Crispy Kumquat Balls
A traditional Jiangsu dessert, shaped like a kumquat, with a crisp exterior and soft interior, featuring a rich citrus aroma.
Ingredients
raw pork fat
300 g
all-purpose flour
75 g
egg yolks
50 g
red and green shredded candied fruit
5 g
kumquat cake, finely chopped
15 g
osmanthus syrup
5 g
sugar
35 g
lard for frying (500 g, about 100 g actually used)
500 g
Instructions
1
Prepare the pork paste
Finely chop the kumquat cake and pork fat, then mix with the egg yolks, flour, and a suitable amount of water to form a smooth paste.
2
Fry the balls
Place a wok over the heat and add the lard. Heat to about 60% hot (approximately 132°C / 270°F). Squeeze the pork fat paste into walnut-sized balls, lower them into the oil, and fry until a firm shell forms. Remove the wok from the heat and let the balls cook through in the residual heat, then return the wok to the heat and fry until golden brown. Remove and drain the oil.
3
Coat with sugar frost
Return the wok to the heat, add a suitable amount of water along with the sugar and osmanthus syrup, and simmer until the sugar dissolves and the syrup bubbles up. Remove from the heat, quickly add the fried balls, and gently toss with chopsticks until each ball is evenly coated with the syrup. Allow to cool until a white sugar frost forms on the surface.
4
Plate and serve
Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with the red and green shredded candied fruit, and serve.
