Chinese language Pumpkin Cake (Nan Gua Bing – 南瓜饼)

These Chinese language Pumpkin Muffins, or nánguā bǐng (南瓜饼), are chewy like mochi, with a crispy exterior. They’re flippantly candy and so festive for the autumn season. 

What makes them even higher is how fast and simple they’re. No oven or steamer wanted. Simply pan-fry them, and prepare for an excellent snack or dessert! 

Pumpkin & Sesame: A Nice Mixture

The mix of aromatic toasted sesame seeds and healthful pumpkin have made these one among my new favourite fall treats. (Utilizing a contemporary pumpkin? Invoice has a video on trim pumpkin right here.)

They’re chewy like mochi, however crispy as soon as they’ve been pan fried! That mentioned, whereas the feel is just like mochi, I added some common rice flour along with glutinous rice flour to the recipe, so the truffles are chewy, however not too sticky or stretchy. 

The feel is just like a Chinese language fried sesame ball, albeit a bit denser. However these don’t require deep frying and are a lot easier to make! 

Whereas researching this dish, I seen some nan gua bing are made with out toasted sesame seeds, however I strongly counsel together with them, and to coat the nan gua bing closely. They actually make a distinction! We’ve got a put up right here on toast sesame seeds, however you too can purchase them toasted and able to go. 

Make Them With or With out Filling 

You can also make these nan gua bing plain so you could have a chewy pumpkin mochi with a crispy exterior, or you possibly can take the additional step of making ready a filling to go inside. It melts contained in the chewy cake and offers it a bit of further sweetness and taste. 

I made these with purple bean paste, however you need to use candy pumpkin paste (see the recipe in my pumpkin mochi recipe!), candy lotus paste, or a easy candy peanut filling. 

You will want little or no—a 10-15g ball of filling per cake. This recipe makes 12 truffles, in order that’s 180g of filling whole. That mentioned, this recipe is nice for utilizing up leftover filling from our Chinese language bakery buns or mooncakes! 

When you make these Chinese language pumpkin truffles with out filling, you possibly can improve the sugar within the dough (as much as double the acknowledged quantity).

Chinese language Pumpkin Cake Recipe Directions

In a big mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree with the sugar, milk powder, the common rice flour, the candy (glutinous) rice flour, and salt. Knead right into a comfortable dough ball. The feel must be just like play-doh—comfortable and pliable. 

*Observe that some pumpkins are drier than others due to age or kind. If the dough is just too dry to return collectively, add a tablespoon of water at a time till the dough ball comes collectively. If it’s too moist, merely add a bit of extra glutinous rice flour. 

Divide the dough into 12 equal items. Take a bit, and roll it right into a clean ball between your palms. In case you are together with a filling like I did, dig a deep crater into the dough ball. Skinny out the perimeters, add a ball of filling, shut it tight, and roll it once more right into a clean ball between your palms.

Fill a small bowl with water and pour the sesame seeds right into a bowl or shallow dish. Subsequent roll the dough ball in a bit of little bit of water to moisten it, then switch it to the sesame seeds to coat. Roll it between your palms to press within the sesame seeds. Lastly, flatten it right into a 3-inch disc. Repeat with all 12 balls of dough. 

To cook dinner the truffles, add about 2 tablespoons of impartial oil to a big flat-bottomed pan over medium-high warmth. Prepare half the truffles within the pan with some house in between every. Cook dinner all sides till golden brown and barely puffed within the middle. Add extra oil if the pan appears dry, and alter the warmth as wanted to keep away from burning. The sugar within the dough burns simply if the warmth is just too excessive. 

Repeat with the second batch and serve heat. Retailer any leftovers within the fridge. To reheat, merely toast in a flat-bottomed pan over medium-low warmth or in a preheated oven at 350°F/175°C for about 5 minutes. We reheat them within the toaster oven!