| All Filipinos seem to be born with a | | | | Puto a steamed cake made from rice |
| sweet tooth, and most of us never really | | | | flour, often topped with cheese or |
| outgrow it. We're never too old for a | | | | salted eggs. It is often sold with |
| candy bar or a rich filled doughnut. | | | | kutsinta, a brown jelly cake served with |
| That's why desserts have always been a | | | | grated coconut. The two go together |
| big part of Filipino cuisine. For many | | | | because the soft, grainy texture of the |
| of us, a meal isn't a meal without | | | | puto contrasts the tart smoothness of |
| something cold and sweet to top it off. | | | | kutsinta. Both are among the simplest |
| It doesn't matter if your meal consists | | | | Filipino recipes; you can make a batch |
| of rice and dried fish; without dessert, | | | | of each cake in less than two hours. |
| it's simply not complete. | | | | Puto |
| However, our idea of dessert has evolved | | | | Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar |
| a lot through the years. Ask any kid | | | | 2 cups milk 6 tsps baking powder 3 |
| what his favorite dessert is and he'll | | | | eggs (use only egg whites for a lighter |
| most likely say ice cream, cake, or | | | | cake) Procedure: Combine all the |
| something not really Filipino. If you | | | | ingredients except the egg whites. Mix |
| think the same way, maybe it's time you | | | | well and let stand for one hour, then |
| tried the old favorites and rediscover | | | | fold in the eggs. Pour into baking pan |
| Filipino food. Here's a quick guide to | | | | or muffin pans and steam for about one |
| local desserts and some Filipino | | | | hour. |
| desserts recipes you can make on your | | | | Kutsinta |
| own. | | | | Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour 1 tsp |
| Rice cakes | | | | lye water 3 cups water 2 cups packed |
| With rice as our staple food, it's | | | | brown sugar Procedure: Mix all the |
| really no surprise that we'd turn it | | | | ingredients in a bowl; beat well. |
| into a dessert as well. In fact, we have | | | | Half-fill a muffin pan with the batter, |
| more than a dozen varieties of kakanin, | | | | then steam covered over 2 inches of |
| the local term for rice desserts, most | | | | water for about 30 minutes. Top with |
| of them sold at practically every | | | | grated coconut. |
| corner. Because they are rice-based, | | | | Bibingka |
| they are seldom eaten after regular | | | | Bibingka is actually an Indian dish |
| meals (which already have rice as the | | | | (bebinca), but the Filipino variety is |
| main course). People prefer them for | | | | unique because it uses rice flour |
| merienda in the late morning or | | | | instead of white. It also comes with a |
| afternoon. Some of the most popular | | | | variety of toppings such as butter or |
| Filipino rice cakes are puto, suman, | | | | margarine, cheese, salted eggs, or |
| biko, bibingka, and kalamay. | | | | grated coconuts. Bibingka is a popular |
| Native pastries | | | | snack in the Christmas season, where it |
| If you're looking for a lighter dessert, | | | | is often sold with puto bumbong (same as |
| Filipino pastries may be just what you | | | | puto, but cooked in bamboo vessels and |
| need. Our native pastries cover | | | | flavored with coconut or purple yam)and |
| everything from small bite-size tarts to | | | | other Filipino cooking recipes. It is |
| tropical fruit pies. They may seem | | | | traditionally cooked in charcoal ovens, |
| complicated at first glance, but they | | | | which gives it a smoky flavor. Of |
| are actually one of the easiest Filipino | | | | course, you can also tweak the recipe |
| food recipes. In fact, if you're just | | | | and bake it in modern ovens. Here's how. |
| starting out, pastries make a great | | | | Ingredients 2 c plain flour ¼ c |
| beginner recipe. Start with simple snack | | | | baking powder ¾ c sugar 1 ¼ c |
| tarts such as this one. | | | | coconut milk 3 eggs, beaten ½ c Edam |
| Easy Caramel Tarts | | | | cheese, grated ½ butter, melted ½ c |
| Ingredients: 1 tbsp flour 1 c milk 1 | | | | grated coconut 1 tsp salt |
| c golden syrup 1 c brown sugar 1 tbsp | | | | Procedure: Preheat your oven to 375oF. |
| white sugar 1 tbsp butter 2 eggs, | | | | In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in coconut |
| separated | | | | milks and add in the eggs. In a separate |
| ½ tsp vanilla Procedure: Beat the egg | | | | bow, sift the flour, add the baking |
| whites until stiff, then beat in the | | | | powder and salt, then sift again. |
| white sugar. Set aside. In a saucepan, | | | | Combine with the egg mixture and beat |
| combine the rest of the ingredients and | | | | well. Pour into prepared pans and bake |
| bring to a boil, stirring constantly. | | | | for about 15 minutes. Top with cheese |
| Pour into baked pastry shells. Top with | | | | and resume baking for another 20 |
| the egg white mixture and bake for about | | | | minutes, brushing with margarine |
| 10 minutes or until the meringue turns | | | | occasionally. Give it a final brush when |
| brown. | | | | done, and serve with coconut on the |
| Puto and kutsinta | | | | side. |