Vattalappam or Wattalapam

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 300 g desiccated coconut
• 400 ml milk
• 4 eggs
• 180 g palm sugar
• 60 ml water
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• ¼ tsp mace
• 1 pinch of clove powder
• 120 g cashew nuts
• 20 g butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 50 minutes

Coconut milk flan from Indonesia and all of Southeast Asia

Gently heat the desiccated coconut with the milk and bring to a boil for two to three minutes to allow the milk to absorb as much coconut flavor as possible. Grating fresh coconut yourself is said to intensify the flavor, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to test it. Once the coconut milk has cooled slightly, squeeze it well into a kitchen towel and evenly whisk the four eggs into the collected liquid. There should be no foam. Add the palm sugar to the water and bring to a boil until completely dissolved. As an alternative to palm sugar, you can use 125 grams of brown sugar and 100 ml of beet syrup. Allow to cool slightly, then mix with the coconut milk and spices. Butter small soufflé dishes and scatter the chopped cashews over the bases. Fill with the cream mixture and bake in a water bath at 170 degrees Celsius for 90 minutes. The cashews will rise to the surface and form a crust with the caramelizing palm sugar. Allow to cool, remove from the molds and serve with the crust facing up.