Ice Crystal Cake

Biodata

Background / History

Lu Qin obtains mastery of Ice Crystal Cake making through a System lottery. The skill gives him the complete process and critical preparation details, allowing him to understand and produce the pastry immediately 20.

Before introducing it at his stall, Lu Qin seeks out japonica rice and glutinous rice, purchases a twelve-inch millstone for hand-grinding flour, and acquires steamers, peanut oil, honey, charcoal, and molds. He specifically avoids machine-ground flour because it compromises the pastry's texture 24.

Lu Qin completes his first documented batch after steaming the molded dough for thirty minutes over fruitwood charcoal. He packages the finished cakes in clear plastic boxes and introduces them as a new stall product; demand is immediate enough that he maintains a purchase limit to prevent early customers from buying out the supply 25 26.

The pastry becomes one of Lu Qin's most sought-after items. It is sold at his morning and night stalls, delivered to Ouri International Hotel, carried to business meetings and banquets, and later draws customers away from a food festival to Lu's Snack Stall 36 132 212 223.

Appearance

Ice Crystal Cake is a small, translucent square pastry with an “ice skin” exterior. Its clear finish and visible interior give it an appearance repeatedly compared to crystal art or fine jade 26 52.

• Approximately four centimeters square 25 52
• Crystal-clear, smooth outer skin with no bubbles when properly prepared 25
• Finished with osmanthus honey and marigold; descriptions also note a floral fragrance of jasmine and marigold 25 41
• Typically packed in simple transparent plastic boxes despite its refined presentation 25 37
• Five pieces are shown in a box during the Victory Road stall sale 137

Preparation

The production process is considered unusually demanding: even Mai Dejun notes that its many critical details would be difficult to explain or reproduce casually 52. Xiong Tianmin, an experienced pastry chef, later manages to replicate only about 30% of Lu Qin's flavor 100.

Characteristics

• Texture — Soft, glutinous, chewy, and Q-bouncy, while retaining a jelly-like smoothness 26 28.
• Cooling sensation — Though not refrigerated, it feels cool upon eating; its ice skin is compared to a frozen dessert or ice cream 26 52.
• Flavor profile — Begins cool and sweet, then develops a mellow rice fragrance with lingering floral, honey, and osmanthus notes 25 133.
• Sweetness — Sweet without being cloying or sticking to the teeth, allowing customers to eat several pieces consecutively 31 133 266.
• Storage — Can be kept at ambient temperature without harming its taste; after two days, it reportedly loses little flavor or texture 97 163.
• Regional identity — The System describes it as a Southern dessert, while later pastry discussion identifies it as a niche Northeast regional delicacy resembling a glutinous-rice New Year cake 20 44 52.

Sales

Reception and Impact

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Menu expansion — Serves as Lu Qin's first documented new dessert skill after his early fried-rice-noodle and mung-bean-paste business begins 20 25.
• Family connection — Functions as a recurring expression of Lu Qin's care for Lu Xiyao and becomes something she associates strongly with her father 28 29 39.
• Reputation building — Its demand creates queues, sellouts, customer arguments, and word-of-mouth publicity for Lu Qin's stall 26 27 41.
• Hotel recognition — Leads to Lu Qin impressing Mr. Rossi at Ouri International Hotel and prompts Shen Muyan to reassess his culinary ability 37 38.
• Culinary validation — Earns exceptional praise from veteran chef Mai Dejun and challenges professional pastry chefs attempting to reproduce it 52 88 100.
• Business-world attention — Causes Sun Zhi and Fan Qingfang to seek Lu Qin out as a potential culinary recruit after tasting Shen Muyan's supply 133 134.
• Public showcase — Helps overturn a hostile livestreamer's prejudice against Dragon Country cuisine and remains a major draw at later stalls and festivals 136 137 223.