Milk Tea Layered Water Chestnut Cake

Prepare Red Tea: In a pot, boil 500ml of clear water. Add 10g red tea leaves and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea and set aside 420ml of brewed red tea.

Make Caramel Tea Syrup: In a separate pot, add 110g sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar caramelizes into a golden-brown liquid. Carefully pour the 420ml brewed red tea into the caramel, stirring quickly until combined.

Prepare Red Tea Paste: In a large bowl, combine 150g water chestnut flour with 420ml clear water (room temperature). Stir until smooth and no lumps remain. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Take two scoops of this water chestnut paste and add it to the hot caramel tea syrup. Stir until it thickens slightly. Then, pour the thickened caramel tea mixture back into the remaining water chestnut paste, stirring continuously until the paste is smooth and viscous.

Prepare Milk Paste: In a large bowl, combine 100g water chestnut flour with 400ml milk (room temperature). Stir until smooth and no lumps remain. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. In a separate pot, heat 250ml milk with 80g sugar over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take two scoops of the water chestnut paste and add it to the hot milk mixture. Stir until it thickens slightly. Then, pour the thickened milk mixture back into the remaining water chestnut paste, stirring continuously until the paste is smooth and viscous.

Steam Layers: Prepare a steaming tray. Pour a thin layer of the red tea paste into the tray. Steam for 2 minutes until set. Then, pour a thin layer of the milk paste on top. Steam for 2 minutes until set. Continue alternating layers of red tea paste and milk paste, steaming each layer for 2 minutes, until all paste is used.

Cool and Cut: Once all layers are steamed, remove the tray from the steamer and let the cake cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, carefully remove the cake from the tray and cut into desired shapes.