Gau (Nian Gao)

Ingredients

• 12 oz mochiko (glutinous rice powder)
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 blocks wong tong (Chinese brown sugar or brown sugar candy)
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 to 3/4 whole tangerine or orange peel (dried or fresh) - optional
• 1 dried jujube (chinese red date)
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 Ti leaf or banana leaf, thawed, washed and mid rib deboned (depends on pan size) OR line 9" round cake pan with parchment paper if using non-stick and no Ti leaves

Yield: one 9" round cake pan (scaled down by 1/4 from Mom's recipe), about 10 servings

Directions

1. In a medium pot over high heat combine the wong tong, brown sugar, tangerine peels, and water. Stir occasionally until sugar is melted. Remove from heat and let cool until warm to the touch.
2. Microwave Ti leaves till soft or pour boiling water over leaves to soften
3. In a large bowl mix rice flour, honey, oil and sugar water until combined. It is okay to have some lumps. Alternatively to avoid lumps: place the rice flour into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. While mixing on low speed, slowly add the sugar water mixture and honey, beating until smooth, about 2 minutes. Then add in the oil and mix until the oil is combined, about 5 minutes.
4. Line pans with non-stick foil or parchment paper followed by the ti leaves (overlapping and spreading them around in the pans). Oil the side of the ti leaves that the batter will touch to help prevent sticking.
5. If the batter is lumpy use a fine mesh strainer to pour the batter into the pan. Dissolve the lumps by pressing a wooden spoon through the batter. 
6. Fill the pan with water up to about ½ to ⅝ inches from top edge of pan to avoid overflow of batter which rises during steaming
7. Trim the ti leaves a bit higher than the pan height
8. Carefully place the pan onto a steamer and cover, steaming on medium heat for 3-5 hours until the wet tip of a chopstick or skewer inserted into the center of the gau comes out clean. Check the steamer every hour to replenish with hot water as needed to avoid complete water evaporation.
9. Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool. 
10. While the gau is still warm, garnish with a red date in center and sprinkle with sesame seeds
11. Cool to room temperature and serve. 

Tips: 

• If you don't have a steamer: You can place the cake pan on a rack in a covered pot with boiling water. The water should be up to at least an 1 ½ inches deep. Place a kitchen towel under thhhe lid to prevent condensation from falling onto the gau.
• Cut the gau with a plastic knife so it doesn't stick.
• Storage: store at room temperature for 1-2 days. Alternatively store in the refrigerator for ? days, steam or microwave to soften.

Notes: This came out ok. At 3 hours I ran out of time and transfered the whole le creuset pot to a timed oven to cook for 1 hour.