Jiaozhou Big Pot Cake

Jiaozhou Big Pot Cake

　　A traditional brand of Jiaocheng Restaurant, the finished product features a golden color, fragrant outside and soft inside, sweet and delicious.

　　The baking of the big pot cake uses high-quality ingredients and meticulous craftsmanship. During preparation, fine wheat flour is mixed with pure warm water to form dough, which is then fermented at an appropriate temperature into “old dough” (starter dough). Depending on the amount of “old dough” and its level of acidity, an appropriate amount of alkaline powder is added, followed by more flour and water to knead into a dough block. Then, a rolling pin is used to repeatedly press and roll the dough block on the workbench until it achieves the right elasticity and firmness. At this point, the dough block (about 3 kilograms) is rolled into a circle with a rolling pin, then firmly pressed into shape by hand to form a round cake about 50 centimeters in diameter and around 2.5 centimeters thick. When pressing with both hands, alternate between the palm and the back of the hand to naturally create even patterns on the surface of the cake. Sprinkle sesame seeds moderately, then it’s ready to be baked on a flat pan. The heat should be controlled consistently to achieve the ideal “cooking degree,” until the big pot cake is evenly roasted with appealing char marks, then taken out and put on the market. The finished product weighs about 2.5 kilograms, tastes sweet and fragrant, has a good chew, with the right balance of soft and firm textures, and provides long-lasting satiety after eating.