Hawaiian Almond Float
Plantation Sweets: The Sugar Legacy
The Hawaiian Almond Float is a triumph of working-class pragmatism. Stripped of the exhaustive apricot-kernel grinding demanded by its aristocratic Chinese ancestor, xìngrén dòufu, this dessert was reborn in the grueling sugar plantation camps. Immigrant grandmothers turned to the plantation store, discovering that unflavored gelatin, a tin of evaporated milk, and commercial almond extract could remarkably mimic the silken texture and floral aroma of home. Served swimming in the heavy syrups of canned fruit cocktail and lychees, it is a brilliant, unpretentious masterpiece of survival and adaptation.
Before you start
Do not drain the canned fruit.
For first-generation mainlanders, the instinct might be to drain the commercial syrup. Resist it. Those syrups mix to create the foundational chilled broth of the dessert.
Ingredients
- unflavored gelatin3 tbsp
- cold water3 1/2 cup
- granulated sugar1 cup
- evaporated milk1 cup
- whole milk1 1/2 cup
- pure almond extract1 tbsp
- canned lychees in syrup15 oz
- canned fruit cocktail in syrup15 oz
- canned mandarin oranges in syrup11 oz
Method
- 01
Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 1/2 cup of the cold water in a small bowl.
Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to hydrate and soften until it looks thick and rubbery.
- 02
Combine the remaining 3 cups of water, evaporated milk, whole milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk gently until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is hot, taking strict care not to let it boil, which will curdle the milk.
- 03
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin.
Stir thoroughly until the rubbery mass is entirely dissolved and the liquid is perfectly smooth.
- 04
Stir in the almond extract off the heat.
Adding the extract after removing the pot from the stove preserves its volatile aromatic compounds, ensuring that sharp, nostalgic amaretto fragrance.
- 05
Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Let it cool on the counter for 15 minutes first. You are looking for a firm set with a delicate, silken texture.
- 06
Cut the chilled almond gelatin into 1-inch diamonds and gently fold them into a large serving bowl containing all the canned fruits and their syrups.
Serve ice cold in small individual bowls. The pooled heavy commercial syrups form the chilled sweet broth that the almond "tofu" floats in.
Notes
Mind the heat.
Boiling evaporated milk will cause it to break, ruining the smooth, pristine white appearance of the almond cubes. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
Texture is everything.
The ratio of liquid to gelatin here is intentionally higher than standard box instructions. This is the secret to mimicking the delicate, break-apart texture of traditional silken tofu.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.