, some Asian markets are Vietnamese/Chinese-based, some are Taiwanese-based. To find odd products like Osmanthus Jam, go to Taiwan-based markets. According to my family, this type of jello dessert is more popular in Taiwan, and kind of in Hong Kong and possibly Canton. (Please correct me if I am wrong.) This why I say to look for Taiwan-based markets. The product is pricy, but it is a huge jar. The jam/fructose isn't too sweet... it is a hint of osmanthus flower scent. As for dried Osmanthus flowers, any Chinese herbal shops should carry it, and it is fairly cheap. I got a huge sandwich bag full for only $2, and still don't know what to do with the leftover.
I really wanted to amp up the fragrant even more by using Osmanthus green tea. I don't really recommend it, because the tea will leave a slight odd sweetness... in Chinese, it is call "甘" ("gan," translation: "sweet")... Might be from the green tea. To warn, the tea will make the jello a little cloudy. So you won't have that clear jewel effect.
I also used JUST agar agar bars for this jello. Agar gives the jello a crunch, as to gelatin gives the jello that jiggliness. My family likes the texture of agar more than gelatin, so thus I only used agar. Feel free to use gelatin, just follow the package. FYI, agar sets faster than gelatin. I learned how to use agar agar bars/strips from Brown Cookie Blog (follow steps 1 - 3).
For those who ask about my jello molds, I got my them from Daiso and Ichiban Kan.
Why, hello little cuties~ (o^-^o) *nom nom nom*
Ingredients:
1 package Agar Agar Bars/Strips
~ 4 cups of Water
3 - 4 tbsp Osmanthus Jam/Fructose
2 - 4 bags Osmanthus Green Tea (optional)
1 - 1.5 tbsp Dried Osmanthus Flowers, rehydrated. (optional)
Sugar (rock or cane sugar is good, white is fine), additional to taste
Jello molds
tooth pick
How-To:
- (Following Brown Cookie Blog's steps 1 - 3; short-hand here->):
- Break Agar Agar bars/strips to pieces into a pot with cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain and Squeeze out water from agar pieces.
- Return drained-out agar to pot and fill pot with 5- 6 cups of water.
***If you want to use the osmanthus green tea:
- heat 5 - 6 cups of water to a boil
- soak the teabags in the water to desired tea strength
- add drained-out agar pieces
- Let agar pieces come to a boil, and cook until all agar pieces are completely dissolved.
- Add Osmanthus Jam/Fructose and rehydrated Osmanthus Flowers.
- Add additional sugar (or more Osmanthus Jam/Fructose) to taste.
- Carefully spoon or ladle agar mixture into jello molds.
- Refrigerate until set.
- To get the floating flower effect, before jello hardens, use a tooth pick to swirl and stir in a figure 8 or in random zigzags so flowers stay afloat in molds.
Done! Its not that hard. I made it on a rare hot SF day, and it was refreshing. I think I can tweak the recipe a little more for it to be more sweeter, but my family likes it not so sweet. I want to try this recipe again, but with jasmine flowers and tea. Like all the other recipes online for Osmanthus Jello, you can add some rehydrated in sugar water wolf berries so it looks prettier. Sorry it took me so long to post something... please enjoy this one. (^-^)v
