Sweet and Savory

Tofu-based Cheese Mousse Meets Youtiao

Youtiao, the fried dough usually served for breakfast in China, is used as the base for a tofu-based dessert. Behind such a neat slice is a series of experiments in flavor, texture and what tofu can create.

The first surprise is in the cross-section. Beneath a layer of mousse, the open pockets of youtiao remain visible. Piped peaks finish the top. It has the geometry of a pâtisserie slice, with a familiar Chinese breakfast tucked underneath.

The second surprise is its savory flavor. The mousse is finely textured and gently salted, with the richness of the cheese balanced by the nutty flavor of soy. The fried dough brings an association with youtiao dipped into soy milk. Here, that pairing has been rearranged into something that can sit in a dessert display and be eaten with a fork.

Tofu has long belonged in sweet dishes. What interests this shop is the room between familiar preparations: the ways tofu can work with pastry techniques, and the point at which a dessert might take a savory turn.

Why Youtiao?

Before opening the shop, founder Sam visited dessert shops in Shanghai. He noticed biscuit and oat bases recurring across different products. They worked, but he wanted to explore another possibility.

During development, a pastry chef suggested trying youtiao. The team initially pondered: Would it be too oily? Would the combination taste as good as it sounded?

As they tried different bases, youtiao became more convincing when they adjusted the mousse from sweet toward savory. Sam recalls being surprised by how well the combination came together. They chose it as a signature product, which soon became the top seller.

Choosing the ingredients was only the beginning. Keeping the texture consistent proved harder. How can a crisp base and a soft top connect yet stay distinctive? The team experimented with rebaking the youtiao to keep it dry for longer. The finished version retains some chew in the youtiao—that slight resilience belongs to the breakfast memory the cake draws upon.

A Designer’s Appetite

Sam’s starting point was simple: he liked eating tofu.

Still a college student in industrial design, he initially imagined a tofu-themed restaurant. However, the cost and demands of a full restaurant led him toward a dessert shop, aimed at the younger crowd.

The development process felt familiar from design school: look at what already exists, propose something, make it, test it, then revise. He also hired pastry professionals to develop, test and mass-produce the recipe. Early products went to friends and acquaintances for informal tastings. Their reactions helped him decide which ideas were ready for the menu.

He enjoys doing something different, but recognizes that novelty alone is insufficient. He returns to a principle from his first design class: design must serve people. A surprising combination still has to be something someone wants to eat.

At Tofu?Tofu!, that principle takes a particularly tangible form. A conventional biscuit base gives way to fried dough. Sweetness gives way to a little salt. Tofu finds a place in a cheese mousse, carrying a breakfast association into the pastry case.

The slice is neat. The thinking behind it leaves room to experiment.