(Photo credit: Tim Ireland)
There's a new low-calorie dessert taking the internet by storm — and it looks exactly like a drop of water.
It’s called the "Raindrop Cake," and it’s every dieter's dream. This translucent dessert — created by New Yorker Darren Wong — is made only of mineral water and agar, a vegan alternative to gelatin. Served very simply at the Round K Cafe in New York City (or on weekends at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg), Wong's Raindrop Cake is accompanied with only a bit of roasted soybean flour and dark brown sugar syrup.
The idea originated in Japan as "Mizu Shingen Mochi" (or "water cake"), but after the trend went viral in 2014, it inspired Wong to bring the unique experience to the States.
So what does Raindrop Cake taste like, exactly? I headed to Darren’s kitchen in Brooklyn to see what all the hype was about.
Upon seeing the "cake," my first thought was, "It looks like Jell-O, so it probably tastes like Jell-O, right?" But to my surprise, it was particularly refreshing in a completely different way.
Though the cake itself didn't have much taste, the syrup and the soy powder give the raindrop a nutty flavor. (Think more airy and cool than rich and sweet.) But it’s the texture that really makes this dessert unique: It melts in your mouth, like a drop of water.
Even though the Raindrop has just a few ingredients, Wong says it wasn’t easy to replicate.
"The process of combining the ingredients correctly to maintain the drop's shape — but still have the texture of water — takes a while," Wong tells Fox News Magazine.
"A lot of trial and error goes into the preparation," he adds, "but I enjoy the process and love the science behind it."
If you, like me, assume this dish is just too simple to be a dessert, Wong says you're missing the point. "There are very few foods that can activate all of your senses at the same time," he says. "The texture is a big part of the experience."
Still, some foodies might argue that a calorie-free substance made from water doesn't really fit into the cake category, but this minimalist treat is meant to be more of a playful food experience, he adds.
No matter how it's categorized, the buzz about Wong's Raindrop Cakes is only getting louder and louder. In fact, Wong says he's taking the creation to California this summer, with possibly plans to go nationwide soon afterward.
"I was confident it would do well, but the turnout is even beyond my expectations," says Wong.
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