Sweet Honey Baekseolgi
Homemade Sweet Honey Baekseolgi Recipe
Make delicious and moist Honey Baekseolgi at home, just like from a cafe. This special Baekseolgi features a subtle sweetness and nutty flavor from brown sugar and toasted sesame seeds. Detailed instructions are provided, from adjusting rice flour moisture to steaming techniques.
Cake Ingredients- 12 cups rice flour (for wet ground glutinous rice flour)
- 25 Tbsp water (adjust based on rice flour moisture)
- 6 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, we’ll prepare the rice flour by adding moisture. Place the 12 cups of rice flour in a bowl and gradually add water while mixing with your hands. It’s crucial to check the moisture content of the rice flour as you go and adjust the water amount accordingly.
Step 2
Commercial rice flour and rice flour ground at home can have different moisture levels. Therefore, the best way to check is to add water little by little and then try to clump the flour with your hands. If there’s too much water, it will become mushy, and too little will make it crumbly.
Step 3
Take a handful of the moistened rice flour and squeeze it tightly. When you open your hand, it should hold its shape without falling apart or leaving excess powder. It shouldn’t be too sticky or wet. In this instance, 25 tablespoons of water were used, but please adjust based on your rice flour.
Step 4
Once the rice flour has the right moisture, sift it through a sieve. This breaks up any clumps and ensures a finer texture for the Baekseolgi.
Step 5
Add 6 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the sifted rice flour. Mix thoroughly with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. This ensures consistent sweetness and seasoning throughout the cake.
Step 6
In a separate bowl, combine 10 tablespoons of brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds. Mix them well to create the honey filling. The sweetness of the brown sugar and the nutty flavor of the sesame seeds will add wonderful depth to the Baekseolgi.
Step 7
Line the steaming basket with a damp cheesecloth. Make sure the cloth is spread tautly over the basket. This prevents the rice cake from sticking and helps distribute steam evenly during cooking.
Step 8
Add half of the prepared rice flour mixture to the lined steaming basket and spread it out evenly with a spoon or spatula. If you don’t have a specific cake mold and are using a large amount of rice flour, you can steam it directly in the basket like this. Today, we’re focusing on flavor rather than a perfect shape, using up some rice flour from the freezer.
Step 9
Now, pour all the prepared brown sugar and sesame seed mixture (the honey filling) over the rice flour layer and spread it evenly. The brown sugar will melt during steaming, acting as a delicious honey-like filling.
Step 10
Finally, cover the honey filling with the remaining half of the rice flour mixture. Smooth out the top surface with a spoon or spatula for an even cake.
Step 11
Cover the entire top layer of rice flour with the damp cheesecloth again. This helps maintain the moisture of the cake and protects it from condensation dripping from the steamer lid.
Step 12
If your cheesecloth isn’t large enough to cover the entire steamer lid, you can place a layer of paper towels inside the lid before closing it. This prevents water droplets from falling directly onto the cake and making it soggy.
Step 13
Fill the pot with water, ensuring it doesn’t reach the steaming basket. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. A vigorous boil is essential for proper steaming.
Step 14
Once the water is boiling vigorously, place the steaming basket on top. Steam the Baekseolgi over high heat for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let it steam for another 5 minutes to allow the cake to finish cooking and become moist inside.
Step 15
After the resting period, carefully open the lid and remove the cheesecloth. Your delicious Honey Baekseolgi, steaming and ready to enjoy, is complete!
Step 16
To remove the Baekseolgi, place your serving plate upside down over the steamer basket, then carefully invert the basket and plate together to transfer the cake onto the plate. This helps maintain its shape.
Step 17
Gently peel off the cheesecloth from the bottom of the cake on the plate. You’ll see the beautiful cross-section of the Honey Baekseolgi, with the melted brown sugar creating a sweet, honey-like core. If you get the rice flour moisture just right, making Baekseolgi at home is surprisingly easy. Give it a try!
Step 18
Sweet and nutty Honey Baekseolgi
