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    Home » Desserts Recipes

    Espasol Recipe

    Published: Oct 3, 2023 by Nora Reyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Espasol is a sweet rice cake with a chewy texture and subtle coconut flavor. These cylindrical or rectangular rice cakes are cooked in a pan and rolled in powder for a satisfyingly delicious treat. The best part? Making this treat at home is incredibly simple, requiring just a few ingredients!

    Holding Espasol on a banana leaf.
    Jump to:
    • What is Espasol?
    • Ingredients you'll need
    • Notes and substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Try other Filipino rice cakes (kakanin)
    • Other dessert recipes you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What is Espasol?

    Espasol is a sweet rice cake with a chewy, slightly gritty texture and subtle coconut flavor. It is made with glutinous rice flour and coconut milk, combined to form a dough, then shaped into rectangular or cylindrical rice cakes and rolled in toasted rice flour.

    In the Philippines, it is a popular snack or dessert, enjoyed for its unique texture and coconut undertones.

    Ingredients you'll need

    Individual ingredients for Espasol
    Salt is not in the picture.

    Notes and substitutions

    • Glutinous Rice Flour: Also known as sweet rice flour or Mochiko, this type of flour is gluten-free and not sweet. It becomes sticky and chewy when cooked, unlike regular rice flour.
    • Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, though fresh is always best. You can also use coconut cream for more of that coconut taste, but it makes the dough oily due to its higher coconut content.
    • Optional Ingredients: You can elevate the flavors and textures by adding optional ingredients like macapuno (sweetened young coconut), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1 (Prepare the Coconut Mixture)

    In a mixing cup or bowl, combine 1 (400-ml) can of coconut milk, ¾ cup of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or other flavorings of your choice. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

    Combining the ingredients for the coconut mixture in the measuring cup.

    Step 2 (Toast the Glutinous Rice Flour)

    Over medium heat, toast 2½ cups of glutinous rice flour in a pan. Stir occasionally for about 20 minutes until it turns beige or light tan and gives off a toasted scent.

    If the pan becomes too hot, reduce the heat. Once done, reserve ½ cup of the toasted flour for coating and turn off the heat.

    Toasting the glutinous rice flour in the pan.

    Step 3 (Prepare the Parchment Paper)

    Prepare a sheet of parchment paper or a banana leaf (about 12x12 inches). Using a fine-mesh strainer, evenly sprinkle a third of the toasted flour you set aside for coating.

    Leave a margin around the edges without flour, depending on how thick or thin you want to spread the Espasol.

    Dusting the toasted flour on the parchment paper using a fine-mesh strainer.

    Step 4 (Combine the Ingredients)

    Add the coconut mixture to the pan with the rest of the flour. Turn the heat to medium and gently combine them, creating a smooth mixture.

    Adding the coconut mixture and mixing it with the toasted glutinous rice four.

    Step 5 (Mix until Thick)

    Keep folding and spreading the mixture for about 10 minutes. As it cooks, the Espasol will become stickier, chewier, and slightly darker. It's ready when it firms up and becomes more challenging to manage.

    PRO TIP: You can get creative by adding ingredients like macapuno, buko, or pinipig. Simply fold them into the dough at this point, enhancing the flavor and texture of your Espasol.

    Spreading and folding the dough in the pan using a spatula.

    Step 6 (Transfer and Spread the Mixture)

    Transfer the mixture to your parchment paper and immediately spread it out while it's warm and manageable. Use the spatula to spread it out evenly to create a thickness of about ½ inch, or adjust to your preference.

    Spreading the dough on the parchment paper dusted with toasted flour.

    Step 7 (Coat the Espasol)

    Generously dust the top with toasted flour and cut it into pieces using a knife or a dough scraper. Roll each piece in more toasted flour to provide an extra layer of coating and shake off excess.

    Cutting the Espasol into small pieces using a bench scraper.

    Serve and enjoy your Espasol! Many people prefer it while it's still warm for that sticky and chewy texture. It's also delicious after it has slightly firmed up, providing a somewhat different, chewier experience.

    Stretching a piece of Espasol.

    Recipe FAQs

    How long does espasol stay fresh?

    Espasol is best enjoyed warm when it's chewy and soft. However, if you need to store it, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate it for up to a week.

    Espasol also freezes well. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw on the countertop until it returns to its soft texture.

    Can I use regular rice flour instead of glutinous rice flour?

    No, glutinous rice flour is essential for Espasol's chewy texture. Regular rice flour won't provide the same consistency.

    Try other Filipino rice cakes (kakanin)

    • Bibingka: A soft and fluffy rice cake traditionally cooked in banana leaves, topped with slices of salted egg and cheese.
    • Kutsinta: A sticky, chewy rice cake with a jelly-like texture, usually brownish in color and topped with grated mature coconut.
    • Sapin-Sapin: A glutinous rice cake dessert with colorful layers, typically purple (with ube flavor), yellor or orange (with langka flavor), and white (with coconut milk or cream). It is often topped with caramelized coconut curds or toasted coconut.
    • Puto: Steamed muffins made with rice flour, often topped with cheese or salted egg (itlog na maalat).
    • Biko: A sweet rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar, typically topped with caramelized coconut curds.
    • Palitaw: Boiled sweet rice cakes coated with grated coconut, topped with sugar and sesame seeds or crushed peanuts.
    • Ube Kalamay: A sticky and sweet purple yam rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and ube or Ube Halaya.
    • Espasol: A cylindrical or rectangular rice cake made with toasted sticky rice flour and coconut milk, then rolled in more toasted rice flour for a powdery finish.
    • Suman: Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in banana or palm leaves, and steamed until soft and chewy.

