抹茶杏仁豆腐 帶給夏日一絲清涼 Matcha Almond Tofu Recipe

說起杏仁豆腐，身邊的朋友第一反應是不喜歡杏仁味。其實大家都誤會杏仁了，大部份巿面的杏仁豆腐，基本材料是牛奶或淡奶加入杏仁香精做出來的，裡面可能一顆真杏仁都沒有。

用真食材打成的杏仁茶，風味醇厚清香，沒有古怪刺鼻的香精味，我給許多「撒手擰頭」的朋友做杏仁茶，一口下去已經眼前一亮「嘩﹗好香」，吃過「真貨」，對杏仁茶徹底改觀。

巿場上的杏仁大至分為 3 種。中國產的南杏及北杏，南香甜，體積較北杏大，心形略扁，食用為主。北杏有苦味，香氣較南杏濃郁，多為藥用，本草綱⽬記載北杏有「⽌咳平喘、潤腸通便」之功效，雖然有微毒，但是經過泡水和煮沸可去除毒性；產自美國的杏仁又稱「扁桃仁」，碩大圓滾，香氣不及南北杏。製作杏仁茶要選對品種，取南杏之香甜及北杏香氣。

傳統的杏仁豆腐需要凝固劑。吉利丁粉 Gelatine  有片狀和粉狀，由動物皮或骨頭提煉的膠質。片狀吉利丁，凝固時間比粉狀長，但成品更有光澤和彈性，做出來的成品韌度較強，口感滑嫩。

素食的朋友，可以用寒天 Kanten 。寒天是從紅藻細胞壁萃取的植物凝固劑，跟大菜相似，但不又是不一樣的，大菜用一般海藻粹取物。寒天含有的蛋白質和多糖體，都是大菜沒有的。所以寒天算是高級大菜。寒天含有大量水溶性纖維，吸水性強，凝固力高，用量很少就能凝固。寒天做的杏仁豆腐，口感較為紮實，爽脆彈牙。

無論是加入吉利丁粉或寒天，不同的液體量搭配，可自由變化軟硬度。因為品牌差異，液體成份差異等，會影響最終的硬度。杏仁茶比清水多了其他物質，凝固的硬度，跟用清水製作是不一樣的。若不熟悉凝固劑的使用量，可先從小份量開始，覺得太軟，稍微增加凝固劑，倒回鍋裡再次加熱重新溶解。熊貓先生喜歡滑溜軟嫰，我喜歡爽脆彈牙。

我的杏仁茶加入了黃豆和百合，讓杏仁茶香味更濃郁，做出來的杏仁豆腐味道醇厚，調配了吉利丁和寒天硬度差不多的配方，可直接舀起不散開，仍可大致維持形狀。心血來潮設計了一款傾斜相間的杏仁豆腐凍杯，以綠悠悠的顏色為主調，帶給夏日一絲清涼。把水果放入冰模裡，加入透明的寒天，做出一顆顆晶瑩透光的琉璃珠果凍，裝飾錦上添花，可以延長水果的賞味期，加上寒天在室溫可以凝固的特性，適合攜帶參加聚會、野餐。太美了，又捨不得吃了 ~

                       

份量：抹茶杏仁豆腐凍 4 杯 @350ml 

杏仁茶 ⧫ 材料 Almond Tea

• 南杏 Sweet Apricot Kernel  155 g
• 北杏 Bitter Apricot Kernel  30 g
• 黃豆 Soy Bean   40 g
• 乾百合  30 g
• 清水 Water 2000 ml

原味杏仁豆腐 ⧫ 材料 Original Almond Tofu

• 杏仁茶 Almond Tea  500 ml 
• 寒天粉 Kanten Powder 3 g 或 吉利丁片 Sheet Gelantine 10.5 g  (影片裡面非常軟嫩的 7 g)
• 楓糖漿 Maple Syrup 2 大匙 或 羅漢果糖 Montfruit Sugar 20 g

抹茶杏仁豆腐 ⧫ 材料 Matcha Almond Tofu

• 杏仁茶 Almond Tea  500 ml 
• 茶道級抹茶 (宇治光）Ceremonial Matcha 2 小匙
• 寒天粉 Kanten Powder 3 g 
• 羅漢果糖 Montfruit Sugar 25 g

