I am not an expert when it comes to making kakanin. I rely a lot of my knowledge from my Food Preparation class back in college. The most basic of which is How to Extract Coconut Cream. However, there are packs of coconut cream that I’ve tested out for maja blanca. Sapin-sapin is a number one request from most of my readers and it took me quite a while to test this recipe but finally here it is. Remember , we will be making 3 layers.

5 cups Coconut Cream (How to Extract Coconut Cream) From 2 Coconuts
2 cups rice flour
2 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon powdered aniseed
1/2 kilo ube
Red Food Color
latik (How to Prepare Latik)

Bamboo steamer
Big Pan or steamer

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Posted: September 7th, 2009 under Recipes, kakanin.
Comments: 1

Preparing Bico has got to be the simplest among the Kakanin varieties. There are just a few ingredients. If you prefer to use fresh coconut milk, refer to my tips on Extracting Coco Cream, Coco Milk and Making Latik which you will need for Bico Preparation

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups malagkit Bigas (Glutinous rice)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 pieces coconut magulang- 2-3 cups coconut milk ( see Extracting Coco Cream, Coco Milk and Making Latik )
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Topping is Latik ( see Extracting Coco Cream, Coco Milk and Making Latik )

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Posted: July 12th, 2009 under kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: none

I first learned how to cook suman from Prof. Matilde Guzman Food Preparation class. I love the combination of mongo and coconut-flavored sweet sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup malagkit (glutinous rice)
1 cup mongo
1-1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups coco milk
coco cream from 1 grated coconut

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Posted: April 8th, 2009 under Recipes, kakanin.
Comments: 2

I have featured a Puto Recipe made from all-purpose flour for a quick and easy way to prepare puto. I am sure you also want to know the traditional and old-fashioned way of preparing puto. Here is one recipe that makes use of Galapong Bigas.

Ingredients

6 cups Galapong Bigas (see method of preparing Galapong Bigas)
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder (optional since galapong bigas already has trapped yeast to make puto rise)
1 3/4 cups refined sugar
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (see procedure on Coconut milk preparation)
grated cheddar cheese (for topping, optional)
salted egg (for topping, optional)
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Posted: March 4th, 2009 under Baking Recipes, kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: 1

Palitaw is one of the kakanin delights that mom used to sell in her Sally’s Bake Shop. Palitaw is a small, flat, sweet rice cake made from malagkit (sticky rice) washed, soaked, and then ground. Scoops of the batter are dropped into boiling water where they float to the surface as flat discs – an indication that they’re done. When served, the flat discs are dipped in grated coconut, and presented with a separate dip made of sugar and toasted sesame seeds. Here is a simple recipe you can make.

Ingredients

2 cups malagkit rice flour
3/4 cup water
1/8 cup malagkit rice flour
6 cups water
2 cups grated coconut
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and slightly pounded

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Posted: February 5th, 2009 under kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: 1

Kutsinta will forever have special place in my heart. It was the first product that inspired my mom’s Sally’s Bake Shop in 1966. She had seen mothers buying kutsinta after a movie. An idea soon hit her. Why not make my own kutsinta? Here is a kutsinta recipe similar to mom’s.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups rice flour (substitute with all-purpose flour)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups water

1 teaspoon white lihia or lye (or potassium carbonate solution)

1/4 teaspoon yellow coloring

2 tablespoons white sugar

Topping: freshly grated coconut or cheese

Directions

1. Caramelize the white sugar with one cup water in a saucepan. Cool.

2. Once the mixture in number 1 is cooled, add the rest of the ingredients except toppings. Mix well and strain the ingredients using a strainer.

3. Prepare muffin pans by brushing with butter.

4. Steam for 20 to 30 minutes or or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. Add more water to the steamer if needed.

6. Just before the kutsinta is cooked, add grated cheese on the top (optional)

7. Remove from the muffin pans and serve with freshly grated coconut.

Posted: December 2nd, 2008 under Recipes, kakanin, kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: 1

Go to any mall , shopping places, or grocery in Metro Manila and chances are you will always find a kakanin stand like the one above. For as low as 10 pesos a piece, there are choices of biko, puto, kutsinta, suman , sapin-sapin and other Filipino delicacies. The kakanin stand owners don’t necessarily make the kakanin. These are just ordered from as far as Laguna or Antipolo.

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Posted: February 9th, 2007 under kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: none

Yummy Puto Pandan. I can just taste the pandan flavor in every bite of this puto. My husband and I happened to drop by at the Makati Cinema Square and the Kakanin stand on the first flooe never fails to attract me.

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Posted: February 4th, 2007 under kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: 16

Palitaw is a Filipino snack that is made of galapong (a soft dough), rice flour and when cooked, it is topped with white sugar and toasted linga (sesame seeds). According to this food site:

Palitaw literally means to float. Once the glutinous rice mixture floats it means its cook.”>Palitaw literally means to float. Once the glutinous rice mixture floats it means its cook.

Palitaw was the first bakery item that my mom introduced to groceries in the mid-1960’s. According to my mom, she got inspired to start a bakery business when she noticed movie-goers buying bakery items after a movie. She tried her hand at snack items like the palitaw, puto, kutsinta and other kakanin. This soon moved on to breads, cakes and pastries. Now I digress. This palitaw was part of the merienda eat-all-you-can buffet at Dad’s restaurant , 4th floor, SM Megamall. The merienda buffet costs only 95 pesos (plus 12% VAT) but still, you will be satiated. I added a puto bumbong with the palitaw but I don’t really like the taste. I barely taste anything. Maybe I’m used to too much sugar. Anyway, I found a palitaw recipe for me to try out in honor of my mom.

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Posted: August 3rd, 2006 under kakanin, suman, native rice cakes.
Comments: none