Chibi Dongpo Cake

Chibi Dongpo Cake

　　A Hubei snack. The dough is made by mixing egg whites and water, then pulled into strips, coiled into rounds, and deep-fried. It has a golden color, is crispy, sweet, and melts in the mouth. Originally a type of fried crispy cake from the Chibi area of Huangzhou, it became known as "Dongpo Cake" after the famous Song Dynasty literary figure Su Shi, who served as Deputy Military Training Commissioner in Huangzhou, enjoyed eating it during his exile.

Ingredients: (for 10 pieces)

1000g top-quality wheat flour, 450g sugar, 2 eggs, 7.5g salt, 2.5g baking soda, 2500g sesame oil (consumes 800g)

Preparation:

1. Separate the egg whites, mix with 500g water along with salt and baking soda until dissolved, then pour into the flour. Knead repeatedly until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Shape into a strip, divide into 10 portions weighing 150g each, roll into round balls, place them in a porcelain dish with 100g of sesame oil, and let rest for 10 minutes.

2. Spread sesame oil evenly on the work surface. Take the rested dough balls, press them into thin rectangular sheets on the board, roll from both ends toward the center to form a double-layered cylinder, then stretch to about half its length. Next, roll from both sides toward the center sideways to form one large and one small round cake. Place the larger cake at the bottom and the smaller one on top, then put them back into the dish with sesame oil, submerging them fully, and let rest for about 5 minutes to form the dough bases.

3. Place a pan over medium heat and add sesame oil. When the oil reaches 70% heat, place the dough bases flat in the pan. While frying, use chopsticks to gently press and release the bases to loosen them. Once they float to the surface, flip them over and continue frying. Use chopsticks to lightly poke the centers to ensure the cakes puff up but do not break apart. Fry until golden brown, remove, drain the oil, and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle 45g of sugar on each cake before serving.

Flavor profile: Golden in color, flower-like in shape, crispy, sweet, and melts in the mouth.