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Kuih kapit (love letters)
Paper-thin coconut milk wafers cooked in patterned moulds and folded into crisp quarters
Kuih kapit, known in English as love letters, are the crisp coconut wafers that fill tins on coffee tables across Malaysia, especially in Penang, at Chinese New Year. Their folded shape is said to hold a sweet secret message, and the patterned moulds often carry lucky symbols, so a tin of them is a wish for a sweet, happy year. Each one is a thin batter of coconut milk, eggs, sugar and rice flour cooked between hot patterned irons and folded quickly while soft, cooling into a light, shattering wafer that tastes of toasted coconut and caramel. Serve with tea, and keep the tin tightly closed. Chef's tip: the first few wafers are always for testing; adjust the heat until each one is pale gold in about 30 seconds a side.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- 4 oz rice flour
- 2 ⅛ oz plain flour
- 1 oz tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp buttermelted, for greasing the mould
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Method
0/7 doneStep 2: Whisk in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, then sift in 4 oz rice flour, 2 ⅛ oz plain flour, 1 oz tapioca starch and ¼ tsp salt and whisk until smooth. Strain the batter and leave it to rest for 30 minutes; it should be as thin as single cream.
10 minStep 3: Heat the kuih kapit mould over a medium-low gas flame for 3–4 minutes, turning, until a drop of water sizzles away instantly. Brush the inside with a little 2 tbsp butter for the first wafer.
5 minStep 4: Open the mould, pour in about 1 tbsp of batter (or dip the plate in the batter) and close it tightly; trim off any batter that oozes out.
1 minStep 5: Cook for 30–40 seconds a side, turning the mould, until the wafer is pale gold and no longer steams when you open it. Common mistake: cooking too hot; the wafer browns in patches and tastes bitter before it is crisp.
1 minStep 6: Lift the wafer off with a blunt knife and, working fast while it is soft, fold it in half and in half again into a fan. Press it flat for a few seconds under a spatula.
1 minStep 7: Repeat with the rest of the batter, stirring it each time, for about 2½ hours in all; about 70 wafers. Cool them on a rack until crisp, then store in an airtight tin for up to a month.
140 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuih kapit (love letters) take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 160 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Lunar New Year