寒天果凍 ⧫ 材料 Kanten Jelly 

• 寒天果凍粉／ 富澤商店白涼粉 Pururun Agar 15 g
• 冷水 Cold Water  100 ml 
• 熱水 Hot Water  250 ml
• 切丁草莓、奇異果、芒果 Diced Strawberry, Kiwi Fruit, Mango   適量

羅漢果糖  https://iherb.co/mnxPRFhQ

基礎杏仁豆腐 ⧫ 做法

1. 大碗裡混合南北杏，黃豆，杏仁茶加入黃豆更香更滑，乾百合，清水浸泡 8 小時，瀝乾

2. 用豆漿機煮杏仁茶。如果用攪拌機打漿，用棉布袋過濾，再煮成杏仁茶。我習慣杏仁茶做好後才加糖，方便隨意調整甜度

3. 倒入布袋過濾，因為待會要溶解凝固劑，戴上隔熱手套，趁熱擠壓去渣，杏仁渣可放入保鮮袋冷凍，製作其他美食

4a. 吉利丁片杏仁豆腐做法：吉利丁片完全浸泡在冷水中，不能用溫水使吉利丁片溶化，否則吉利丁份量便會減少，使成品無法順利凝固。不要完全重疊，影響軟化程度。完全軟化後，擰乾

4b. 倒入杏仁茶，羅漢果糖或白砂糖，中火加熱，吉利丁在 25°C 以上溶化。吉利丁片軟化後容易結塊，輕輕攪拌，撈起浮沫，倒入模具，放進冰箱冷卻凝固 

4c. 寒天杏仁豆腐做法：寒天粉加入杏仁茶裡，液體沖入寒天粉，容易結塊較難溶解，加入楓糖漿作甜味劑，小火加熱到 80°C，寒天粉就會溶解。完全溶化後，倒入容器中，寒天杏仁豆腐回復室溫就會凝固，想加快凝固速度可放進冰箱

5. 杏仁豆腐凝固後切方丁，基礎的做法就完成了。弄清楚凝固比例之後，接下來要做美美的漸層杏仁豆腐凍杯

漸層杏仁豆腐凍杯 ⧫ 做法

1. 草莓去蒂切丁，奇異果去皮，芒果去皮切丁。也可以選自己喜歡的水果

2. 由海藻製成的寒天果凍粉 （水玄信餅就是用這種，做出來的成品透明晶瑩，口感柔軟濕潤）加入清水，攪拌幫助溶解粉末，小火加熱，待寒天果凍粉溶化得差不多，加入羅漢果糖 (白色)，小火加熱至寒天完全溶化，變成透明的液體 

3. 冰模裡放入切丁水果，倒入寒天液體，蓋好，稍待一會，在室溫稍微凝固，送進冰箱冷藏 15 ～ 20 分鐘，就會凝固，因為內藏水果，寒天比例不能太低   否則取出來就散。餘下的寒天液倒入量杯，隔水加熱，備用

4. 另煮一鍋杏仁茶，加入寒天粉煮至完全溶化，抹茶過篩，分 2 次加入抹茶，用手動打蛋器，很快便攪拌均勻

5. 加入羅漢果糖，攪拌至完全溶化，倒入量杯裡，方便倒出

6. 杏仁茶、抺茶杏仁茶及透明寒天果凍液，隔水加熱保溫，否則寒天會在室溫凝固

7. 玻璃杯傾斜放在布丁杯上 

第 1 層：倒入透明寒天，草莓丁或奇異果丁，液體加入後杯裡有重量，可能會掉下去，放入冰石冰塊墊底，可以幫助快速冷卻凝固，又能固定傾斜的角度，放進冰箱冷藏 10 分鐘

第 1 層凝固後，用矽膠勺刮走黏附杯壁的碎屑，杯壁乾淨，分層才會漂亮，向相反角度傾斜

第 2 層：杏仁茶，每一層冷藏約 10 分鐘，必須等到凝固，才能倒入下一層，否則便做不到顏色相間的效果，玻璃杯向相反方向傾斜

第 3 層：玻璃杯向相反方向傾斜，倒杏仁抹茶 

第 4 層：透明寒天層加入水果丁，突顯晶瑩剔透的效果

第 5 層：最後一層，放上水果點和寒天水果球綴裝飾 

When it comes to almond tofu, the first reaction from my friends is that they don’t like the taste of almonds. In fact, everyone misunderstands almonds; most of the almond tofu available in the market is made with milk or cream combined with almond essence, and it may not even contain a single real almond.

