Double-skin milk (双皮奶) is the signature dessert of Shunde and one of the more improbable achievements of Cantonese food culture: fresh buffalo milk is heated, poured, cooled to form a skin, gently lifted, the milk poured back underneath, and then steamed a second time to form a second skin — the result is a silky, layered custard of extraordinary delicacy. The quality depends entirely on the freshness and fat content of the buffalo milk, which is why it tastes better in Shunde than anywhere else.
The dessert shops in central Shunde town serving double-skin milk are the most visited institutions in the district. Most also serve other Shunde dairy specialties — including a warm milk custard eaten hot — and some offer the full range of Shunde sweet soups and desserts. Go in the afternoon when the milk is freshest.