10 Royal Pastries: Fit for an Empress! (Easy Homemade Versions)

Recreate the Emperor’s Banquet: 10 Legendary Palace Desserts Simplified - No Professional Skills or Fancy Equipment Needed!

1. Red Date & Yam Cakes

Steam 300g peeled Chinese yam + 200g dates 20 mins. Mash yam with 1 tbsp sugar + 4 tbsp glutinous rice flour. Pit dates and mash into paste. Shape: Wrap date paste (1 tsp) in yam dough balls. Dust with rice flour, press into mooncake molds. Steam 10 mins. Serve with osmanthus honey.

2. No-Oven Milk Bread

Mix: 4 eggs + 50g sugar + 15g oil + 400g flour + 5g yeast. Knead smooth. Divide into 20 balls. Flatten each, brush with oil. Proof until doubled. Fry in 120°C oil until golden (3 mins/side). Key: Low oil temp keeps centers soft.

3. Steamed Rice Cupcakes

Soak 600g rice 4 hrs. Blend with 300ml water until smooth. Add 5g yeast + 60g sugar + 40g flour. Proof until bubbly. Pour into oiled cups (80% full). Top with raisins. Proof 10 mins. Steam 40 mins + rest 5 mins. Texture: Spongy with slight chew.

4. Golden Milk Sticks

Whisk 2 egg yolks + 15g sugar. Add 300ml milk + 40g cornstarch. Cook until thick pudding. Chill in oiled mold 3 hrs. Cut sticks. Coat: 1) Cornstarch 2) Egg wash (2 yolks + 1 tbsp water + sesame). Pan-fry until crisp. Tip: Use coconut milk for vegan version.

5. Low-Cal Pumpkin Steamed Cake

Steam 400g pumpkin. Mash with 240ml milk + 2 eggs. Pour into mold. Steam covered 20 mins. Diet swap: Replace sugar with monkfruit.

6. Homemade Mango Crepe Cake

Crepes: Whisk 3 eggs + 30g sugar + 300ml milk + 100g flour. Strain. Cook thin crepes. Filling: Whip 500ml cream + 50g sugar. Layer: Crepe → cream → mango slices (every 2 layers). Chill 2 hrs. Pro tip: Add 1 tsp cardamom to cream.

7. Walnut-Date Cake

Steam 170g pitted dates. Blend with 50ml water. Mix with 150g sugar + 8 eggs. Beat 8 mins until ribbon stage. Fold in: 200g flour + 6g baking powder + 4g baking soda. Add 130g oil. Pour into pan. Top with walnuts + sesame. Bake 150°C/300°F 50 mins. Cool completely before cutting.

8. 3-Ingredient Layered Cake

Yellow layer: 80g brown sugar + 300ml hot water + 200g tapioca starch

White layer: 60g sugar + 200ml milk + 150g tapioca starch

Steam in oiled pan: 3 mins per layer (alternating colors). Final layer 8 mins. Chill overnight for clean cuts.

9. Peach Blossom Pastries

Roll store-bought puff pastry sheet. Cut into 4 strips. Roll each strip into circle. Add red bean paste (2 tsp). Seal, flatten. Cut 5 slits (petals). Pinch tips. Brush with egg yolk. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake 180°C/350°F 20 mins. Romantic touch: Add pink food gel to dough.

10. Old-Fashioned Changbai Cake

Beat 2 eggs + 40g sugar + 0.5g salt until pale (8 mins). Add 10g cake emulsifier (optional). Fold in: 85g flour + 5g milk powder + 1.5g baking powder. Pipe finger shapes. Sprinkle coarse sugar. Bake 180°C/160°C bottom heat 15 mins. Texture: Crisp shell, cottony interior.

Essential Techniques

Steaming Success:

Place cloth under lid to prevent water drips

Always preheat steamer

Imperial Glazes:

Osmanthus honey (1:3 dried osmanthus : honey, steep 1 week)

Rose syrup (simmer rose petals + sugar + water)

Storage: Most desserts keep 3 days refrigerated. Re-steam 5 mins to refresh.

Modern Subs:

Tapioca starch → Cornstarch

Red bean paste → Lotus seed paste

Glutinous rice flour → Regular rice flour (less chewy)

Why These Won Royal Favor

Balanced Sweetness: Dates/red beans > refined sugar

Textural Contrast: Chewy yam + crisp pastry

Symbolic Shapes: Peach blossoms (love), layered cakes (prosperity)

Adaptable: Vegan options by replacing eggs with flax eggs, milk with almond milk

Pro Tips

"For #3 rice cakes, add 1 tsp pandan extract for jade-green 'imperial jade' version"

"When making #9, freeze shaped pastries 15 mins before baking - petals hold shape better"

"Serve #1 with chrysanthemum tea to enhance floral notes"