Zhuangli He'er Cake

Zhuangli He'er Cake

　　“He'er Cake” is produced in Zhuangli Town, Fuping County, Shaanxi Province. It is made from locally grown high-quality pointed persimmons. The name comes from the packaging style where two persimmon cakes are placed together base-to-base like a pair. With a long history, He'er Cake became a court delicacy as early as the Ming Dynasty and is now one of Shaanxi’s popular traditional specialties sold both domestically and abroad.

　　The processing method of Zhuangli persimmon cakes is very elaborate. According to local persimmon farmers’ practices, the production involves five steps: peeling (spiral peeling), sun-drying the cakes, kneading the cakes, frosting, and storage. After picking, persimmons that are red in color but still firm are selected. A special “persimmon scraper” is used to spiral off the skin, which must be thin and clean. Then the persimmons are placed on mats or hung in rows on racks to dry in the sun for over ten days, allowing them to shrink, the skins to harden and change color, and about 40% of the moisture to evaporate. Next comes three rounds of kneading to help the internal moisture seep out, making the flesh denser, softer, and free of hard lumps. The first round involves gently kneading several times to draw out moisture; after 4–5 days, the second kneading removes all internal hard bits; then after another 3–4 days, the third kneading breaks the core and shapes the cake. Once the sun-dried and kneaded persimmon cakes turn a maroon color and reach the right firmness, they are stacked about 30–40 cm high, covered with straw mats, and left to “sweat.” After 3–5 days, as the sugar seeps out with the moisture, the cakes are placed in a ventilated area to dry, forming white powdery crystals — the persimmon frost. This step is known as frosting. Finally, the frosted cakes are stemmed, reshaped, placed in containers, and sealed for storage. They can be sold and consumed as needed, and are often packaged in pairs to symbolize harmony and good fortune.

　　Features: Exquisitely made, with soft flesh, bright red and translucent appearance, thick white persimmon frost, rich and mellow flavor, sweet as honey, highly nutritious, and resistant to spoilage. It tastes delicious, dissolves easily in hot water with no residue. It helps nourish the lungs and calm coughs, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and is believed to contribute to longevity.