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Fried cakwe dough sticks served with chocolate sauce
Crispy fried dough sticks served with a rich chocolate sauce

Golden cakwe (Chinese doughnuts) with chocolate sauce

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
Cakwe (or Youtiao) is a marvel of dough physics. Two strips of dough are stuck together, which suddenly puff up and separate in hot oil, forming huge air bubbles. Crispy on the outside, airy inside, and although typically eaten savoury, drizzled with chocolate they are like the best churros.
🕒 Prep Time 2 hrs
🍳 Cook Time 10 mins
⌛ Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 320 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Indonesian-Chinese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Deep frying pan or wok
  • Chopstick (for shaping)

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten (Wheat)

Instructions

1 ✓

Mix the dry ingredients. Activate the yeast in the water. Knead into a smooth dough, then let rest covered for 2 hours, folding it over once halfway through.

Tip: Yeast adds flavour, while baking powder helps the sudden 'explosion' in hot oil. Long resting relaxes the dough.
2 ✓

Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Cut into 2 cm wide strips. Place two strips on top of each other and press down lengthwise in the middle with a chopstick.

Tip: This pressure sticks the two layers together in the centre, while the edges can split apart during frying.
3 ✓

Fry in hot oil (190°C), turning constantly, until golden brown and puffed up huge.

Tip: Constant turning is key so the dough expands evenly.
4 ✓

Drain and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Tip: Best served warm!

Recipe FAQ

Why did the dough stay dense?
Two reasons: it didn't rest enough (the gluten didn't relax), or the oil wasn't hot enough for rapid gas expansion.

Ingredients

  • 300 g Plain flour
  • 150 ml Lukewarm water
  • 5 g Dried yeast
  • 3 g Baking powder
  • 5 g Salt
  • 1 tbsp Oil (for dough)
  • 100 g Dark chocolate (melted)
  • 500 ml Oil for frying