Almond tea made from real ingredients has a rich and fragrant flavor, without any strange or pungent artificial scent. I’ve made almond tea for many friends who are skeptical, and after one sip, they were pleasantly surprised, exclaiming, “Wow! It’s so fragrant!” Having tasted the “real deal,” they completely changed their perspective on almond tea.

Almonds in the market can be roughly divided into three types. The southern almonds, produced in China, are sweet and larger than the northern variety, with a slightly flat heart shape, mainly for consumption. Northern almonds have a bitter taste and a stronger aroma than southern almonds, often used for medicinal purposes. The “Compendium of Materia Medica” mentions that northern almonds have the effects of “relieving cough, easing asthma, and promoting bowel movement.” Although they are mildly toxic, this toxicity can be removed by soaking in water and boiling. The almonds produced in the United States, known as “flat almonds,” are large and round but have less fragrance compared to southern and northern almonds. To make almond tea, it’s essential to choose the right varieties, combining the sweetness of southern almonds with the aroma of northern almonds.

Traditional almond tofu requires a gelling agent. Gelatin comes in sheet and powdered forms, derived from animal skin or bones. Sheet gelatin takes longer to set than powdered gelatin, but the finished product is glossier and more elastic, resulting in a firmer texture and smoother mouthfeel.

Vegetarian friends can use kanten. Kanten is a plant-based gelling agent extracted from the cell walls of red algae, similar to agar but different, as agar is derived from general seaweed extracts. Kanten contains proteins and polysaccharides that agar does not have. Therefore, kanten is considered a premium version of agar. Kanten is high in soluble fiber, has strong water absorption, and high gelling power, requiring only a small amount to achieve gelling. Almond tofu made with kanten has a firmer texture and is crisp and springy.

Whether adding gelatin powder or agar, the amount of liquid can be freely adjusted to change the texture. Differences in brands and the liquid’s composition can affect the final firmness. Almond milk has more substances than plain water, so the firmness of the gel made with it will differ from that made with water. If you’re not familiar with the amount of gelling agent to use, start with a small quantity; if it feels too soft, slightly increase the gelling agent, return it to the pot, and reheat to dissolve again. Mr. Panda likes it smooth and soft, while I prefer it crunchy and springy.

My almond tea is enhanced with yellow beans and lily, making the almond tea aroma richer. The resulting almond tofu has a rich flavor, formulated with a recipe that combines agar and gelatin to achieve a firmness that allows it to be scooped without falling apart while largely maintaining its shape. On a whim, I designed a slanted layered almond tofu jelly cup, with a refreshing green hue that brings a touch of coolness to summer. By placing fruits in ice molds and adding transparent agar, I create sparkling, translucent jelly-like beads that add a decorative touch, prolong the freshness of the fruits, and take advantage of agar’s ability to solidify at room temperature, making it perfect for gatherings or picnics. It’s so beautiful, yet hard to bear to eat!

                       

Serving size: Matcha Almond Tofu Pudding 4 cups @350ml

Almond Tea ⧫ Ingredients

• Sweet Apricot Kernel  155 g
• Bitter Apricot Kernel  30 g
• Soy Bean   40 g
• Dried Lily Bulb 30 g
• Water 2000 ml

Almond Tofu ⧫ Ingredients

• Almond Tea  500 ml 
• Kanten Powder 3 g or Sheet Gelantine 10.5 g  (I use 7 g for the soft tofu in the video)
• Maple Syrup 2 tbsp or Montfruit Sweetener 20 g

Matcha Almond Tofu ⧫ Ingredients

• Almond Tea  500 ml 
• Ceremonial Grade Matcha 2 tsp
• Kanten Powder 3 g 
• Montfruit Sugar 25 g

Kanten Jelly ⧫ Ingredients

• Pururun Agar 15 g
• Cold Water  100 ml 
• Hot Water  250 ml
• Diced Strawberry, Kiwi Fruit, Mango 

Buy Montfruit sweetener at Iherbs   https://iherb.co/mnxPRFhQ

Almond Tofu ⧫ Instructions

Mix southern and northern apricots, yellow beans, and almond tea; adding yellow beans makes it more fragrant and smoother. Soak dried lily bulbs in clean water for 8 hours and then drain.

