Almond Tofu with Fresh Cherries, Ginger & Scotch Syrup

Craving almond tofu this week, itching to make another Ginger & Scotch creation, and seeing this beautiful bowl of cherries in my mom’s kitchen all inspired me to come up with this recipe.

Almond tofu is a one of those snacks I grew up eating . My mom and I would often make it from a pre-packaged mix. The idea that I could make it from scratch never crossed my mind until recently when a friend made some herself and shared a few spoonfuls with me. I didn’t get a chance to ask her for the recipe but the one I experimented with came out delicious and just the way I wanted it.

What’s that you asked? WHAT IS ALMOND TOFU? 

Despite its name, it’s not actually tofu at all. From what I understand, tofu is made from curdling soy milk which is then pressed to form the soft white blocks that you see in grocery stores – it is almost always used in savory dishes. Almond tofu, on the other hand, is served as a dessert and is made from agar or gelatin.

Making almond tofu from scratch, I can control the level of sweetness (I like mine less sweet so I add less sugar) and the texture (I like mine firm versus “silken” so I add less liquids) and I much prefer to serve my almond tofu with fresh fruit instead of canned.

Sukaina at Sips and Spoonfuls is hosting July’s “Monthly Mingle” (brainchild of Meeta at What’s for Lunch Honey) and the theme is stone fruits so I’m sending this post over to her to join the fun!

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Recipe for Almond Tofu with Fresh Cherries and Ginger & Scotch Syrup

Almond Tofu:
2 packets unflavored gelatin (I used Knox brand and each packet was .25 oz or 8 g each)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

Ginger and Scotch Syrup with Fresh Cherries:
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, sliced and crushed
1 tablespoon Scotch Whisky
18 fresh cherries, halved and pitted

Makes 4-6 servings.

To make the Almond Tofu, combine the gelatin and sugar in a medium saucepan. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin and sugar are completely dissolved.

Next, pour in the milk, add the almond extract and stir to combine.

To make individual servings, pour into small serving bowls or cups. To make one single layer that you can later cut up and serve, pour the mixture into a shallow pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the Ginger & Scotch Syrup and the fresh cherries. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and crushed ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the Scotch Whisky.

Halve the cherries with a knife and remove the pit using a small spoon or a small knife. Throw the cherry halves into the Ginger & Scotch syrup mixture and refrigerate until needed. The ginger will continue to infuse into the syrup and the cherries will absorb some of the syrup flavors.

When the almond tofu is completely set, remove from fridge and serve by spooning the Ginger and Scotch syrup mixture with the cherries onto the almond tofu. If you made a single layer of almond tofu, then cut the tofu into squares, spoon into serving bowls, and drizzle the Ginger & Scotch syrup and cherries on top.

Enjoy!