Make Traditional Taiwanese Breakfast From Scratch: Youtiao (Doughnut), Soy Milk, Shaobing Pastry

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mynameisandong: Most of us have a Chinese restaurant nearby, but a place that serves authentic Chinese breakfast is a rare thing. This is why I have been craving the iconic morning treats I had in Beijing, Hong Kong, or – my favorite and the inspiration for this recipe – Taiwan.
I remember standing in line for half an hour at Yonghe Soy Milk King (永和豆漿大王) in Taibei alongside hasty commuters. No matter how busy they were though, the breakfast was worth the wait: a fluffy doughnut (Youtiao) wrapped in a fried egg with scallions inside a flaky and toasty pastry called Shaobing. Accompanied by a bowl of creamy, lightly sweetened soy milk it had everything I was looking for in a breakfast.
The individual components might seem simple, but recreating the authentic feel at home was a big challenge. There are a lot of different recipes out there and not many work the way you want. Technique is key and I gave my best to come as close as possible. Enjoy the recipe and let me know how it worked for you!
If you like, there is also a (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbKPn0w6yAQ) for visuals and some more in-depth technique.
Youtiao – Chinese Doughnuts
2+1/4 cups / 350g of all purpose flour
1 Tbsp / 12g double acting baking powder
1/2 tsp / 4g baking soda
1/2 tsp / 3g salt
1 cup / 250g cold milk
1 Tbsp / 20g cooking oil + 1/2 tsp for coating
frying oil
1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Add wet ingredients and combine into a rough ball with a spoon. Rest 15 minutes.
3. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, lightly coat with oil and tightly wrap with plastic.
4. Rest in the fridge overnight to develop gluten for fluffiness.
5. The next day, bring to room temperature for at least 2 hours.
6. Remove plastic wrap and roll out the dough into a long band, not wider than a chopstick and about as thick as one.
7. Cut into strips about 3cm / 2 inches wide.
8. With a skewer, press a groove along the middle of half of the strips.
9. Cover the pressed strips with the unpressed ones, and firmly press again with the skewer until both pieces stick together in the center.
10. In a large heavy pot or fryer, heat oil to 200C / 400F.
11. Take one youtiao, stretch it with two hands and drop into the hot oil.
12. Immediately begin to rotate the youtiao around in the oil for even heat distribution. When golden brown, transfer to wired rack for cooling.
13. Repeat with all remaining youtiao. One by one recommended!
Doujiang – Soy Milk
1 cup of dried soybeans
2l / 1/2 gallon of filtered or bottled spring water
1. Rinse dry soybeans well.
2. Cover with 2l of water and soak overnight, at least 10 hours.
3. Drain soybeans and transfer to a blender. Keep the soaking water!
4. Blend soybeans with half the soaking liquid until smooth and milkshake-like, around 3 minutes.
5. Transfer everything into the largest pot you have (in case it foams up).
6. On medium high, heat your soy milk but try to keep it slightly under the boiling point to prevent VERY intense foaming. Keep at this temperature for about 2 minutes.
7. Strain hot milk through a nutmilk bag or double cheesecloth. Squeeze out soy milk with potato masher or ladle first, then with your hands. Careful not to burn yourself! You can let it cool down for a few minutes before squeezing.
8. Return soy milk to a pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Remove the skin that has formed on top an pour soymilk into a container of your choice through a sifter.
10. You can add some sweetener, I like about 1 Tbsp of maple syrup or cane sugar. Will keep in the fridge for 4 days.
Shaobing – Taiwanese style breakfast pastry
1/3 cup / 70g cooking oil
3/4 cup / 110g all purpose flour, adjust if needed until the paste is smooth
1/2 tsp / 3g salt
1/2 tsp / 2g five spice powder
1/2 tsp / 2g ground sichuan peppercorns
2 1/3 cups / 290 grams all purpose flour, adjust if needed
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups / 210ml hot water (75-80 degrees celsius)
untoasted sesame seeds
1. On medium heat, warm up your oil and stir in flower until you get a smooth paste. This your roux.
2. Stir in salt and spices and simmer the roux for about 5 minutes until toasty. Set aside and let cool to room temp.
3. In the meantime, combine flour and salt and pour over hot water.
4. With a spoon, combine into a cohesive rough ball. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
5. Roll out into a long band. Fold both ends into the center so you get three roughly equally sized layers.
6. Roll out into a rectangle and spread a thing layer of roux on the dough. Along the long side, leave a lip of clean dough without roux, about the width of one thumb.
7. Starting with the roux coated long side, roll the dough together lengthwise. Seal along the uncoated lip.
8. Seperate into 6 equal parts by twisting and tearing. This is easier than cutting because it prevents the roux from oozing out.
9. Seal dough parts and tuck the ends under itself to form a ball.
10. Roll each ball out, fold both ends inward as before and roll out into a rectangle again. Fold and roll one more time. Finally fold but without rolling out, set aside to rest. This process creates the many layers of your shaobing. Cover and rest folded shaobings for 20 minutes.
11. One by one, brush the smooth side of your shaobing with water, dunk wet side down into untoasted sesame seeds and roll out into a rectangle one last time.
12. On a hot baking sheet, bake shaobing in two batches at 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes or until toasty and brown on top.

bunnicula9000: Oh man, I’ve been looking for a decent shaobing recipe! The Chinese grocery near me sells frozen ones, but they are made of sadness and disappointment. I’m sure some restaurant around here make them fresh but they don’t advertise it and I’m not going door-to-door asking for pastries.
Hot fresh soymilk for breakfast is one of my favorite memories from living in China. It sounds so terrible but it’s shockingly good, especially on those bitter, dark winter mornings when the world feels so hostile and you need something comforting to help you face the day, or at least the walk to the train station.

WaitWhyNot: The Chinese and Hongers also eat donut and soy milk.