Hengxian Sesame Cake

Hengxian Sesame Cake

　　Hengxian Sesame Cake

　　Hengxian Sesame Cake is famed across 1 for its crispy and fragrant qualities, making it an essential gift when visiting relatives or friends. It is made from carefully selected ingredients through complex processes and exquisite craftsmanship, with great attention to color, aroma, taste, and appearance, distinguishing it among cakes nationwide. It earns its name from the sesame seeds sprinkled generously on its surface. Hengxian Sesame Cake uses high-quality wheat flour as the main ingredient, along with supplementary ingredients such as sesame seeds, butter, and baking soda, then baked in an oven. The butter is made by boiling sesame oil in a pan, adding an appropriate amount of wheat flour, stir-frying until it becomes a thick paste and turns yellow. Sesame seeds should be plump and are pre-treated by soaking in cold water until swollen, then drained, placed in a tray, and rubbed with the palm to remove the skins, which are sifted off. The seeds are used while still moist. The coloring is made by heating good vinegar in a pan, adding an appropriate amount of flour to stir into a thick paste, then bringing it to a boil again, continuing to add vinegar, and mixing with warm water to form a thin paste. Freshly baked, the sesame cake is chewy and fragrant; when dried and baked, it becomes crisp and delicious. It serves not only as a gift for family and friends but also as a staple for long-distance travel, the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Long-term consumption of dried sesame cake can even aid digestion and strengthen the spleen.

　　Preparation Method:

　　1. Select plump sesame seeds and pre-treat them by soaking in cold water until swollen, then draining them, placing in a tray, and rubbing with the palm to remove the skins, which are sifted off. The seeds are used while still moist.

　　2. For the coloring, heat good vinegar in a pan, add an appropriate amount of flour to stir into a thick paste, then bring it to a boil again, continuing to add vinegar, and mixing with warm water to form a thin paste.

　　3. The butter is made by boiling sesame oil in a pan, adding an appropriate amount of wheat flour, stir-frying until it becomes a thick paste and turns yellow.

　　4. Bake in the oven.

　　Characteristics:

　　When freshly baked, the sesame cake is chewy and fragrant; when dried and baked, it becomes crisp and delicious. It serves not only as a gift for family and friends but also as a staple for long-distance travel, the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Long-term consumption of dried sesame cake can even aid digestion and strengthen the spleen.

　　History:

　　Sesame cake originally belonged to the traditional flatbreads of Western Region ethnic groups, later introduced from the Hu region. It became popular across the Central Plains during the Eastern Han Dynasty, favored by both emperors and commoners. The "Book of the Later Han" records: “Emperor Ling loved Hu cakes, and everyone in the capital (Luoyang) ate Hu cakes.” The "Book of the Later Han · Biography of Zhao Qi" states: During Emperor Huan’s reign, Zhao Qi “often sold Hu cakes in the market of Shouguang City, at the foot of Mount Shou in Beihai (Shandong).”

　　During the Sixteen Kingdoms period under the Later Zhao dynasty, Shi Le avoided the word “Hu,” renaming it as “ma cake.” It became even more prevalent during the Tang and Song dynasties. Japanese monk Ennin wrote in his "Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law" (Volume 3): “On the sixth day of the first month in the sixth year of Kai Cheng (AD 840), the first day of spring, Hu cakes were granted as offerings along with temple porridge. At that time, Hu cakes were in vogue, and all common households did the same.”

　　Bai Juyi wrote in "Sending Hu Cakes to Yang Huizhou": “The Hu sesame cake imitates the style of the capital, with crisp dough and fragrant oil, freshly baked. Sent to Envoy Yang who is hungry and craving, taste if it resembles those from Fuxing.”

　　The Song Dynasty’s Meng Yuanlao recorded in "The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor · Pastry Shops": “In Bianjing (Kaifeng) during the Northern Song Dynasty, there were also Hu cake shops selling a wide variety of goods, with new styles abound.”

　　The Yuan Dynasty text "Essentials for Home Life: Categories of Food" contains the recipe for “Yam Hu Cake.”

　　During the Ming Dynasty, Hu cakes evolved into types like baked cakes. Ming Dynasty’s Jiang Yikui wrote in "A Casual Talk on Chang’an · Cakes”: “All cakes baked in the oven are called Hu cakes, today’s baked cakes, sesame cakes, and crisp thin cakes are examples.”

　　There are no accurate historical records regarding when sesame cake was introduced to Hengxian. Legend says that in 40 AD, when General Ma Yuan led his army south to pacify Jiaozhi, the main ration was sesame cake. The earliest sesame cakes followed the Central Plains method: using glutinous rice as the main ingredient, along with sesame seeds, lard, and baking soda, then baked in an oven. When troops were stationed in Hengxian, this technique spread to the local populace, and over time it evolved into what is today’s distinctive Hengxian—sesame cake.

　　In fact, the above account is unverified; exactly how sesame cake came to Hengxian may not be something anyone can clearly explain.