Palm Sugar Cake (Khanom Mo Kaeng)

A dense, melting rustic custard texture. The matte brown crust hides a creamy heart where the woody palm sugar aroma balances with the richness of coconut milk.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 497
• Protein: 15 g
• Carbs: 56 g
• Fat: 24 g

Ingredients

• 3.3 piece Duck egg ( whole )
• 133.3 g palm sugar ( finely chopped )
• 166.7 ml Coconut milk ( well mixed )
• 100 g mung beans ( cooked and pureed smooth )
• 0.7 tbsp Rice flour
• 1.3 piece Onion ( very thinly sliced )
• 2 tbsp Peanut oil
• 0.7 pinch Gray sea salt

Instructions

1. Frying onions

   Heat the oil in a small pan. Toss in the sliced onions. Stir until they are deep golden and crispy. Drain them and save the flavored oil.

2. Egg mixture

   In a mixing bowl, whisk the duck eggs with the chopped palm sugar. Work the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved and the batter is smooth.

3. Coconut and mung bean binding

   Stir in the coconut milk, mung bean puree, rice flour, and a pinch of salt. Add one tablespoon of the onion frying oil for aroma.

4. Stovetop thickening

   Pour everything into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon heavily.

5. Baking

   Pour into a square mold. Bake at 180°C. The cake is done when the surface is deep brown and the center is set but still slightly jiggly.

6. Finishing

   Let cool completely. Sprinkle the crispy fried onions on top before cutting into square pieces.

Chef's tips

• Use duck eggs for a richer, creamier texture than chicken eggs.
• The onion frying oil is the secret to binding the sweet and salty flavors together.
• Don't rush the cake out of the mold; let it set properly at room temperature.

Storage

Keep for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Do not freeze.