Skip to main content

Bika Ambon Panggang ~ 印尼糕

Kuih Bika Ambon or Honeycomb cake is an Indonesian dessert and from the outset it looks quite challenging to attempt baking this cake in order to achieve a honeycomb pattern.  There are many recipes online and I also googled for Indonesian recipes and watched the video on youtube.  I was looking for a recipe that is not so complicating but straightforward and I managed to come across Whattocooktoday's blog and found her recipe.  I was very delighted when the cake turned out to be a success.  Thanks, Marvellina!

 





Bika Ambon Panggang  ~   印尼糕 (adapted from  'here'  with adjustments)  

Ingredients for : - Yeast mixture

  • 2 tsp dry yeast
  • 1 Tbsp plain flour
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp warm water
Coconut Milk
  • 350 ml coconut milk
  • 160 gm sugar
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 10 kaffir lime leaves (tear to smaller pieces)
  • 2 lemon grass, bruised for flavour
Cake Batter
  • 180 gm tapioca flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 5 large eggs  
Method
  1. Mix the ingredients in the Yeast mixture and set aside to let it ferment.
  2. Cook the Coconut Milk mixture just warm, till sugar has dissolved.  Do Not bring to the boil as oil will emerge from the coconut milk.
  3. Prepare the Cake Batter by mixing the tapioca flour and salt in a mixing bowl.  Break in the eggs.  Whisk till well incorporated.
  4. Strain the coconut milk mixture into the tapioca flour mixture.  Stir well.  Stir in the yeast mixture and and whisk till fully combined.
  5. Cover with cling wrap or a damp muslin cloth and let it rest in a warm place for about 3 hours till plenty of bubbles appear.
  6. Prepare an 8 inch square pan.  You can grease the base and sides of the pan.  Alternatively you may prefer to line the pan with parchment paper to enable easy unmoulding.
  7. Just 10 mins. before end of fermentation, heat up the oven @ 165 deg.C and place the greased pan into the oven to heat up.  If you have lined the pan with parchment paper, skip this part.
  8. Lighthly stir up the mixture from the bottom to fully mix the tapioca flour and pour this mixture into the prepared pan.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 to 60 mins. till golden brown and test with a skewer till it comes out clean.  
  10. The cake should be dry to the touch and springs back when lightly pressed.
  11. Remove from the oven and let cool.  Use a spatula or a plastic knife to loosen the sides of the cake to unmould.  If the pan is lined, just lift up the cake and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
  12. Leftovers can be kept in a container in the fridge.  You can reheat them in the microwave or steam them as desired.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Snow Swallow Dessert ~ 天然野生雪燕

  Natural Wild Tragacanth Gum 'Snow Swallow' or Xue Yan is a gum derived from different varieties of sterculia trees.  It's actually a sap drained from the root of the plant and  the gum dries as it exudes and is then collected.  Once rehydrated will increase to about ten times in size and their white stringy, jelly like strands texture resembles that of the much prized and highly valued bird's nest.  One thing to take note when cooking this dessert is that the gum is highly soluble in water and cannot be boiled too long. Since it is 'cooling' for our internal organs, the elderlies should take this in moderation and not recommended for nursing mums for the breast milk may cause the baby to purge. Snow Swallow Dessert  ~   天然野生雪燕 Ingredients 8 gm Snow Swallow gums 10 gm red dates 10 gm goji berries 20 gm dried longan Rock or piece sugar to taste 1 litre water Pandan leaves (optional) Method Soak the Snow Swallow gums in plenty of water for at least...

Tamarind Pork Belly (Babi Assam) ~ 亚参五花肉

A very appetising dish with tangy and robust flavour of tamarind juice, red and green chillies added more oomph to the dish.  This dish will surely whet your appetite and you'll go for second helping of rice to soak up the tangy gravy.  This is a Peranakan dish but as always, there are many varieties to this delicacy.  I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit what I have in my pantry and the end result is a very yummy dish that I will not hesitate to whip up again and again. Tamarind Pork Belly (Babi Assam)  ~   亚参 五花肉 Ingredients 450 gm pork belly, cut into bite size 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 3 shallots, finely chopped 30 gm tamarind pulp (Assam paste)  + 250 ml water 3 green chillies 2 red chillies 2 tsp tau cheong (preserved bean paste) 2 tsp dark soya sauce 1 Tbsp brown sugar or to taste 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fish sauce 1 onion, sliced Method Mix the tamarind pulp with a cup of...

Stir-fry Razor clams with mixed vegetables

This is a quickie and easy veggie dish that I whipped up for the 'Winter Solstice' dinner ........ 'Stir-fry Razor clams with mixed vegetables'.