Espasol

Sweet rice cakes with a chewy texture and subtle coconut flavor.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Filipino

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings 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 (13.5-oz) can or 1⅔ cups coconut milk 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

US Customary - Metric

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 that was 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 spreading and folding the dough 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 mix.
Note: Feel free to get creative here by adding ingredients like buko, macapuno, or pinipig. Just fold them into the dough at this stage to boost the flavor and texture of your Espasol.
Transfer the dough to your parchment paper and immediately spread it out while it's warm and manageable. Use a 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, which sets it apart from regular rice flour.
Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, although fresh is always best. For a richer coconut flavor, you might want to try coconut cream, but just keep in mind that it can make the dough oily due to its higher fat content.
Optional Ingredients: Feel free to mix in extras like macapuno (coconut sport), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).

Nutrition