Tang Huoshao: A Traditional Beijing Sweet Pastry
Tang Huoshao is a popular breakfast pastry in Beijing with a history spanning over 300 years. Among its varieties, the Tang Huoshao from Dashunzai is the most renowned.
Classic Recipe
- Prepare the filling by first combining brown sugar and flour until it becomes crumbly, and then proceed to bake it. Add sesame paste, osmanthus flowers, and oil to form the sesame filling.
- Prepare the dough by mixing leavened dough with dry flour, allowing it to ferment, and then adjusting the alkalinity.
- Shaping the Pastry: Divide the dough into 500g portions, roll each into a strip, and layer with a sugar-based spread. Roll the strips into a cylinder, divide into 50g pieces, and shape into small, peach-sized balls. Flatten them slightly and place them on a baking tray.
- Baking: Bake until done, cool them, and store them in wooden boxes to soften. The result is a sweet and aromatic pastry with a soft texture, perfect for the elderly.
Ganglu Shaobing: The “Clay Jar” Baked Bread
Originally a snack from Hebei Province, Ganglu Shaobing became a signature Beijing treat. Its defining feature is its unique baking method—cooking dough directly on the inner walls of a clay jar.
Alternative Recipes
- Ganglu Shaobing with Crispy Layers
- Dissolve salt in water and mix with flour to form a dough.
- Heat oil, cool slightly, and blend with millet flour to create a crispy filling.
- Roll out the dough into a large sheet, spread the crispy filling, and roll tightly.
- Fold the dough multiple times to create layers. Apply sesame seeds, dampen the surface slightly, and adhere them to the dough.
- Bake the pastries inside the jar until they turn golden brown with a tiger-striped crust.
- Simplified Sugar-Sesame Shaobing Recipe
- Ingredients: 500g flour, 5g yeast, 350ml warm water, 500g brown sugar, 500g sesame paste.
- Method:
- Mix flour, yeast, and warm water to form dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Crush lumps of brown sugar and mix with sesame paste.
- Roll out the dough, spread the filling, and fold multiple times to layer the pastry.
- Shape into small rounds, flatten, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 25 minutes.
Phoenix Lee https://chinese-tradition.com/tang-huoshao-ganglu-shaobing-beijings-iconic-pastries.html