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Espasol
Rice flour coconut logs
Espasol: toasted rice-flour and coconut milk logs from Laguna
Bus passengers through Laguna buy espasol by the paper-wrapped bundle at stops in Santa Rosa and Calamba. The cylinders are made from glutinous rice flour toasted until nutty, then cooked into a thick dough with coconut milk, sugar and young coconut strips, rolled out and dusted in more toasted flour, so they are soft and chewy inside with a dry, powdery coat. They are eaten for pasalubong (homecoming gifts) and with afternoon coffee. Chef's tip: toast the flour slowly and stir all the time; it goes from cream to burnt in a minute, and burnt flour makes the whole batch bitter.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 12 ½ oz glutinous rice flourdivided
- 2 ½ cups coconut milk
- 6 ½ oz white sugar
- 4 oz young coconut flesh (buko)shredded, fresh or frozen
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toast 12 ½ oz glutinous rice flour in a large dry wok over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a pale beige and smells like toasted nuts, 12–15 minutes. Tip onto a tray and cool.
15 minStep 2: In the same wok, bring 2 ½ cups coconut milk, 6 ½ oz white sugar, ¼ tsp salt and 4 oz young coconut flesh (buko) to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract.
5 minStep 3: Set aside 80 g of the toasted flour. Add the rest to the pan a few spoonfuls at a time, stirring hard with a wooden spoon, until it forms a thick, smooth dough that leaves the sides of the pan, 10–15 minutes.
13 minStep 4: Turn the dough onto a surface dusted with the reserved toasted flour and leave until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Roll into a sheet about 1.5 cm thick, cut into strips 10 cm long and roll each into a log. Coat generously in the reserved flour. Wrap individually in baking paper; they keep for 3 days at room temperature.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does espasol take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
- What can I use instead of white sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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