Honey Prune Yogurt Rice Cake
How to Make a Moist Honey Prune Yogurt Rice Cake
Introducing a Honey Prune Yogurt Rice Cake recipe that is anything but bland! The moist steamed rice cake (seolgi) is perfectly complemented by sweet and tart dried prunes, creating a delightful flavor combination. This cake is ideal for special occasions or as a beautiful homemade dessert for your next party.
Rice Cake Ingredients- 500g Wet Mepssal flour (pre-salted)
- 15-20g Milk
- 6 Dried prunes
- Cocoa powder (for decoration)
- Chocolate chunks (finely chopped, for decoration)
Seasoning and Other Ingredients- 60g Sugar
- 72g Plain yogurt
- 2 Tbsp Rum
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 60g Sugar
- 72g Plain yogurt
- 2 Tbsp Rum
- 2 Tbsp Honey
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, place the dried prunes and rum in a small pot and simmer gently over low heat until the rum has mostly evaporated. This process deepens the prune flavor and removes the harsh alcohol notes, leaving a mellow aroma. Once simmered, drain any excess liquid from the prunes and finely chop them. Then, mix the chopped prunes with the 2 tablespoons of honey, letting them soak. This will make the prunes extra moist and sweet.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the 500g of wet mepssal flour with 72g of plain yogurt. Use your hands to rub the flour and yogurt together until well combined, ensuring there are no dry clumps and the mixture is smooth. It’s important that the yogurt is evenly absorbed into the flour.
Step 3
Gradually add the milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to rub the mixture with your hands. Adjusting the moisture is key – you don’t want the dough to be too wet or too dry. To check if the moisture is right, grab a handful of the rice flour mixture and squeeze it tightly, then gently toss it a couple of times. If the clump holds together well without crumbling, the ‘water-giving’ process is successful. Too wet will result in a gummy cake, while too dry will make it crumbly, so pay close attention to this step.
Step 4
Once the moisture is adjusted, sift the mepssal flour through a medium-sized sieve. Sieving makes the flour particles finer and ensures an even distribution, leading to a smoother cake texture. Add the 60g of sugar to the sifted flour and mix thoroughly.
Step 5
From the sugared mepssal flour, set aside about 1 and 1/3 cups. Mix the dried prunes (that have been soaking in honey) into this reserved flour. When transferring the prunes, try to leave as much honey behind as possible and use only the prunes to prevent the cake from becoming too soggy in certain areas. Ensure the prunes are evenly distributed throughout this portion of the dough.
Step 6
Line a steamer basket with a steamer liner and place your cake mold inside. First, add about 1 and 1/2 cups of the plain yogurt-mixed mepssal flour (the dough without prunes) into the mold, and level the surface with a spatula. Next, carefully add about 1 cup of the prune-mixed mepssal flour on top. Finally, fill the remaining space in the mold with the plain yogurt-mixed mepssal flour again, and smooth the top surface. A neat top surface will make for a beautifully presented cake.
Step 7
Bring the steamer to a rolling boil over high heat. Place the prepared cake mold into the steamer and steam for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, but keep the lid on and let the cake steam for an additional 5 minutes. This resting period allows the cake to cook evenly through and achieve a chewy yet moist texture.
Step 8
Once the rice cake is cooked, carefully remove it from the steamer and let it cool. Decorate as desired! For this cake, I used a cake decorating sheet that a neighbor gifted me. I created flower shapes using cocoa powder and placed them on top of the cake. I also lined the edges with finely chopped dark chocolate for a decorative finish. This completes your beautiful and delicious Honey Prune Yogurt Rice Cake!
