Shuangbaotai facts for kids
Fried shuangbaotai with sesame seeds
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| Alternative names | Horse hooves |
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| Type | Doughnut |
| Place of origin | Taiwan |
| Main ingredients | Dough |
| 雙胞胎 | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 雙胞胎 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 双包胎 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | twins | ||||||||||
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| Minnan name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 馬花糋 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 马花糋 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | horse hoof cake | ||||||||||
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Shuangbaotai (simplified Chinese: 双胞胎; traditional Chinese: 雙胞胎; pinyin: shuāngbāotāi) is a yummy, sweet fried dough snack from Taiwan. It's also known as horse hooves because of its shape. This treat has a crispy outside and a chewy inside with lots of air pockets.
Shuangbaotai is made by twisting two small pieces of dough together. Then, they are fried until golden brown. As they cook, the twisted pieces separate a little but stay connected, looking like twins!
What's in a Name?
The name shuāngbāotāi comes from Mandarin Chinese. It means "twins". This name fits perfectly because the snack looks like two pieces of dough joined together.
In Taiwanese Hokkien, another name for this food is 馬花糋 (bé-hoe-chìⁿ). This name means "horse-hoof cake." It also describes the unique shape of the fried dough.
Where to Find It
In Taiwan, shuangbaotai is a popular snack, often called xiaochi. You won't usually find it in fancy restaurants or bakeries. Instead, it's typically sold by hawkers at street stalls. It's a common sight in busy night markets across Taiwan.
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Shuangbaotai sold as xiaochi street food
