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Kaya puffs
Coconut jam puff pastries
Malaysian puff pastry half-moons with coconut jam
Malaysian kopitiams spread kaya, a silky jam of coconut milk, eggs, sugar and pandan, on toast for breakfast; bakeries in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka fold the same jam into crisp puff pastry half-moons sold warm from the oven, often alongside curry puffs. They are a school-holiday treat and a favourite at tea time with teh tarik. This recipe makes a small batch of pandan kaya on the stove and uses ready-made all-butter puff pastry, so it fits into an afternoon. Overfilling is the trap, as the kaya bubbles out and burns on the tray. Chef's tip: chill the kaya until firm and keep the pastry cold; cold pastry puffs into crisp layers, while warm pastry stays flat and greasy.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the kaya
- 2 eggs
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- 3 pandan leavesknotted
- 1 tsp cornflour
For the puffs
- 1 ⅜ lb all-butter puff pastry2 ready-rolled sheets, chilled
- 1 eggbeaten, for brushing; or use milk for an egg-free glaze
- 1 tbsp plain flourfor dusting
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What you'll need
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Whisk 2 eggs with 3 ½ oz caster sugar and 1 tsp cornflour in a heatproof bowl until the sugar starts to dissolve, then whisk in ¾ cup coconut milk. Add 3 pandan leaves.
Step 2: Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir constantly with a spatula for 20–25 minutes, until the kaya is thick, glossy and coats the back of a spoon heavily. Keep the water at a gentle simmer or the eggs will curdle.
25 minStep 3: Discard the pandan, pass the kaya through a sieve if it has any lumps, and cool. Chill for at least 30 minutes, until spreadable but firm.
30 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 5: Unroll 1 ⅜ lb all-butter puff pastry on a surface dusted with 1 tbsp plain flour and cut 10 cm rounds, about 12 in all. Keep the rounds you aren't using in the fridge.
Step 6: Put a heaped teaspoon of kaya on one half of each round, leaving a 1 cm border. Brush the edge with water, fold over into a half-moon and press the edges with a fork to seal firmly.
12 minStep 7: Chill the puffs on the trays for 10 minutes, then brush the tops with 1 egg and prick each once with a fork.
10 minStep 8: Bake for 18–20 minutes, until puffed, deep golden and crisp on top and underneath.
19 minStep 9: Cool for 10 minutes before eating; the kaya is very hot. They are best on the day, warmed briefly to crisp.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kaya puffs take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 20 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.
- 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 caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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