Shanzhagao

Shanzhagao or hawthorn cake is a Chinese snack food made from the Chinese hawthorn, Crataegus pinnatifida''. Shanzhagao is red in color and has a gummy texture. It is typically cut into cubes.

Process

The red dessert is usually made by cooking hawthorn berries and blending or pounding them into a paste. The paste is then cooked again and placed in a dish to set into a gelatin-like state. Sugar is also typically added during the paste stage.

Traditional medicine

Chinese hawthorn berries have been believed to benefit health in Chinese traditional medicine since the Tang dynasty. It is particularly believed to benefit the heart and digestive system.