Junshan Yinzhen Steamed Milk Pudding (Shuang Pi Nai)
Cantonese double-skin milk pudding infused with Junshan Yinzhen—silken, faintly toasted, sweet without weight.
Shuang pi nai (literally 'double-skin milk') is a Cantonese classic from Shunde—a featherlight steamed milk pudding set with egg whites, named for the two thin skins that form during cooking. Infusing the milk with Junshan Yinzhen turns this already gentle dessert into the perfect counterpart to a cup of the same tea.
Water buffalo milk is the original, but full-fat cow's milk works well. The key is freshness and fat: 3.5%+ whole milk creates a sturdier first skin, which is the structural backbone of the dessert.
Steeping the leaves at a low temperature is non-negotiable. Junshan's perfume vanishes above 80°C, so heat the milk gently, steep off the heat, and never let it boil after the tea goes in.
Steam over a very low, steady flame. A violent boil under the bowl will crack the surface or curdle the egg whites. The pudding should jiggle softly when you tap the side, with two visible thin skins on top and bottom.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (3.5%+)
- 1 tbsp Junshan Yinzhen leaves
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- Steamer setup with shallow bowls
- Hot water for steamer
- A few extra Junshan buds to garnish
How to make it
- 1Heat milk gently in a saucepan until just steaming (about 80°C / 175°F). Do not boil.
- 2Remove from heat. Add Junshan Yinzhen leaves, cover, and steep 8 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Reheat the infused milk to just steaming and stir in sugar and salt until dissolved.
- 3Divide warm infused milk between 4 shallow heat-proof bowls. Let stand 4–5 minutes—a thin skin will form on the surface of each.
- 4Carefully tip each bowl to one side and pour the milk back into a clean bowl, leaving the skin behind in the original bowl. (This is the first skin.)
- 5Whisk the egg whites lightly with vanilla just to combine—do not foam. Mix with the milk. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, then pour it gently back over the reserved skins in each bowl.
- 6Cover each bowl with foil. Steam over very low heat 12–15 minutes until just set (a gentle jiggle, no liquid in the center). Cool slightly, garnish with a few Junshan buds, and serve warm or chilled.
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