Bak Tong Gou (Steamed Sweet Rice Cake) 白糖糕

One of my mom's childhood friend sells Kuih/cakes at the morning market. Her White Sugar Sponge Cake is exceptional, very crunchy, sweet with a touch of sourness.

I have to thank my sweet friend Bobo selflessly shared her recipe with me, this Bak Tong Gou (白糖糕）turned out exactly like I remembered.

Note: The original recipe was written in February 2011, updated with new photographs.

我妈有个朋友是在早市卖糕点的，她做的白糖糕特别好吃，口感爽脆，甜味合适，加上白糖糕特有的微酸，常常让人欲罢不能。

昨天跟好友Bobo聊到了白糖糕的做法，她无私的跟我分享了她的食谱，我马上就动手了。今天早饭吃的就是这个。一入口，就感动得想哭。就是这个味道和口感。。。。真的很谢谢Bobo呢！！

注：原食谱写于2011年2月10日.

Ingredients：
200 g Rice Flour
2 cups / 440 ml Water

Or

200 g long grain rice
1 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp / 370 ml water

Others:
180 g Sugar ( I used Palm Sugar)
1 tsp Active dried yeast
1/2 tsp Baking Powder


材料：
200 克 粘米粉
2 杯 / 440 毫升/克 水

或

200 g 籼米/长米/long grain rice
1 1/2 杯 + 3 大勺/ 370 毫升/克 水

其他:
180 克 白糖 (或椰糖)
1 tsp 快速酵母
1/2 tsp 泡打粉

1. Soaked rice for at least 5 hours, drained and grind with 1/2 cup/120 ml of water until smooth.

OR

Place rice flour in a mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup/120 ml of water, whisk until smooth.

2. In a sauce pan, boil together sugar and remaining of water, when the water became a little lukewarm (around 60F). Take out 2-3 tbsps of water in a bowl and add dried yeast, put it aside until it form a layer of cloud.

Note: it is utterly important to watch the temperature of water here, high temperature will kill the yeast.

1. 把米淘洗干净后泡水至少五个小时，沥干后加入1/2杯/120毫升的水用搅拌机搅拌成糊状。

或

把粘米粉放到一个大盆里，加入1/2杯/120毫升的水搅拌成糊状。


2. 把水和糖用一口小锅煮溶，在水变成微温的时候，用勺子掏出2-3大匙的水把酵母搅拌好，放一边至出现云絮状为止。

注：加酵母的水微温就好了,太热酵母会死掉。

3. Continue to boil the sugar water till rolling boil. Pour the boiling sugar water into the grinded/whisked rice batter. The rice flour now should turn into a thick paste like. 

Note: you can use a big sieve and press the batter through, this step is to prevent any lumps in the batter.

4. When the batter cooled to room temperature, stir in the "clouded" yeast , stir well. Cover the bowl and leave the mixture at a warm place to ferment for 5-6 hours.

5. Pour the batter into a greased 8 inches baking pan, steam at high heat for 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting it.

3. 继续把糖水煮滚后，把仍然大滚的糖水冲入刚刚准备好的米糊里，快速搅拌均匀。这个时候米粉应该会开始糊化。

注：可以拿个筛子把米糊过筛，这个程序是把块状的米糊弄散，出来的口感才会比较细致。

4. 米糊温度降下来之后拌入酵母拌匀。盖上保鲜膜，摆到比较温暖的地方发酵5-6个小时，冬天气温低，我昨晚做的，今早蒸，一共发酵了12个小时，也没有过酸的情况。

5. 烤盘里抹上一点的油，把发酵好的米糊倒入八寸的烤盘里，入锅大火蒸30分钟后，冷却才切块吃。

中文版-- 白糖糕