Caramel Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake / Kuih Bakul) 焦糖年糕

1.1K

This is an easy simplified recipe to make Caramel Nian Gao (年糕). This sweet delicacy is also known as Sticky Rice Cake, Kuih Bakul or Chinese New Year cake. Only simple ingredients needed and only 2 hours of steaming to enjoy this auspicious rice cake. This homemade Nian Gao is so delicious and perfect as gifts too. So let’s start cooking!

Watch How To Make Caramel Nian Gao (Sticky Rice Cake / Kuih Bakul) 焦糖年糕 – Recipe Video

Let’s Learn How To Make Homemade Caramel Nian Gao With This Easy Recipe

Nian gao (年糕), also known as sticky rice cake or kuih bakul, is a popular rice cake usually served during the Chinese New Year. As its name is homonym to (年高) in Chinese, which means a Prosperous New Year, Nian Gao is most suitable and has become a MUST have delicacy for this auspicious celebration. It is also a popular gift to be given to friends and relatives for the Chinese New Year too.

And the good news is this simplified version of making Nian Gao is not at all difficult to make at home. What more is you only need simple ingredients and only 2 hours of steaming to enjoy this auspicious rice cake so let’s start cooking.

What is Nian Gao?

Nian Gao is sometimes known as Chinese New Year cake. It is a sweet delicacy prepared using glutinous rice flour and sugar. Although it can be eaten throughout the year, it is most popular and sort after during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

The traditional method of making Nian Gao is to soak glutinous rice and then blend into rice milk. Sugar is added, mix well and then poured into prepared moulds. It is then steamed for at least 12 hours before done. The long hours of steaming will caramelise the sugar and turn the Nian Gao into dark golden colour and can keep for a long time without turning mouldy. This method of making Nian Gao will also give the rice cake a firmer texture. However it is very time-consuming and labor-intensive.

What is Caramel Nian Gao?

For this recipe (Caramel Nian Gao), it is a simplified version (not tedious at all) which will only take 2 hours of steaming and using incredibly simple ingredients namely glutinous rice flour and sugar. The trick is to caramelise the sugar first before adding into the glutinous rice flour. This will greatly shorten the steaming time of the Nian Gao.

However the rice cake made with glutinous rice flour is not as firm, but is soft and waxy. Also, because the steaming time is not long, the rice cake cannot be kept for too long. Keep the Nian Gao at room temperature for 3-5 days after they are made and then put them in the refrigerator.

Ingredients Needed To Make Caramel Nian Gao

Ingredients:

• Glutinous Rice Flour
• Sugar
• Water, hot or warm
• Banana Leaves
• Pandan Leaves (optional)

How to Make Caramel Nian Gao (A Summary)

Prepare The Moulds:

1. Blanch banana leaves in hot water to soften them. Then clean with a damp cloth and cut into desired sizes to fit the moulds.
2. Line each of the mould (3 times) with the softened banana leaves and secure with a rubber band.

Prepare Caramel (Golden Sugar Syrup):

1. Boil water with pandan leaves added.
2. Using medium-low heat, heat sugar till starts to melt. Add a bit of hot water and continue cooking till the sugar turns into a golden colour caramel. Off heat, add the remaining of the hot water slowly and bring the heat up and cooked till all caramel has melted.
3. Set aside the caramel syrup to cool completely.

Prepare Nian Gao Batter:

Method 1: (Soft and waxy texture)

1. Add in the caramelised sugar syrup into the glutinous rice flour slowly.
2. Combine the syrup and the rice flour into a smooth batter with a spatula or a whisk.
3. Strain the batter through a sieve to remove any possible lumps.

Method 2: (More chewy and firmer texture)

1. Add in about half the cooled caramelised sugar (in batches) into the glutinous rice flour and knead into a smooth dough.
2. Then pour in the balance half of the caramelised sugar and mix till a smooth and fluid batter remains.
3. Strain the batter through a sieve to remove any possible lumps.

