Kalamay hati is a soft and sticky Filipino rice cake made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and brown sugar.
Muscovado or panutsa is often used, which adds a darker color and a deeper flavor.
The mixture is cooked on the stove until thick, then spread in a pan and topped with latik.
It uses simple ingredients and doesn't need an oven, so it's an easy kakanin to make for sharing.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sweet rice flour or sticky rice flour. This gives kalamay its sticky, chewy texture.
- Coconut milk: The thinner coconut liquid used for the base.
- Coconut cream: Thicker and richer than coconut milk. When cooked, it separates into oil and toasted coconut curds (latik) used for topping.
- Sugar: Use brown sugar (lighter, easy to find), muscovado (deeper flavor, darker color), or panutsa (solid cane sugar; chop or grate first so it melts more easily).
How to Make Kalamay Hati (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Make the latik
Pour 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut cream into a pan over medium heat.
Let it simmer until it starts to separate into oil and solids.
Keep cooking, stirring more often as it browns, until the solids turn light golden brown.
Strain and set the latik curds aside, then save the oil for later.
If you want more details, check out my full latik guide.
Step 2: Prepare the banana leaves (optional)
Wipe the leaves clean (no need to rinse unless dirty).
Pass them quickly over a flame until soft and flexible.
Brush the banana leaves with oil, then use them to line an 8x8-inch pan or similar-size platter.
Step 3: Mix everything together
In a pan (off heat), combine:
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 2 cans coconut milk (about 3½ cups)
- 1½ cups sugar (I used half muscovado and half brown sugar)
- A pinch of salt
Mix until smooth before turning on the heat.
Step 4: Cook until thick
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn't stick to the pan.
As it cooks, it will look a little lumpy or grainy.
Keep stirring and scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. Lower the heat as needed.
Keep stirring until the mixture gets very thick and sticky.
It should be harder to stir, but still soft enough to spread in the pan.
This can take about 30 minutes, depending on your heat.
It's ready when it holds its shape and starts pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Step 5: Transfer and spread
Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and spread it out as evenly as you can using a spatula.
Brush the top with a little of the latik oil to help smooth it out and give it a nice shine.
Step 6: Top with latik
Sprinkle the latik on top, then let it cool until set.
Once cooled, scoop and serve you kalamay hati.
Cooking Tips
- Stir constantly: It thickens fast and can stick or burn at the bottom.
- Use medium heat: Too high and it cooks unevenly.
- Cook until very thick: It should be hard to stir but still spreadable. It will firm up as it cools.
- Oil your spatula: Helps when spreading - it won't stick as much.
- Don't overcook: It can turn too firm or rubbery once cooled.
How to Store & Reheat
- To store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you're serving it the same day, it can stay at room temperature for a few hours.
- To reheat: Microwave in short intervals until soft again.
Recipe FAQs
Kalamay hati is a soft and sticky Filipino rice cake made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar.
It's cooked on the stove until thick, then spread in a pan and topped with latik.
Kalamay hati is made with glutinous rice flour and more coconut milk, so it turns out extra soft, smooth, and sticky.
It's also a simpler kind of kalamay, usually made with just a few basic ingredients like coconut milk and dark sugar.
Brown sugar, muscovado, or panutsa all work.
Muscovado gives it a deeper flavor and darker color, while brown sugar is lighter and easier to find.
Panutsa is a solid cane sugar, so just chop or grate it first so it melts more easily.
It was likely cooked too long or didn't have enough liquid. The mixture should be very thick, but still easy to spread.
Kalamay will firm up more as it cools, so try not to overcook it.
It should look very thick, soft, and sticky. It will be harder to stir at this point, but it should still spread easily into the pan.
More Filipino Desserts You May Like
- Halo-halo: Cold shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings.
- Mango gelatin: Creamy mango dessert that's easy to make ahead.
- Leche flan: Custard with caramel on top.
- Buko pandan: Creamy coconut dessert with pandan jelly.
- Mais con yelo: Cold corn dessert with milk and ice.
- Fruit salad: Creamy fruit dessert for parties and holidays.
- Turon: Crisp fried banana rolls with caramelized sugar.
- Minatamis na saging: Sweet saba bananas cooked in syrup.
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📖 Recipe
Kalamay Hati with Latik
Equipment
- Wide pan or nonstick pan
- Strainer (for latik)
- 8x8-inch dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 2 cans coconut milk (about 3½ cups)
- 1½ cups sugar I used half brown & half muscovado sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1 can coconut cream (about 1¾ cups)
Instructions
- Make the latik: Cook the coconut cream until it separates into oil and solids. Continue cooking until the solids turn light golden brown. Strain the latik and save the oil.
- Prepare the banana leaves (optional): Wipe the leaves clean, then pass them quickly over a flame until soft and flexible. Brush with oil and use them to line your pan or platter.
- Mix the ingredients: In a pan (off heat), combine all the ingredients and mix until smooth and lump-free.
- Cook the mixture: Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly so it doesn't stick.Lower the heat as needed and continue cooking until very thick and hard to stir, but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.
- Transfer and spread: Transfer to your prepared dish and spread evenly. Brush the top with a little latik oil, if you like.
- Top and cool: Sprinkle the latik on top. Let it cool until set, then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour: Makes kalamay sticky and chewy.
- Coconut milk: The thinner canned coconut liquid used for the base.
- Coconut cream: Thicker than coconut milk. Used to make latik for topping.
- Sugar: Use brown sugar (lighter, easy to find), muscovado (deeper flavor, darker color), or panutsa (solid cane sugar; chop or grate first).
- Stir constantly: It thickens fast and can stick or burn at the bottom.
- Use medium heat: Too high and it cooks unevenly.
- Cook until very thick: It should be hard to stir but still spreadable. It will firm up as it cools.
- Oil your spatula: Helps when spreading - it won't stick as much.
- Don't overcook: It can turn too firm or rubbery once cooled.
- To store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you're serving it the same day, it can stay at room temperature for a few hours.
- To reheat: Microwave in short intervals until soft again.
Ali says
This is great. I had this a lot growing up.
Nora Reyes says
Yaaay! Me too!