☑️ Fa gao is a Chinese steamed cake (or small cakes) also known as the fortune cake.
Usually prepared for New Year or the day dedicated to ancestor worship.
Gao means cake in Chinese. Fa means leavened, so the name describes the cake.
However, “fa” also means prosperity, hence the name prosperity cake and the reason it is eaten during Chinese New Year to bring good luck.
It is very simple, steamed, and if done correctly, the top should open in a “smile,” dividing into four sections.
Not to be confused with the niao gao, also prepared for New Year, but with glutinous rice. Fa gao is made with a mix of flours that only exist in China, which I have substituted with rice flour.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups rice flour
- 1/2 cup water (hot)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
Tools
- 8 Cupcake liners
Steps
Dissolve the sugar in the hot water and set aside.
Combine the flour and baking powder, then add the sweetened water and mix the batter for about five minutes.
Pour the batter into the molds and bring enough water to a boil in a large deep pot to place the molds.
Cover and steam for about 25 minutes: the first 10 minutes on high heat.
In the theme of “luck,” The Goddess of Fortune is a wonderful film.
