This simple Cantonese milk skin pudding recipe requires just three ingredients: milk, sugar, and egg white. The result is a silky smooth, lightly sweet custard with a thin pudding skin. This pudding is closer in texture to French creme brulee or Japanese purin than American puddings thickened with starch.
This dessert originates from Shunde, located in the Guangdong province of China. Today, it is popular throughout the province and in Hong Kong, where you can even find shops dedicated to this single item.
Dessert Origins
The name of this Cantonese dessert, 雙皮奶 shuang pi nai, directly translates to double skin milk. In the original recipe, buffalo milk was first boiled to pasteurize, forming a skin on top of the cooked milk. The boiled buffalo milk was combined with sugar and egg white to create a pudding, with the second skin forming once the pudding is set. Hence the literal translation: double skin milk. This double skin milk prolonged the shelf life of buffalo milk and allowed for transportation with no spills.
Tips for Success
While the ingredients are simple, there are a few key techniques for a pudding that is properly set with the perfect wobble.
- Strain those bubbles: Straining is critical to remove bits of egg white and bubbles from the final product. Leaving those strands of egg white in the pudding could result in lumps. Straining the mixture and skimming bubbles from the surface ensure a smooth product. Any bubbles left of the surface expand with heat and leave craters in their wake.
- Use quality milk: Since there are so few ingredients, each one has great significance. Milk is the primary contributing flavor in this recipe, so be sure to use a quality milk that has great flavor. Buffalo milk traditionally has higher fat than cow’s milk, so full-fat milk is recommended. Fat is necessary for a creamy, smooth texture and milky flavor.
- Steaming time will vary: The times in the recipe will vary depending on your steamer, stove, and vessel. Steaming the pudding in several small ramekins will be much quicker than one large, deep vessel. The times are simply a guideline, so be sure to give the pudding a wobble to check if it’s done. You’ll know the pudding is set when the center wobbles, but doesn’t lap up like liquid as you tilt or jiggle the container. If it’s still liquid, give it a few minutes in the steamer and check again. If the center is solid and fully set, the custard is overcooked becoming dense and lumpy.
Looking for more simple recipes? Check out my Strawberry Milk Recipe that’s also only 3 ingredients.
Cantonese Milk Skin Pudding (雙皮奶)
Ingredients
- 30 g egg white from 1 large egg
- 20 g sugar 1.5 Tbsp
- 175 mL whole milk 3/4 cup
Instructions
- Heat water to a simmer in a steamer.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together 30 g egg white, 20 g sugar, and 175 mL whole milk until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are well incorporated. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof container (at least 300mL/10oz will fit the entire volume of custard). Use a larger container or split into multiple bowls if preparing multiple servings.
- Skim off any bubbles on the surface to prevent craters from forming on the smooth surface as it steams. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap.
- Place containers in the steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes over medium heat. Steaming time will vary based on your stove and size of container. Check the doneness by giving the puddings a tilt or jiggle. If the pudding sloshes or flows it's not set yet, give it a few more minutes. The pudding is set when it is wobbly and ripples in the center but not liquid.
- Let cool for 10 minutes to serve warm or chill in the refrigerator to serve cold. The pudding is lightly sweet and milky served as is. Add toppings like sweet red beans or fruit if desired.
