Sweets and drinksSteamed CakesVietnamFirst proof 45 to 50 minutes, second proof about 2 hours, steam 12 to 25 minutes
Everyone wants those honeycomb strands, which is why banh bo hap gets asked about again and again. The cake is good when the strands stand upright, the texture is lightly chewy and the pandan comes through.
The difficulty is that losing the honeycomb loses the whole batch. The batter is worked by stretching it out and folding it back for 15 to 20 minutes, and the empty pan is heated in the steamer for 5 to 7 minutes before the batter goes in.
This batch weighs about 634g, at roughly 236 calories per 100g.
Method
Wash 80g fresh pandan leaf, blend it with 250g water and strain out 165g of extract. Let it stand for about 15 minutes so the leaf sediment settles.
Mix 150g rice flour, 60g tapioca starch and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, then stir in 1 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon yeast.
Pour the pandan extract into the flour and mix well.
Work the batter by stretching it out and folding it back like bread dough, continuously for 15 to 20 minutes, until it falls in a ribbon from your hand and the surface shows fine bubbles.
Cover the bowl and proof for 45 to 50 minutes until the batter is full of bubbles.
Meanwhile, heat 205g coconut milk with 126g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend until warm and fully dissolved, then cool completely.
Add the cooled coconut mixture to the batter a little at a time, mixing until combined, then add 1 teaspoon coconut oil and strain it once more. For a deeper color, add 1/4 teaspoon pandan essence.
Cover the bowl and proof a second time for about 2 hours, until the batter has risen 2.5 to 3 times and is full of bubbles. Scoop gently from the bottom of the bowl so the settled batter mixes back in.
Brush cooking oil all over the inside of the pan. Bring the steamer to a boil, lower it to medium high and line the lid with a cloth.
Heat the empty pan in the steamer for 5 to 7 minutes before pouring in the batter. Small tart molds steam over medium heat for about 12 minutes, while a 16cm round pan needs 22 to 25 minutes. A skewer pushed into the middle comes out dry when it is done.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan before turning it out.
Tips
Working the batter for 15 to 20 minutes and heating the pan before pouring are the two conditions that decide whether the honeycomb forms.
Do not fill the pan too deep, since the honeycomb only forms in about the bottom third and the top will turn dense.
Any batter waiting its turn should be covered and refrigerated, which stops it overproofing and smelling of alcohol.
The coconut milk mixture has to be completely cool before it goes into the batter, since warmth kills the yeast and the cake will not rise.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.