A great cover doesn't mean a good book, but can you judge a dessert by how it looks?

Desserts have a fundamental, an almost universal appeal. They soothe the soul. But is it possible to overlook the superficial, to move beyond visual cues and let the taste buds be the only judge? That was my precise predicament when offered a bowl of sweet tofu at a traditional dessert shop in Hong Kong.

My friends, natives of Hong Kong, are regular patrons at Yuen Kee Dessert. The establishment takes pride in preserving the recipe for this broth, which is thicker than soup and more gelatinous than jelly.

There were two varieties on offer, sesame and peanut tofu. The sesame flavour resembled alien fuel and slopped into its bowl – even the most dedicated afficionado wouldn’t claim it looked appetising. The peanut tofu looked a bit like a blob of vanilla ice cream immersed in chocolate malt, a little easier to ingest. The verdict: nothing like you’ve ever had before. The closest comparison to draw is to flavoured yoghurt, but it has a much thicker texture and sweet tofu I concluded, is an acquired taste. Lovers of dairy products may take to it right away, but for most of the uninitiated, getting through this large serving could seem a lot like work.