    Other dessert recipes you may like

    • ginataang bilo-bilo
      Ginataang Bilo-Bilo Recipe
    • Ube kalamay on a fork
      Ube Kalamay Recipe
    • kutsinta on banana leaf
      Kutsinta Recipe
    • Holding Filipino banana fritters
      Filipino Banana Fritters Recipe

    Did you make this recipe? I would love to know! Your feedback helps me make better recipes.  Please rate, review, or comment below. Questions about this recipe are welcome, too!

    Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!

    📖 Recipe

    holding espasol

    Espasol

    A sweet rice cake (or kakanin) with a chewy texture and subtle coconut flavor.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 pieces
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Nora Rey
    Cost: $4-$6

    Equipment

    • Non-stick sauté pan or a pan with high sides
    • Spatula
    • Parchment paper or banana leaves
    • Fine mesh strainer optional
    • Knife or pastry cutter (also known as a bench scraper)

    Ingredients

    • 2½ cups glutinous rice flour see note
    • 1 can coconut milk (400 ml or 1⅔ cups) see note
    • ¾ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark) sub: granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract sub: pandan or ube extract
    • A pinch of salt

    Instructions

    • In a mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract or other flavorings. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
    • Over medium heat, toast 2½ cups of glutinous rice flour in a pan. Stir occasionally for about 20 minutes until it turns beige or light tan and gives off a toasted scent.
      If the pan becomes too hot, reduce the heat. Once done, reserve ½ cup of the toasted flour for coating and turn off the heat.
    • Prepare a sheet of parchment paper or a banana leaf (about 12x12 inches). Using a fine-mesh strainer, evenly sprinkle a third of the toasted flour you set aside for coating.
      Leave a margin around the edges without flour, depending on how thick or thin you want to spread the Espasol.
    • Add the coconut mixture to the pan with the rest of the flour. Turn the heat to medium and gently combine them, creating a smooth mixture.
    • Keep folding and spreading the mixture for about 10 minutes. As it cooks, the Espasol will become stickier, chewier, and slightly darker. It's ready when it firms up and becomes more challenging to manage.
      Note: At this point, you can get creative by adding ingredients like macapuno, buko, or pinipig. Simply fold them into the dough, enhancing the flavor and texture of your Espasol.
    • Transfer the mixture to your parchment paper and immediately spread it out while it's warm and manageable. Use the spatula to spread it out evenly to create a thickness of about ½ inch, or adjust to your preference.
    • Generously dust the top with toasted flour and cut it into pieces using a knife or a dough scraper. Roll each piece in more toasted flour to provide an extra layer of coating and shake off excess. Serve and enjoy your Espasol!

    Notes

    • Glutinous Rice Flour: Also known as sweet rice flour or Mochiko, this type of flour is gluten-free and not sweet. It becomes sticky and chewy when cooked, unlike regular rice flour.
    • Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, though fresh is always best. You can also use coconut cream for more of that coconut taste, but it makes the dough oily due to its higher coconut content.
    • Optional Ingredients: You can elevate the flavors and textures by adding optional ingredients like macapuno (sweetened young coconut), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 10mgPotassium: 57mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 7gVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
    Nutritional Information Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided on this platform is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data has not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory authority. The information should not be construed as health or nutrition advice. The data is calculated using various food composition databases and should be considered as an estimation. Individual results may vary due to factors like product types or brands used, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed.
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @recipesbynora or tag #RecipesByNora!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenny Arias

      October 05, 2023 at 10:27 am

      This is very nostalgic, can't wait to try it myself

      Reply
      • Nora Reyes

        October 07, 2023 at 9:59 pm

        Hello Jenny, I'm so glad it brought back memories for you! I hope you enjoy making and eating it as much as I do. Let me know how it turns out! 😊

        Reply
    2. Andy

      October 05, 2023 at 10:25 am

      I hope it's not too hard to make, this is my fave!

      Reply
      • Nora Reyes

        October 07, 2023 at 10:01 pm

        Hello Andy, It's actually simpler than you might think! Just follow the steps and you'll be enjoying your favorite Espasol in no time. If you have any questions while making it, feel free to ask. Enjoy! 😊

        Reply
        • Andy

          October 10, 2023 at 8:47 am

          5 stars
          Never thought i could do espasol at home, thank you my kids loved it! Still need to work on shaping it though lol Yours look much better

          Reply
          • Nora Reyes

            October 11, 2023 at 12:26 am

            Hello Andy, I am so happy to hear that your kids loved it. Espasol is quite forgiving when it comes to shaping. Just flatten the mixture evenly and cut it into your desired portions. I am sure your espasol looked good!

            Reply
    3. Arlene

      October 05, 2023 at 10:24 am

      Excited to try this!

      Reply
      • Nora Reyes

        October 07, 2023 at 10:02 pm

        Hello Arlene, That's great to hear! I'm sure you'll love it. Let me know how it turns out! 😊

        Reply
    4. Dennis

      October 04, 2023 at 10:44 pm

      5 stars
      My favorite!

      Reply
      • Nora Rey

        October 05, 2023 at 12:13 am

        I'm so glad! Thanks, Dennis!

        Reply

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