A delightful two-layered Malaysian treat! Lots of pandan and coconut flavors, and not very difficult to make.
Makes 16–20 small squares
Ingredients
Sticky Rice Layer
- 1½ cups glutinous rice (~300 g)
- 110 ml coconut milk
- 70 ml water
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1–2 pandan leaves, tied in knots
Pandan Custard Layer
- 3 eggs
- 135 g sugar
- 50 g rice flour
- 15 g cornstarch
- 150 ml coconut milk
- 150 ml water
- 2 tsp pandan extract or pandan paste
Directions
The night before
- Rinse the glutinous rice.
- Soak in water overnight (or at least 2-4 hours)
Cook the Sticky Rice
- Drain rice
- Mix the rice with coconut milk, water salt, sugar
- Place rice into a lined 8×8 pan or heatproof dish
- Tuck the pandan leaves into the rice.
- Steam 30 minutes over medium heat until rice is fully cooked.
- Remove pandan leaves
Make the Rice Layer Firm (Important)
This step prevents the pandan custard from soaking into the rice
- While the rice is still hot, mix in:
- 1 tbsp coconut milk
- a pinch of salt
- Press the rice very firmly and evenly into the pan using a spatula or flat spoon. The rice should form a tight, compact layer with no gaps.
- Tip: Wet the spoon slightly so the rice doesn’t stick
Make the Custard
- Lightly beat the eggs
- In the bowl with the eggs, combine: sugar, rice flour, cornstarch, coconut milk, water, pandan extract
- Whisk until smooth
- Strain through a mesh sieve to remove lumps
Heat to Lightly Thicken the Custard
This helps keep the layers separate.
- Pour mixture into a pot.
- Heat over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Stop when the custard reaches thin pancake batter consistency. Do not cook until thick like pudding
Assemble
- Pour the warm custard over the hot pressed rice layer
- Tap the pan gently to release bubbles or use the corner of a paper towel to pop surface bubbles
Steam the Cake
- Cover loosely with foil or cling wrap
- Steam on low heat for 35–40 minutes
Important tips:
- Keep the heat gentle so the custard surface stays smooth
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool Before Cutting
Cool at least 1 hour before cutting.
For clean slices:
- Lightly oil the knife.
- Wipe the blade between cuts.
Important Tips
✔ Press rice very firmly to prevent custard leaking down
✔ Lightly thicken custard first before pouring
✔ Steam gently so custard stays smooth
✔ Cool completely before cutting