Tofu Desserts

[helenjp]

We do have a discussion of Mark Bittman's Chocolate Tofu Pudding, but let's not restrict the suffering to chocolate!

It's easy to see why chocolate gets so much attention...it takes a lot to get past the grassy taste of tofu. However, tofu desserts have much to recommend them - they don't spoil as easily as dairy products, and they don't always need gelatin.

Maybe I'm imagining things, but tofu seems to taste milder when it's warm (and fresh) - my favorite sweet tofu dish is really Chinese "flowers" of tofu with syrup made from light brown Chinese rock-candy sugar or Japanese black sugar.

I'm thinking that prunes and red wine would be good in a creamy tofu dessert.

One question: a recipe I used today called for gelatin dissolved in a very small amount of water, mixed straight into the cold tofu and other ingredients (including undissolved sugar). I hate this technique...with small amounts of water, it seems to be impossible to avoid leaving half the gelatin in the container you dissolved it in, and I'm rarely happy with the resulting gel - just never seems to thicken evenly.

Does this technique work for everybody else? I knew it, I'm just a klutz...

Meanwhile, today's tofu dessert was super easy - easy enough for me to make it at 5 am using vegetarian gelling agent, to include in lunchboxes. Where I bet it didn't set properly (although it makes a puddingy texture even without gelatin). I used silken tofu rather than cotton tofu in one layer...it does need a gelling agent more than the cotton tofu does, but it also makes a smoother cream.

Tofu Layer Dessert

Cocoa layer:

300 g (that's about 10 oz) cotton tofu

2 T cocoa powder

pinch salt

70 g sugar (about 1/3 US cup) (I used granulated despite misgivings - no graininess noticeable)

Blend all in food processor, add

5 g gelatin in 3 T water, simmered till dissolved.

Blend to mix, set aside (you need the food processor again).

Strawberry Layer

150 g cotton tofu (half a pack, 5 oz)

150 strawberries or other berries

2 T lemon juice if berries are not strongly flavored

70 g sugar (about 1/3 US cup) (I used granulated despite misgivings - no graininess noticeable)

Blend all in food processor, add

5 g gelatin in 3 T water, simmered till dissolved.

Blend to mix.

Layer the two mixtures...it is thick enough that you don't really need to set each layer as you go, though you will need to work carefully to keep layers neat.

I wasn't really happy with the texture (acceptable, but not a fine cream), but I was using a stick mixer rather than a food processor.

I'll be back with some other desserts using soy milk as well as tofu, as fast as I can persuade my family to eat them (can't eat much unfermented soy myself, which is maybe why I don't care for the taste very much).

[Tri2Cook]

I'm interested in seeing what eGulleters come up with here. I've never made a tofu dessert. I've tasted exactly two tofu desserts in my life and, years later, I'm still wishing I hadn't... and I like tofu. Suspect number one was a tofu cheesecake. Suspect number two was a pudding concoction of some sort. I admit that it could very well have been the cook and not the presence of tofu that was the problem. I don't know if THIS technically qualifies under the rules of tofu but I've been meaning to try it for a while now.

[mgaretz]

One question: a recipe I used today called for gelatin dissolved in a very small amount of water, mixed straight into the cold tofu and other ingredients (including undissolved sugar). I hate this technique...with small amounts of water, it seems to be impossible to avoid leaving half the gelatin in the container you dissolved it in, and I'm rarely happy with the resulting gel - just never seems to thicken evenly.

Does this technique work for everybody else? I knew it, I'm just a klutz...

I use something similar in my Zero Carb, Sugar-Free, Low-fat Chocolate Mousse recipe (doesn't use tofu or I'd post it). About 2 tsp of gelatin in 1/3 cup of water. I put the water in a pyrex measuring cup, sprinkle the gelatin on top and then let it hydrate for 4 minutes. This creates a pretty solid mass in the cup. Then I put the cup in the microwave for 1 minute on 50% power. Stir well. Now you have an easy to pour liquid.

[Darienne]

Here is a rather nice recipe from Alton Brown which I have made: Alton Brown's Mooless Pie