As a famous Cantonese dessert, double-skin milk is particularly prevailing in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, and overseas Chinatowns. Where can we get authentic double-skin milk? "Shunde." Chua Lam, a famous food critic in Hong Kong, once replied.
He Lifang is a dessert chef at the Bai Cao Tang Tea Restaurant in Shunde District, Foshan, with more than thirty years of working experience. She introduced that double-skin milk originated from Shunde, with buffalo milk as the main raw material. It is said that at the end of the Qing Dynasty, a farmer in Shunde boiled the milk and found a skin formed on the milk after cooling it down, which inspired his friend to make the original double-skin milk. Hence, the dessert has been passed down to this day.
Although it looks easy to make double-skin milk, there are some details to keep in mind. He reminded us that, in the final step of stewing, the pot must be uncovered once in a while to evacuate the air inside; otherwise, the surface will become a honeycomb, which will affect the taste.
Speaking of the spread of double-skin milk, there is a story in Shunde. "In the past, many girls in Shunde who decided to stay single all their life went to Hong Kong, Macao or Southeast Asia to work as maids, and they were called 'Majie'." He said that many Majies were proficient in making food, thus bringing double-skin milk to these places.
"Many people in Hong Kong know Shunde's double-skin milk," He added, "A lot of tourists come here specifically to taste and buy this dessert and pack it back to Hong Kong."
Author | Holly
Video | Axin
Poster | Lulu
Editor | Wing, Steven, Monica, Jerry
Special thanks to the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province, Ronggui Catering Industry Association, and Bai Cao Tang Tea Restaurant