Steam Caramel Nian Gao:

1. Pour the sieved batter equally into the prepared moulds.
2. Cover the lined moulds with aluminium foil to prevent water from dripping into the batter.
3. Steam in prepared steamer. First steam over medium high heat for 30 minutes. Then reduce to medium heat and continue to steam for another 1hr 30mins. (Refill hot water into steamer when necessary).
4. After 2 hours of steaming, remove the aluminium foil cover and transfer Nian Gao from steamer to cool at room temperature till fully cooled before unmoulding.

Unmould Caramel Nian Gao:

1. To unmould Nian Gao, loosen the banana leaves from mould and fold the leaves upwards. Then pull the rice cake out from the mould.
2. Then cut off excess leaves on the top using a pair of scissors and the Nian Gao is good to go.

How To Serve Nian Gao?

There are many ways to serve Nian Gao. This Chinese delicacy is commonly eaten steamed or fried. It can be eaten on its own, steamed hot so that it is soft and sticky and or rolled in grated fresh coconut (See Steamed Nian Gao with Rolled Coconut Recipe). It can also be pan-fried with eggs and served immediately as a snack for afternoon tea. Nian Gao slices can be sandwiched between sweet potato or taro slices and fried in a golden batter (See Fried Nian Gao Sandwiches Recipe (Glutinous Rice Cake With Yam and Sweet Potato) 炸年糕三文治).

How To Store Homemade Caramel Nian Gao?

Wrap the Nian Gao up with plastic wrapper or put in airtight container and they will be ready in 2 days. On the third day, the nian gao will be much more firm and can be sliced. After day 3, keep Nian Gao refrigerated for storage. Wrap them up and keep them in the refrigerator or they will start to get mouldy as there is no preservatives and the steaming time has been greatly reduced.

Important Recipe Tips To Make Caramel Nian Gao

For Preparing Moulds,

• The moulds can be store bought or substituted with any clean metal cans or ramekins. It is important to cover the entire inner surface with banana leaves to avoid the glutinous rice flour batter from leaking out during steaming. Use at least two layers of banana leaves to line moulds to ensure that there would be no leakage. Using banana leaves to line moulds will also infuse its aroma and flavour into the Nian Gao. If banana leaves are not available, you can line the moulds with non-stick baking paper or parchment paper. However, nian gao will lack the natural aroma of the banana leaves.

For Preparing Caramel, 

• Do not over stir and do not cook until dark brown in colour or the nian gao will taste bitter. Use a thicker base cooking pot to cook the caramel so as to reduce the chance of burning. Add the hot water gently and do not add too much initially as the sugar will react with the water and boil rapidly. You may use less sugar for a less sweet version. But, since sugar is a natural preservative, the nian gao made with less sugar content will get mouldy faster than those that are sweeter. Therefore it is advisable to store the nian gao with less sugar in the refrigerator after a few days at room temperature.

For Preparing Glutinous Rice Batter,

• There are 2 methods to make the batter. Method 1 is just to slowly add in the caramel syrup into glutinous rice flour and stir into a smooth batter. This method yield rice cake that is soft and waxy. Method 2 uses about half the syrup to knead the glutinous rice flour into a smooth dough. Then the balance of the caramel syrup is poured into the dough and mix to form a smooth and fluid batter again. This method gives the Nian Gao a firmer and more chewy texture.

For Steaming Nian Gao, 

• Check the level of water in the steamer from time to time to ensure there is enough water for steaming at all times as the steaming time is 2 hours. The colour of Nian Gao will turn darker when fully cooked and at room temperature.

For Serving Nian Gao,

• Freshly made Nian Gao is very soft. It is easier to cut into slices after refrigeration for two days, as it will become firmer after refrigeration.

For Storing Nian Gao,

• The simplified way of making it takes much less time and, therefore, needs to be refrigerated as it can get mouldy quickly at room temperature. Keep at room temperature for maximum of 2 days. Then wrap them up and keep them refrigerated.
   

Other Nian Gao Recipes You May Like:

• Fried Nian Gao Sandwiches (Glutinous Rice Cake Fritters With Yam and Sweet Potato) 炸年糕芋头木薯三文治
• Steamed Nian Gao with Coconut 椰丝蒸年糕
• Fried Nian Gao Sesame Balls (Kuih Bakul Jian Dui) 炸年糕芝麻球
• Pan Fried Nian Gao with Egg 煎年糕