Sweetened Peach Essence With White Fungus And Red Dates Recipe
Make Sweetened Peach Essence With White Fungus And Red Dates Recipe in just 1h 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Syrup base & fruit
White fungus & dates
Finishing & optional
Method
Prepare white fungus & red dates
- 1
Soak white fungus
Rinse the dried white fungus briefly under cool running water to remove debris. Place in a bowl and cover with 300 ml warm water. Soak for 30–40 minutes until it softens and expands. Trim away the tough yellowish stem and tear the fungus into bite-sized florets. Reserve.
- 2
Prepare red dates
Rinse the red dates. If using whole dates with pits, you may slit and remove pits or leave whole — removing pits shortens simmer time slightly. Set aside.
- 3
Simmer fungus and dates
In a medium saucepan combine the soaked white fungus (with its soaking liquid strained and discarded if cloudy), the red dates, 400 ml fresh water, and 40 g rock sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer, covered, for 25–30 minutes until the fungus is soft, gelatinous and the dates have plumped. Stir occasionally and skim any foam. Taste and add a little more sugar if you prefer sweeter. Turn off heat and leave covered while you prepare the peach essence.
Make the peach essence (syrup and puree)
- 4
Cook peaches
Combine the sliced peaches, 400 ml water (of the 800 ml total), 80 g granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until peaches are softened and aromatic but not falling apart. If using very fragrant ripe peaches, reduce sugar to taste.
- 5
Blend and strain
Allow the cooked peaches to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer (including cooking liquid) to a blender. Blitz until smooth to make a peach purée. For a clearer essence, pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. You should get a brightly colored peach essence. If you prefer a chunkier texture, reserve some small peach pieces before blending and fold them back in after straining.
- 6
Adjust sweetness and volume
Taste the peach essence and if it needs more sweetness, dissolve up to 30 g additional rock sugar or granulated sugar in a few tablespoons of warm water and stir into the purée until dissolved. If the essence is too thick, dilute with the remaining 400 ml water to reach desired strength (aim for a lightly syrupy drink). Chill if serving cold.
Combine and finish
- 7
Combine components
Spoon the simmered white fungus and red dates (with a little of their simmering liquid, about 120–150 ml) into a serving bowl or pitcher. Pour in the peach essence to combine. Stir gently to distribute fungus, dates and peach evenly.
- 8
Add aromatics and chill
If using, stir in 1 teaspoon osmanthus syrup or a pinch of dried osmanthus for floral aroma. Taste and add additional sugar or lemon juice if needed. For a chilled dessert drink, cool completely then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or serve over ice. Garnish with mint leaves.
- 9
Serve
Ladle into individual bowls or glasses so each serving has pieces of white fungus and at least one red date. Serve cold or at warm-room temperature. The drink will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours; stir before serving as components may settle.
