Foodful Friday: Kuih Ketayap (Pandan-Flavoured Crepes with Grated Coconut Filling)

Hello again, my fellow readers, after a very long spell. Life here at the Yewnique household has been mostly same old, same old and not blog-worthy.

As I venture more firmly into middle age (I marked my 48th birthday last month), I feel that I am becoming increasingly Malaysian in my palate; I have craved for Malaysian street foods and delicacies. Fortunately, I live in Melbourne, where there is no shortage of Asian supermarkets and I can easily obtain the ingredients needed to satisfy my cravings.

One of my absolute favourite Malaysian kuih is Kuih Ketayap (koo-eh kuh-tah-yahp), a pandan-flavoured crepe filled with grated coconut and palm sugar.

Pandan Cheesecake with Pandan Kaya Topping

I’ve made cakes with pandan (screwpine leaves) flavour several times now.

• No-Bake Pandan Cheesecake with Pandan Agar Topping
• Pandan Cheesecake (2016)
• Pandan Layer Cake
• Pandan Chiffon Cake

I think I have finally found a way of making a Pandan Cheesecake with a topping that the whole family likes!

There are three parts to this cheesecake: the base, the cake, the topping. It is a relatively easy recipe, but it does take time, and there are some ‘exotic’ ingredients which some readers might find challenging to obtain. An Asian grocery store (or well-stocked cosmopolitan supermarket) should have these ingredients. (Then again, I may be spoiled and don’t know how good I have it!)

Base

• a packet of sweet biscuits (like Marie), crushed to yield 2 cups
• 2/3 cup of melted butter
• 1 tsp (or so) of cocoa powder (optional)

Note: Most recipes I’ve looked at call for 1 cup of crushed biscuits and 1/3 cup of melted butter. To me, the base ends up too thin and sometimes rather crumbly and does not hold well. I decided to double the amount here — 2 cups crushed biscuits, 2/3 cup melted butter — and I am extremely satisfied with the result. Your mileage may vary.

Method:

Combine crushed biscuits and melted butter until well combined. Press firmly into base of a 22cm (9-in) spring form pan. Chill until firm.

Filling

• 2 Tbsp. gelatine, dissolved in 1/3 cup water (sprinkle gelatine over cold water, stir to combine, and then microwave on high for 45 seconds)
• 2 x 250g packet cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 x 400ml can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4-5 drops of pandan paste
• 4-5 drops of pandan essence

 

Method:

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.

Add sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, pandan paste, and pandan essence and beat again until smooth.

Add gelatine mixture and beat again until smooth.

Pour into crumb base. Return to refrigerator and chill until firm. This will take several hours.

Topping:

I got the recipe for the kaya topping from this blog. That recipe is for a pandan kaya layer cake. I just looked at the kaya part for the topping. I tweaked the pandan juice part and the coconut milk part because I lazy (yes, I meant to write it that way). I used pandan paste and *gasp* canned coconut milk! Hey, it worked, okay?

• 300 g water
• 1/2 tsp white agar-agar powder
• 40 g sugar
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 40 ml pandan juice (4-5 drops of pandan paste into 40 ml of water)
• 1/8 tsp salt

Place all the above into a big enough saucepan and let sit for at least 30 minutes. That’s right. Just let it sit. Don’t stir, don’t beat, don’t heat. Just let it be.

• 120 g coconut milk
• 35 g white hun kwee powder

In a big enough bowl, combine the coconut milk and white hun kwee powder until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Hun Kwee Powder

Hun Kwee Powder

Hun Kwee powder, sometimes spelled Hoen Kwe  or Hun Kwe, is mung bean flour (starch). This might be the most challenging to obtain. I had to visit three different Asian grocery stores before I found this. (I have purchased this before, so I knew which particular store had it, but I thought I’d try my luck at a couple of others before making the trip there.)

According to a forum, you can use corn flour/starch in place of hun kwee powder. I have not tried this, so I can’t tell you how successful it will be.

• 5 drops pandan paste
• 1 big drop yellow food colour

 

Method:

Place saucepan over low heat and stir agar-agar mixture till agar-agar powder dissolves. (Mixture is now very hot but not boiling.)

Turn off heat. Add coconut milk mixture. Stir thoroughly. Add 5 drops pandan paste and 1 big drop egg yellow food colour. Stir thoroughly.

Turn on heat to medium-low. Cook and stir agar-agar mixture till thick enough to coat sides of pot thinly. Turn off heat. Stir till residual heat dissipates. (Mixture should now be thick enough to coat sides of pot thickly but thin enough to flow smoothly.)

Pour over cheesecake and chill until firm.

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Without all the la-di-da:

Base

• a packet of sweet biscuits (like Marie), crushed to yield 2 cups
• 2/3 cup of melted butter
• 1 tsp (or so) of cocoa powder (optional)

Filling

• 2 Tbsp. gelatine, dissolved in 1/3 cup water (sprinkle gelatine over cold water, stir to combine, and then microwave on high for 45 seconds)
• 2 x 250g packet cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 x 400ml can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4-5 drops of pandan paste
• 4-5 drops of pandan essence

Topping:

Part 1:

• 300 g water
• 1/2 tsp white agar-agar powder
• 40 g sugar
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 40 ml pandan juice (4-5 drops of pandan paste into 40 ml of water)
• 1/8 tsp salt

Part 2:

• 120 g coconut milk
• 35 g white hun kwee powder

Part 3:

• 5 drops pandan paste
• 1 big drop yellow food colour

Method:

Base

1. Combine crushed biscuits and melted butter until well combined. Press firmly into base of a 22cm (9-in) spring form pan. Chill until firm.

Filling

1. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, pandan paste, and pandan essence and beat again until smooth.
3. Add gelatine mixture and beat again until smooth.
4. Pour into crumb base. Return to refrigerator and chill until firm. This will take several hours.

Topping

1. Place Part 1 into a saucepan and leave for at least 30 minutes.
2. Combine ingredients in Part 2 and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Place saucepan over low heat and stir agar-agar mixture till agar-agar powder dissolves. (Mixture is now very hot but not boiling.)
4. Turn off heat. Add coconut milk mixture. Stir thoroughly. Add Part 3. Stir thoroughly.
5. Turn on heat to medium-low. Cook and stir agar-agar mixture till thick enough to coat sides of pot thinly. Turn off heat. Stir till residual heat dissipates. (Mixture should now be thick enough to coat sides of pot thickly but thin enough to flow smoothly.)
6. Pour over cheesecake and chill until firm.

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Enjoy!