Bibingka (Filipino Coconut Cake)

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This Bibingka is one of my favorite Filipino desserts. I like the texture and consistency, and it is YUMMY! Making it is also very easy and quick!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 3 1/2 cups sweet rice flour (often found at any Asian Market)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 
• 15 oz can coconut cream (Kakang Gata, or Pure Gata)
• 1 cup milk (I used whole milk but any kind of milk should do)
• 1 cup, or 1 (12 oz) can crushed pineapple

TOPPING

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350º degrees. Grease a 13×9 (rectangular) baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and sugar.
3. Add eggs, one at a time.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
5. Pour into a greased 13×9 pan.
6. Mix 1/4 cup brown and 2 tablespoons granulated sugars, then sprinkle all over the top of the Bibingka batter, and top with coconut flakes.
7. Bake for 1 hour. When done, allow the Bibingka to cool before cutting into squares. Serve!

Biko with Macapuno

INGREDIENTS  

• 3 cups black/dark purple sweet rice, (washed and soaked overnight)
• 2 cups ordinary malagkit/glutinous rice, washed
• 6 cups water
• 2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk
• Salt & Anise seed
• 6 cups coconut cream/kakang gata
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups Macapuno, or 1 (16 oz.) jar (store bought) Macapuno
• Latik, for toppings
• Banana leaves, oiled
• 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk, for making Latik

DIRECTIONS

For LATIK: (This can be done ahead of time, and/or while cooking the rice.)
Simmer coconut milk in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Continue to cook while stirring once in a while until coconut milk curds starts to form. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pan to keep from burning. It is done when the coconut curds turn golden brown and completely separates from oil.
Drain the latik, transfer to a bowl and set aside the coconut oil for greasing the banana leaves.

For BIKO:
1. In a large pan, combine black rice with 6 cups of water, cover the pan and bring to boil for 15 minutes. (Black rice requires “longer cooking time” than a regular glutinous rice. So by cooking it 15 minutes ahead makes sure that it is fully cooked.

2. Add regular glutinous rice, 2 cans of coconut milk, salt and anise seed to the pan, put the lid back and cook for 1 hour over medium heat, or until both rice are cooked and the liquid has already evaporated.

3. Combine coconut cream, sugar, vanilla and Macapuno with its juice in a large deep pan. Simmer over low heat while stirring until the sugar dissolves and the liquid slightly thickens.

4. Stir in the cooked rice in the thickened coconut milk mixture. Stir continuously until well blended and to avoid the bottom from burning. Keep simmering and stirring for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture is very sticky and almost difficult to stir. Remove from heat and transfer to a banana leaves-lined serving pan, plate, or bilao. Press down the biko to flatten the surface using a spatula.

5. Slice the biko into serving pieces, top with Latik and serve.