Use a soy milk maker to make almond tea. If using a blender, blend and then strain through a cheesecloth bag before cooking it into almond tea. I prefer to add sugar only after the almond tea is ready, allowing for easy adjustment of sweetness.

Pour into the cloth bag to filter, as we will need to dissolve the gelling agent later. Wear heat-resistant gloves to squeeze out the residue while it is still hot. The almond pulp can be stored in a freezer bag for making other delicacies.

Recipe for almond tofu with gelatin sheets: Completely soak the gelatin sheets in cold water; do not use warm water to dissolve the gelatin sheets, as this will reduce the amount of gelatin, preventing the final product from setting properly. Do not overlap them completely, as this affects the softening level. After they are fully softened, wring them out.

Pour the almond tea, monk fruit sugar, or white granulated sugar into a pot, and heat over medium heat. Gelatin dissolves at temperatures above 25°C. After the gelatin sheets soften, they easily clump together; stir gently, skim off any foam, pour into molds, and place in the refrigerator to cool and set.

Agar Almond Tofu Recipe: Add agar powder to the almond tea, pour the liquid into the agar powder — it tends to clump and is difficult to dissolve. Add maple syrup as a sweetener, and heat on low until it reaches 80°C, at which point the agar powder will dissolve. Once completely melted, pour into a container; the agar almond tofu will set when it returns to room temperature. To speed up the setting process, you can place it in the refrigerator.

After the almond tofu has set, cut it into cubes, and the basic technique is complete. Once you’ve clarified the setting ratio, you can move on to creating beautiful layered almond tofu jelly cups.

Gradient Almond Tofu Jelly Cup ⧫ Instructions

Remove the stems from the strawberries and dice them, peel the kiwi, and dice it, peel the mango and dice it. You can also choose your favorite fruits.

Agar jelly powder made from seaweed (this is used to make water xuanxin cakes, resulting in a transparent and crystal-like finished product with a soft and moist texture) is mixed with clean water and stirred to help dissolve the powder. Heat on low until the agar jelly powder is mostly dissolved, then add monk fruit sugar (white) and continue to heat on low until the agar is completely melted, turning into a transparent liquid.

In an ice mold, place diced fruit, pour in the agar liquid, cover it, and let it sit for a while at room temperature until it slightly solidifies. Then, transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for 15 to 20 minutes, and it will set. Since there is fruit inside, the agar proportion cannot be too low; otherwise, it will break apart when taken out. Pour the remaining agar liquid into a measuring cup and keep it warm by heating it over water for later use.

In another pot, prepare almond tea and add agar powder, cooking until it is completely dissolved. Sift in matcha powder in two batches, whisking quickly with a manual whisk until evenly mixed.

Add monk fruit sugar and stir until fully melted, then pour it into a measuring cup for easy dispensing.

Keep the almond tea, matcha almond tea, and transparent agar jelly liquid warm by heating over water, otherwise the agar will set at room temperature.

Tilt a glass cup on top of a pudding cup.

Layer 1: Pour in the clear agar, add diced strawberries or kiwi. Once the liquid is added, it may feel heavy and could spill out. Place ice cubes at the bottom to help cool and set quickly, and to stabilize against tilting. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

After the first layer has set, use a silicone spoon to scrape off any bits adhering to the cup wall. The cup wall should be clean to achieve a beautiful layering effect, tilting the cup in the opposite direction.

Second layer: Almond tea. Refrigerate each layer for about 10 minutes. You must wait until it has set before pouring in the next layer; otherwise, you won’t achieve the effect of alternating colors. Tilt the glass in the opposite direction.

Third layer: Tilt the glass in the opposite direction and pour in the almond matcha.

Layer 4: A transparent agar layer with added fruit cubes accentuates a translucent effect.

Layer 5: The final layer, topped with fruit dots and decorated with kanten fruit balls.