silken tofu in desserts

[Linxie]

This may be a silly question so bear with me but I want to make a dessert that requires silken tofu. What exactly is silken tofu - I am assuming it is different from the cauldron tofu I put in my stir fry? Where can I get it and what makes are good in the UK?

[cedarblue]

silken tofu is what it sounds like really - tofu but not as firm as the solid slabs - much more soft and slushy. perfect for whizzing up in anything really (stews, curries, 'cremey' desserts if you want to add some extra protein. good health stores should have it an some supermarkets do too, in the chinese/asian ingredients section. my local asda and sainsburys stock blue dragon brand silken tofu.

good luck experimenting.

[Linxie]

Thanks I will keep an eye out for blue dragon

[puffin]

I use the blue dragon one. You can usually find it in the soya sauce/noodle isle.
My fav recipe is cheese cake. Just throw tofu in a blender add a couple of spoonfuls of ice cream, a little sugar, punnet of strawberries (if you want it strawberry that is) a drop of vanilla. Tastes like angle delight but you can put it in a biscuit base and bake it for 30 minutes.

[Linxie]

Thanks that sounds great - I used to LOVE angel delight :D

[bryzee86]

or: melt 200g chocolate, whizz up tofu, add choc to tofu with a splash of vanilla and some maple syrup.

BAM! choccy mousse type stuff.

[Linxie]

I was all excited about making a dessert for my parents to take over when I go for dinner tomorrow but I still can't find silken tofu anywhere. I have tried H&B and Sainsbury and they only have Cauldron tofu. I pass a small Tesco on my way home but doubt they will have it. Damn it :mad:

[puffin]

That's a shame, have you tried a Chinese supermarket?
Edit, this is what it looks like http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/363546_Blue_Dragon_Tofu__Firm_Silken_Style__349g.h tml
Guess you could order it from here but i shouldnt think you would get it in time for the weekend.

[Linxie]

I don't think there are any chinese supermarkets near me. I'll have to try the big Asda or Morrisons at the weekend but I was looking forward to impressing my sceptical parents :D

[puffin]

I have a good cake recipe if you want that instead? That will impress them, well it always works and tastes lovely, its from the vegan with a vengeance book. Just PM me if you would like me to send it to you.

[harpy]

Think you can sometimes substitute ordinary (plain) tofu liquidised with a drop of soy milk, but perhaps it's not the occasion for an experiment :D

You probably do need a larger supermarket for silken tofu although I'm surprised H&B doesn't have it.

[Linxie]

Oooh no, if I experiment I am sure it will all go disastrously wrong :D I'll wait until i can find the proper ingedients!

[bryzee86]

I've never seen it in any H&B, so I wouldn't waste my time trying there, if I were you. Nowadays I get mine from my (fairly large) Tesco.

Just make sure you're not looking in the chillers - it's an aseptic ambient pack and is thus on the normal shelves.

[Linxie]

Maybe I will be lucky then and find it in my tesco metro tonight :)

[bryzee86]

Don't get your hopes up for it being in a Metro - those things are tiny!

[flying plum]

linxie - in my sainsbury's, its usually in the 'world food' section. there's also usually only about three packets, and i often spend about ten minutes looking for it until i see it pushed back on the top shelf. and dont' bother asking the staff...they never seem to know what i'm asking about. which is fair enough...those palces are massive.

amanda

[Linxie]

I did expect to see it in Sainsbury, maybe it had just sold out! I'll go on the hunt this weekend and make it for my parents another time :)

[herbwormwood]

The chinese supermarkets in Newcastle sell large packs of silken tofu, for around £1.00. There is a brand made in Gateshead which I like called Oriental Dragon, distributed around the region.
I have found tofu always a lot cheaper in the chinese supermarkets.

[Sluggie]

Sainsburys used to do it, but I haven't been able to find any for months. :mad:

[Linxie]

Still no joy :mad: Asda and Morrisons are my last hope!

[Poison Ivy]

Never seen it in my local morrisons, they only do Cauldron, but yours might be different.

I usually end up ordering it from goodness direct (usually quite a few boxes at a time so I have a good supply in).

[wildcatstrike]

Asda near me (Harrogate) sells the Blue Dragon one. Its with the blue dragon products in the chinese cooking/sauces/coconut milk area.

Good luck!

[AnneCE]

What about a health food shop - any near you that isn't Holland and Barrett? I once made a peanut butter chocolate dessert with silken tofu - yum... hope you find some.

[Linxie]

I made a chocolate "cheese cake" last night using normal tofu and to my surprise it actually turned out ok. My Mum tried it and really liked it. She couldn't believe it when I told her it had tofu in.

Going to my local asda after work tonight to continue the silken tofu hunt. Now I want to make a chocolate and peanut butter one too!

[Rakey]

Mori nu vacuum pack it, and sell in my local sainsburys. Try an independant health food shop to see if they have it