Almond Float With Mandarin Oranges

Almond float is the dessert that arrives in a tiny bowl at the end of every old-school Chinese-American restaurant meal, those cool jiggly milky squares floating in mandarin orange syrup. It’s not gelatin (despite the appearance) and it’s not Jello. The texture is firmer, drier, and snaps slightly between the teeth instead of melting into goo.

Agar-agar is the secret. The seaweed-derived gelling agent sets at room temperature (no refrigeration required to firm up) and gives the float its distinctive clean break. Watch the pan when you boil the agar, the recipe warns about burning on the bottom for good reason. Once burnt, the whole batch tastes singed.

The almond extract goes in at the end, after the agar has dissolved and the milk has heated. Adding it earlier means the volatile aromatic compounds boil off and you lose the perfume. A full tablespoon sounds like a lot but is correct.

Pro Tips

• Use agar-agar strips or powder (not gelatin), the textures are completely different and gelatin will leave you with rubbery cubes
• The agar will smell strongly while it dissolves, the recipe warns this is normal. The smell does not transfer to the finished dish
• Pour the hot mixture into a glass or stainless dish, plastic absorbs almond flavor permanently and the float will release more easily from non-stick surfaces
• Cut into 1-inch cubes with a wet knife, dry knives drag through the jelly and tear the cubes
• The float keeps three days in the fridge covered, longer than that and it weeps liquid

Variations

• Use lychee or longan in syrup instead of mandarin oranges for a more authentic Cantonese version
• Drop in a few rinsed goji berries for color and tradition
• Substitute coconut milk for the evaporated milk for a tropical, dairy-free almond float