Chinese Bow Ties

[JohnT]

I have been asked to make Chinese Bow Tie desserts for a function. However, I have never made them, but using Mr Google, there are a number of different recipes out there. Does anybody have a decent recipe which is tried and tested? - these are for deep-fried pastry which are then soaked in sugar syrup.

[heidih]

I can't help you but had to comment as they were the joy of my childhood trips to Los Angeles' Chinatown. Good luck and do report back  

Edited June 15, 2016 by heidih (log)

[Darienne]

They are in every local Chinese restaurant in our area...and invariably they are  awful.  We've tasted good  ones in Toronto, where the 'real' Chinese restaurants are and they are delicious as noted by heidih above.  But alas, I have never made them or even found a recipe for them.

 

[JohnT]

@heidih and @Darienne thanks for your replies. I have a recipe that has been given to me which I will test in the next week or two and report back. They appear to be quite easy to make. The request actually came from a local Chinese restaurant which is hosting a function mid next month. They do not serve any sweet dessert dishes except lychees and fruit. The owner, who speaks just a smattering of English, I think tried to explain to me that in China there are not normally sweet dessert type dishes served after a meal and thus he does not make any such things. But the function they are cooking for appears to be for western folk and not Chinese.

[liuzhou]

12 hours ago, Darienne said:

They are in every local Chinese restaurant in our area...and invariably they are  awful.

 

I'm glad I can't find them in China, then!

[DianaB]

On 15 June 2016 at 8:16 PM, JohnT said:

I have been asked to make Chinese Bow Tie desserts for a function. However, I have never made them, but using Mr Google, there are a number of different recipes out there. Does anybody have a decent recipe which is tried and tested? - these are for deep-fried pastry which are then soaked in sugar syrup.

 

While I've never tasted these pastries they are part of the French variant of oriental cuisine.  I came across a blog a while ago that set out in great detail how to form these pastries.  Of course I can't find it today but I'll keep looking.  If you google 'recette cravate chinoise  or recette cravate au miel and go to the images section you will at least find plenty of photos.  Seems these pastries are popular in Reunion, hence the number of French recipes.  If you spot something that looks like what you are hoping to produce I'm happy to translate any recipe from French to English.  

[JohnT]

@DianaB Thanks for the offer of translation. I have come up with the following recipe, which I adapted slightly. I will also convert it to weights during my first attempt to make them. I was actually thinking of running the dough through my pasta machine to get an even thickness, but then I will just have something extra to clean afterwards, so will just use a pin.

 

I do not know if you have ever heard of "koeksisters" before. They are a very sweet plated dough delecasy in South Africa which uses a similar method to making the bow ties - the dough is just a lot thicker and absorbes more of the syrup.

 

BOW TIES
Preparation time: 35 mins + 20 mins cooking
Makes 10

Ingredients:
Syrup
470 ml sugar 
30 ml golden syrup 
15 ml lemon juice 
180 ml water 
Dough
540 ml cake flour 
5 ml baking powder 
1 pinch of salt 
30 ml butter 
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
sunflower oil for deep-frying
 
Method:
Syrup
Dissolve the sugar, syrup and lemon juice in the water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the consistency resembles that of syrup. (It should measure 110 °C on a sugar thermometer.)

Dough

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Then rub in the butter.
• Add the eggs and enough water to make a firm dough.
• Knead the dough until smooth. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about 1,5 mm thick.
• Cut into 10 x 5 cm strips.
• Place one strip on top of another.
• Cut a slit lengthways down the centre of the strips, about 3 cm long.
• Cut a 2 cm strip on both sides of the 3 cm strip.
• Thread one end of the strips though the long slit and pull through to make a bow shape.
• Repeat with the remaining pastry.
• Heat enough sunflower oil for deep-frying in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add two bow ties. Fry until golden, then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and dip into the syrup.
• Use a separate slotted spoon to remove the bow ties from the syrup.
• Drain on a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining bow ties.
• Allow the bow ties to cool completely before serving.

[Darienne]

Let us know how they turn out, JohnT, please. 

[Smithy]

14 hours ago, Darienne said:

Let us know how they turn out, JohnT, please. 

 

With pictures, please.  

[JohnT]

Okay, test batch made - and they really are good compared to what I have had previously in restaurants. The recipe says 10 units, but I managed to get 16 out of the dough. However, some were just a bit thick and if I had rolled out the dough more evenly and just a touch thinner, I am sure I could have made 20 out of the dough. They do puff up quite a bit when deep frying.

Cutting the rolled out dough to 5 x 10cm sizes from the dough strips.

 

Place two sheets together, make the slits and roll one side through the slit.

 

Deep fried and dipped in the syrup. (the photo is not representing the golden brown very well)

 

A close-up. Sorry for the quality - photo's were taken with my iPad.

Edited July 8, 2016 by JohnT (log)

[Shelby]

Wow, John, those  look awesome!!!  Great job!

[JohnT]

On 24 June 2016 at 9:14 AM, liuzhou said:

 

I'm glad I can't find them in China, then!

I think the Chinese for them is "dan san" (蛋散) from the research I have done. Maybe I am wrong as I do not speak or read any Chinese.

[liuzhou]

8 hours ago, JohnT said:

I think the Chinese for them is "dan san" (蛋散) from the research I have done. Maybe I am wrong as I do not speak or read any Chinese.

 

Yes, "dan san" (蛋散)  is the Cantonese name for this Hong Kong snack. I've never seen it on the Chinese mainland.

But be careful, If your local baker doesn't know it, he or she may get somewhat angry. The expression "dan san" (蛋散) is also an insulting way to refer to someone you consider ignorant or useless.

P.S. "dan san" literally means "egg powder".

[Susie Q]

On ‎6‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 3:50 PM, heidih said:

I can't help you but had to comment as they were the joy of my childhood trips to Los Angeles' Chinatown. Good luck and do report back  

 

 

Me too. I've many fond childhood memories of the Phoenix Bakery on Broadway in LA's Chinatown and Bowties were my favorite. Theirs were thin and super crispy and brittle and dipped in a thick sugar syrup. They reminded me of deep fried wonton or egg roll skins with their bubbled surface. Very much like cannoli shell but not baked and of course without the filling.

 

Phoenix Bakery's looked like this.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Susie Q (log)