Monday, August 4, 2025

The Creamy, Coconutty Filipino Dessert Salad You may Need All Summer time Lengthy

Why It Works

  • Making your individual jelly permits you to management its taste and sweetness. 
  • Utilizing coconut in lots of types packs the salad with layers of taste and ranging textures. 

Fruit salad, a mix of contemporary or canned fruits, was launched to the Filipino food plan through the American occupation. Like embutido (Filipino meatloaf) and Filipino spaghetti, fruit salad has been Filipinized―a time period utilized to dishes which have been borrowed and tailored to go well with native tastes and use accessible substances. These days, most Filipino variations of fruit salad use a mix of canned fruit cocktail and desk cream (typically referred to as gentle cream or espresso cream, which has wherever from 18% to 30% milk fats). 

Buko pandan is a form of variation on that Filipinized fruit salad. Initially concocted on the island of Bohol within the Jap Visayas area, this lush dessert is made with pandan jelly, shredded younger coconut meat (often known as buko), desk cream, and sweetened condensed milk. It’s extensively loved throughout the nation and is served at residence, in eating places, and, typically, at fiestas. Buko pandan can also be a well-liked taste possibility for different desserts, like ice cream, pastries, and desserts.  

I keep in mind making this dish with my lola (grandmother). We’d go to the close by palengke, or market, to purchase agar-agar―a gelling agent derived from seaweed that was bought in brightly-colored dried bars―and contemporary buko from a coconut peddler. To pick out the right coconut, he knocked on coconuts looking for the youngest, juiciest one (a hole sound signifies an older coconut with much less juice). Armed with a machete, he would trim the highest, shave off the outer husk, and allow you to sip the juice. As soon as completed, he sliced the coconut in half and scraped out the meat so that you can take residence.

Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


This recipe is impressed by the one I grew up making. For the jelly, I take advantage of coconut water, versus plain water, to infuse it with a subtly candy coconut taste. I additionally attain for powdered gelatin―handy and simpler to search out within the US than agar-agar, which imbues the jelly with a much less brittle, bouncier texture. A contact of buko pandan extract, a flavored extract used extensively within the Philippines, supplies a pop of vivid inexperienced and grassy vanilla notes. 

For the creamy part, I take advantage of unsweetened coconut cream and sweetened condensed coconut milk to let the coconut take heart stage―a transfer that makes this salad dairy-free. I like to combine in macapuno (preserved younger coconut strips) and nata de coco (cubed coconut gel produced from fermented coconut water) for added chewiness, each of which counterpoint the bouncy jelly. Lastly, a sprinkle of toasted pinipig, or pounded younger rice, on high supplies slightly crunch.

March 2022

The Creamy, Coconutty Filipino Dessert Salad You may Need All Summer time Lengthy



Cook dinner Mode
(Preserve display awake)

For the Jelly:

  • 2 cups (475 ml) unsweetened coconut water, divided (see word)

  • 1/2 ounce unflavored gelatin powder (about 4 1/2 teaspoons; 14 g), reminiscent of Knox

  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) buko pandan extract (see word)

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ggentle brown sugar

For the Buko Pandan:

  • 2 ounces (60 ml) unsweetened coconut cream, reminiscent of Kara 

  • 2 ounces (60 ml) sweetened condensed coconut milk (see word)

  • 1 (12-ounce; 340 g) bottle nata de coco, rinsed (see word)

  • 1 (12-ounce; 340g) bottle macapuno (see word)

  • 2 tablespoons (25 g) pinipig (see word)

  1. For the Jelly: Pour 1/2 cup coconut water right into a medium heatproof bowl and evenly sprinkle gelatin over floor. Put aside.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


  2. In a small saucepan, carry remaining 1 1/2 cups coconut water to a boil over excessive warmth. Add extract and brown sugar and whisk till sugar is totally dissolved.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


  3. Add coconut water combination to gelatin combination and whisk till gelatin is totally dissolved.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


  4. Switch combination to an 8-inch sq. glass baking dish and let cool at room temperature for 45 minutes. Cowl and refrigerate till totally set, not less than 3 hours. Utilizing a pointy knife, portion jelly into 64 1-inch squares and refrigerate till prepared to make use of.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


  5. For the Buko Pandan: In a big bowl, whisk collectively coconut cream and condensed coconut milk till nicely mixed. Add nata de coco, macapuno, and jelly squares. Utilizing a versatile spatula, gently fold substances collectively, taking care to keep away from breaking apart the jelly squares. Cowl and refrigerate till chilly, about 1 hour.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


  6. In the meantime, in a small stainless-steel skillet, toast pinipig over medium warmth, stirring and swirling often, till puffed and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Switch to small bowl and put aside.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


  7. Switch buko pandan to particular person serving bowls, garnish with toasted pinipig, and serve.

    Critical Eats / Rezel Kealoha


Particular Tools

 8-inch sq. glass baking dish.

Notes

For the unsweetened coconut water, you should utilize frozen coconut water, present in Filipino and Asian markets within the frozen aisle; simply thaw within the fridge in a single day earlier than utilizing. For those who’re unable to supply frozen coconut water, substitute with different unsweetened coconut water reminiscent of Innocent Harvest natural coconut water. 

Buko pandan extract might be present in Asian markets or on-line. 

Condensed coconut milk is a non-dairy various possibility for typical sweetened condensed milk. It may be present in Asian markets, at specialty markets reminiscent of Entire Meals, and on-line.

Nata de coco, or coconut gel, is produced from fermented coconut water and possesses a chewy, gelatinous texture. It may be present in Filipino and Asian markets, or on-line.

Macapuno, or coconut sport strings, are preserved younger coconut strips produced from quite a lot of coconut that has tender, jelly-like flesh and incorporates little or no water. It is sweeter than other forms of coconut and is usually utilized in Filipino desserts. Macapuno might be present in Filipino and Asian markets, or on-line.

Pinipig, or pounded younger rice, might be present in most Asian and Filipino markets and on-line. 

Make-Forward and Storage

The jelly might be made prematurely and refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.  

Buko pandan might be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.

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