This is another one of my favorite local dessert that is commonly found in Singapore and Malaysia local cake shops and vendors. It is a traditional and classic Nonya or Peranakan steamed cake that is made up of a creamy sticky glutinous rice layer topped with a wonderfully fragrant pandan coconut custard layer. The creamy and sticky coconut rice layer is perfectly balanced with a not so sweet custard layer that is so deliciously luscious. It is such pretty dessert to serve especially if you had used butterfly pea flower! It also makes all the difference if fresh pandan juice is used but you may however substitute it with pandan extract if you are not able to get hold of fresh pandan leaves.
Although it has quite a few steps to the recipe, it is an easy dessert to make but it is well worth the effort!
Ingredients:
Rice layer:
White glutinous rice 300 g, soak overnight or for at least 3 hours
Coconut milk 200 g
1/4 tsp salt
Butterfly blue pea powder 2 tsps
Pandan leaves, 2 knotted
Pandan Custard Layer:
Sugar 80 g
All purpose flour 90 g
Tapioca starch 2 Tbsps
Coconut milk 300 g
Eggs 2
Pandan juice 100 g (cut up 4 pandan leaves and blend with 100 g water and run through a sieve for the juice) or 1-1.5 tsps of pandan extract + water to make up 100 g.
Wash the glutinous rice. Soak for at least 3 hours or overnight. Drain water from the glutinous rice and place in a large bowl.
Line the bottom of a 23 x 15cm (9 x 6 inch) tin with parchment paper and prepare steamer.
In a measuring jug or bowl, mix together coconut milk, salt and butterfly pea powder. Pour into the drained rice and mix well.
Pour rice into prepared tin. Place 2 knotted pandan leaves on top and steam for 30 mins. When rice is ready, remove from steamer. Flatten and compress with a flat surface (I used a smaller loaf tin to do this).
Prepare pandan juice - wash and cut 4 pandan leaves into 5cm (2 inch) strips. Place in a chopper (blender) with 100 g of water and process till fine. Strain and squeeze out the juice and set aside.
In a saucepan, add all the ingredients for the pandan custard layer. Whisk gently till flour is blended into the mixture. Cook mixture over low heat, while stirring constantly, till thickened slightly (mixture should be able to coat the back of a spoon). Run mixture through a sieve.
Pour mixture on top of the compressed rice and steam for 20 mins or till custard has set.
Remove from steamer and cool completely before unmolding and cutting with an oiled knife.
Store uneaten cakes in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave covered for 1 min.
Note: Wrap a cloth around the cover of steamer so that the condensation does not drip onto the cake while steaming. The top of the cake not be smooth but uneven and bumpy if this happens. Still edible, just not as pretty.
Forget the fork and dig right in!