Tofu Pudding (Tào Phớ/Douhua)

a bowl of soybean pudding with ginger syrup

5 from 1 vote

Tofu Pudding (Tào Phớ/Douhua)

Tofu Pudding (Tào Phớ/Douhua) is a delicious Asian dessert made from soy milk. Here is the easiest method to make it at home and ways to serve it.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dessert and Snack

Cuisine: Chinese, Vietnamese

Keyword: douhua, tào phớ, tàu hũ, tofu pudding

Servings: people

Calories: 104kcal

Author: Sophie Pham

Ingredients

For the tofu pudding

2 gelatin sheets (about 2g each gelatin sheet with 200-225 bloom strengths)
1 5/6 cups good quality soy milk (440-450ml)

To serve with ginger syrup

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (10g, light brown sugar is also fine)
3 1/2 tablespoons rock sugar (40g, or use all brown sugar)
1 cup water (240ml)
a 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about 10g)

To serve with soy milk

more cold soy milk

Instructions

To make the tofu pudding

Place the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water and soak to hydrate for 10 minutes.
Add 1⅚ cups of soy milk to a small pot and place over medium-low to medium heat. Bring it to a very gentle simmer when steams start coming out and tiny bubbles form on the surface.
Remove gelatin sheets from water and gently squeeze to remove excess water. Add them to the pot of soy milk and stir to dissolve completely.
Remove the pot from the heat and pour over a sieve into a clean container. If there are any bubbles on the surface, remove them for a smooth surface. Let the milk mixture cool down, then cover and let it set in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

To make the ginger syrup

Add all the sugar and water to a small pot over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add ginger slices and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the syrup reaches your desired sweetness and consistency. You can adjust to taste with more or less sugar and ginger.
Transfer to a container, let it cool then cover and chill in the refrigerator.

To serve

To serve the pudding with ginger syrup: use a ladle to cut the pudding into thin curds and place them in serving bowls, then pour the cold ginger syrup over it.
To serve the pudding with soy milk: use a ladle to cut the pudding into thin curds and place them in serving bowls, then pour cold soy milk over it.

Notes

I usually use store-bought slightly sweetened fresh soy milk. You can add some sugar in Step 2 of making the pudding if your soy milk is unsweetened. It is best to use soy milk without any additives.

Since you may use different soy milk brands or even use homemade soy milk, you may need to experiment with the ratio of milk and gelatin sheets. Some soy milk may have a thicker or thinner texture, requiring less or more coagulant.

I use these gelatin sheets from Vahine brand, but you can find other brands on Amazon too.

For the ginger syrup, you can use all brown sugar instead of a mix of brown sugar and rock sugar. You can also use palm sugar. Adjust the amount of sugar to taste.

Tofu pudding made with gelatin can only be served cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition