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Friday, May 20, 2005

Kaya - Rich egg custard

Kaya means rich so it must be with more eggs for the custard. There are many versions and to each its own. This is my version, simple , fast and rich. The microwave is used to cook this custard.
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  • 5 eggs (280 gm)
  • 280 gm sugar
  • 200 ml thick coconut milk
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/4 tsp of powdered vanillin

Method:

  1. Stir and whip all ingredients except vanillin in a glass bowl to break up the eggs. Strain mixture.
  2. Microwave uncovered for 5 mins on level 4(i am using 1000 watts) and then stir. Repeat again 5 mins on level 4, by now the mixture will be thicker.
  3. Continue to Microwave for 3 mins on level 3, remove from microwave and stir. the custard should be thicken by now.
  4. This time, cover with cling wrap and leave an opening for steam, microwave on the level 2 for 5 mins.
  5. Remove wrap and stir adding in the vanillin and let it cool.
at

45 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 25, 2005 4:58 PM

    Hi Lily,

    What brand of coconut milk did you use?

    Thanks in advance!
    -jcheng

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 25, 2005 7:25 PM

    jcheng

    i like to use savoy and mae ploy brand but lately i found that mae ploy is very watery. so, it is still savoy but have tried a new one dragonfly and it is quite good. all are from thailand

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 26, 2005 3:06 PM

    Hi Lilyng,

    Thank you very much! I used to use mae ploy too, but that was what I found - too watery. I just used Aroy-D brand last night to make Kaya (in the slow cooker - very very easy).

    See link here - http://www.kitchencapers.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1950&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=75 for my experience.

    Once again, thank you very much!

    jcheng

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 03, 2006 12:08 PM

    What is the powdered vanillin used for? Is it for the texture of the kaya or for flavouring?

    Thanks
    Rachael

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 03, 2007 4:27 AM

    what you mean by level 3 or level 4 in microwave? Is it the same as medium or high heat?

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownMarch 03, 2007 8:52 AM

    anonymous

    if you own say 1000 watts microwave and there are 10 levels, then the first level would be 100 and so forth. High would be 1000 but for medium and low, you would have to check the manual which came with the oven.

    making this kaya, start with medium and then use low until kaya becomes custard. it will be thicker when it is cooled

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownMarch 03, 2007 9:09 AM

    anonymous

    powdered vanillin is for flavor just like vanilla essense

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJune 06, 2007 2:50 AM

    hi - just wondering, how long can this be kept? Should it be refrigerated?

    I remember my grandmother making batches of kaya in a double-boiler, or something like that.

    Thanks!

    -SL

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownJune 06, 2007 7:52 AM

    sl

    the kaya should be kept refrigerated at all times.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousAugust 31, 2007 10:52 AM

    Hi Lily,
    Just a thought, istead of vanilin, maybe you should try pandan leaves..I bet you could get it at the Asian store or some Chinese market...It enhances the frangrance plus I like my kaya to have a green color.. :oP

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownAugust 31, 2007 1:04 PM

    yvonne

    i do get frozen pandan leaves here but i do not fancy the funny green it gives to the kaya. Thanks for the tip anyway

    ReplyDelete
  12. ioycesSeptember 05, 2007 4:51 AM

    hi Lily!

    I just made a batch of your kaya!!! I was quite skeptical at first...cos i heard that kaya is hard to make and requires long hours of stirring...
    and using the microwave???

    BUT!!!
    It turned out awesome!!!

    It was somewhat chunky (hard to describle the texture...a bit of curdling?)..so i used a hand blender to whizz it...and it become really smooth and creamy..yum yum yum!!

    It's so good that i wanted to call my friends so that they can taste it too!!! haha...

    Thanks so much for your fantastic recipes; they give me so much more confidence to cook Asian dishes!!

    Cheerios!

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownSeptember 05, 2007 8:30 AM

    joyces

    i think the level of heat was too high that's why the curdling. try using a lower level the next time

    i am glad it turned out great

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousOctober 16, 2007 3:40 AM

    hey lily,

    after spending ages on lookin through ur wonderful eating blog, i finally picked up the courage to try this recipe!

    however it turned out in powdery chunks, but the taste is good!

    i tried whizzing it but to no avail.

    what did i do wrong?

    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownOctober 17, 2007 3:08 PM

    anne c

    i think you have cooked and scrambled the eggs with high level of the microwave

    eggs cooked in the microwave need very low level of heat and you would have to be patient and keep on stirring

    ReplyDelete
  16. Amber *May 24, 2008 1:35 PM

    Hi, I was searching for a coconut milk and egg custard on google, yours was the 3rd result. This sounds really interesting. Based on what others are saying it sounds yummy too. I am going to make it right now and I'll post what I think.

    I have never checked out your blog, but I love what I've read so far. I will bookmark your site for later.

    I am a FB publisher too, you should stop & say hi sometime :)

    Cheers!
    Amber, of Renaissance Culinaire

    ReplyDelete
  17. Amber *May 30, 2008 1:29 AM

    Hi, I am back. I used your recipe - but I used organic light brown sugar instead of white granulated sugar.

    It really brought out the coconut flavor. The pudding is very yummy - not too sweet. Next time I am going to try adding cooked rice to it.

    Thanks so much for posting this recipe. You changed my view of using the microwave for custards.

    ReplyDelete
  18. UnknownMay 30, 2008 6:46 AM

    amber

    welcome back.

    try adding caramelized sugar/caramel, it lifts the kaya to another dimension

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnonymousAugust 20, 2008 7:30 PM

    hi lily,

    1. may i know if i can substitute the powdered vanilin with vanilla essence? if its possible, how much vanilla essence should i put in?

    2. will the kaya thickened if i use lesser sugar?

    thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  20. UnknownAugust 21, 2008 7:53 AM

    pcj

    i used powdered vanillin instead of vanilla extract cos i did not want to discolor the lovely yellow color. use 1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla extract depending on the grade.

    The kaya is thickened by the eggs, so more eggs, the thicker it will be. you could use any amount of sugar to your taste.

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2008 8:14 AM

    hi lily,

    can i use coconut cream instead of coconut milk? if it's possible, how much coconut cream should i put in?

    thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. UnknownSeptember 11, 2008 1:02 PM

    anonymous

    yes, you can use coconut cream and you do not alter the recipe

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousSeptember 13, 2008 8:26 AM

    hi lily

    do i put the same amount of coconut cream? or should i dilute it with water?

    ReplyDelete
  24. UnknownSeptember 13, 2008 11:58 AM

    anonymous

    if you like your kaya thin, then add 2 = 3 tbsp of water

    ReplyDelete
  25. UnknownSeptember 13, 2008 11:58 AM

    anonymous

    if you like your kaya thin, then add 2 = 3 tbsp of water

    ReplyDelete
  26. SunfloraaSeptember 23, 2008 10:38 AM

    Lily,

    I have to thank you for sharing all your lovely recipes on the blog. I made some kaya and steamed egg custard yesterday and both turned out beautifully.

    I decided to cook the kaya on the stove and added some pandan paste because I like the pandan smell. I followed your recipe and it turned out wonderful! Mine turned out a bit lumpy at the end so I just used a hand helf blizer for a smooth paste and it was divine.

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  27. AnonymousOctober 24, 2008 9:45 AM

    im feeling very miserable now..the mixture is still very watery and i dunno what to do

    ReplyDelete
  28. UnknownOctober 24, 2008 11:05 AM

    etong

    don't feel bad. add an extra egg and continue cooking or add 1 tbsp of cornflour/cornstarch which has been mixed with 1 tbsp of water and add in, then continue to cook until cornflour is cooked. kaya will thicken when it cools

    ReplyDelete
  29. AnonymousNovember 16, 2008 7:59 AM

    Hi Lily, I am very fond of your blog n hv tried a few of your recipes. Yours is the best recipe website I hv come across and I hv bookmarked it for easy ref.

    I've used a similar microwave kaya recipe as yours and replaced white sugar with caramelized sugar for that traditional kaya taste I yearned for. However, the caramelized sugar became chunky during the cooking process. I do not have this problem when using just white sugar.

    Would appreciate it if you could give tips on using caramelized sugar for this recipe. Many thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  30. UnknownNovember 16, 2008 8:39 AM

    anonymous

    the caramelized sugar has crystalised which caused the lumps. what you should have done is, when the sugar begins to brown, add in a little water and let it cook until liquid again. This way the caramel will not turn lumpy.

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousNovember 16, 2008 7:26 PM

    Hi Lily, I tried with water and the proportion I used was 1 cup of sugar to 1/2 cup of water. Nice golden color and smooth. However, crystallization still happened when the caramel is cooled. Hmm...this turned out to be very tricky...

    VT

    ReplyDelete
  32. AnonymousFebruary 13, 2009 1:00 PM

    Hi Lily,
    I followed the exact steps but the mixture is still dilute and does not have a nice creamy texture. I will try to add an extra egg but how should I continue cooking it and at which microwave level and how long.
    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  33. UnknownFebruary 13, 2009 1:36 PM

    aleena

    microwave wattage differs, keep on cooking on low and keep on stirring. it will be done eventually.

    ReplyDelete
  34. AnonymousMarch 04, 2009 2:30 PM

    hi lily,
    it's me again - i don't have a micro so how do i do the kaya on the stove, many thanks in advance.

    your latest fan
    carole

    ReplyDelete
  35. AnonymousMarch 15, 2009 4:14 AM

    Hi Aunty Lily,

    I have always been standing hours just to stir the kaya mixture when cooking kaya, your microwave version is definitely a shortcut. I had came across someone using microwave, but didn't print out the receipe, think it was called coconut custard or coconut curd.

    Anyway, thank you so much for sharing, it is such a pleasure to have found your site.

    ReplyDelete
  36. AnonymousMay 01, 2009 3:32 AM

    Hi Lily,
    I am having another shortcut recipe for Kaya: 3 eggs,1 cup santan, 2/3 cup sugar, pandan leave(optional),Method: 3 eggs mix with 2/3 sugar, stirring for about 10mins, slowly pour in the santan mix keep on stirring for another 15 mins, leave aside, make sure this part the sugar is dissovle well, will form a smooth mixture when pourin to the caramel.Use a pot, pour the balance 1/3 sugar, use very slow stove fire, stirring until it become caramel,slowly pour in the santan mixture, keep on stirring until the mix slowly become thicken and very smooth texture.Dont put in the pandan leave too early, just after pourin g off the santan mix only stir in the leave, it turns very fragrance and wont "littering" the kaya.My Canada friend use santan powder since she couldnt find santan water, she just mix into the egg mixture also turn out nice too.Enjoy trying !

    Fr: Sunshine Leong

    ReplyDelete
  37. AnonymousMay 05, 2009 7:42 PM

    Hi Lily,
    I have tried making kaya yesterday. But it didn't look like kaya. It's yellowish and very dried. I cooked it on stove. What's the reason for driness and not brownish color ? Pls comment.
    TQ.
    Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
  38. UnknownMay 06, 2009 7:49 AM

    jennifer

    This recipe will not result in brown kaya, the color comes from adding caramelized sugar of which sugar is caramelized.

    For the driness, it could be that the egg has been cooked for too long and curdled.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Christine NgMay 24, 2009 1:38 PM

    Hi Lily, Thank you for creating this blog and sharing all your yummy recipes. I tried making kaya. Which is something I miss from home. It turned out delicious. I followed your recipe and another commenter's advise about putting everything in a slow cooker on low for about 4.5 hours. (I doubled your recipe because my slow cooker is big). Kaya on toast with butter. Yum!
    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  40. AnonymousMay 30, 2009 9:00 AM

    Hi,Just to give more info on using stove slow fire to make the kaya recipe :the santan mixing with eggs & sugar,must be stirring v v dissolved, when the caramel is formed, slowly pouring the santan mixture into the caramel, our hand movement must not be stopped, should keep on stirring, only it wont turn curdle.Stirring the santan I used 25mins, strring the 2nd part(caramel with mix)I used 30mins, it will be abt 1 hr or more time, not less than 1 hr,the kaya will turn curdle if too fast.

    Fr: Sunshine Leong

    ReplyDelete
  41. amiraamandaJune 16, 2009 5:47 PM

    A wonderful recipe. Thanks for creating this blog. I missed eating kaya so much although it can be bought in some asian shops here. The recipe is easy to follow and to make. Enjoy every bit of it.

    Thanks heaps!

    ReplyDelete
  42. the raconteurNovember 01, 2009 3:15 AM

    Hi Aunty Lily.

    I followed your instructions and turned the microwave heat down but it came out chunky.
    Do you know why?

    ReplyDelete
  43. UnknownNovember 01, 2009 8:50 AM

    shuey

    different microwaves have different wattages, so check your microwave's wattage. i used to have one that was 1300 and now i am having a 900.

    in the beginning you can use the high for 1 min and as soon as you see some curdling, then you must whisk and bring down to half the wattages. cook 1 min at the time and whisk. if it curdle too much, lower the heat and cook but once the eggs are cooked, it will be runny but when it get cooled it will thickened. whisking vigorously will give you smooth texture

    ReplyDelete
  44. AnonymousJanuary 04, 2010 4:37 PM

    Hi Aunty Lily

    Just want to drop u a note that i made the kaya jam following ur recipe and it turned out to be fantastic. I used a electric mixer to whisk the jam to a smooth texture to remove any lumps.

    This recipe is really fantastic and easy to make, i have also noted down many of ur CNY cookie recipes and i'm gonna try making them this CNY.

    thanks again :)
    yixian

    ReplyDelete
  45. chinchyechiaAugust 28, 2011 4:46 AM

    Always use fresh pandan leaves for their
    distinctive flavour (British spelling) and fragrance using the double boiling/constant stirring method like mum used to do..... can keep without impairment of flavour for no more
    than five days in fridge at 5 degrees C.

    Had a lot of 'stirring experience' when a kid when helping out.

    Will try the microwave method to see
    if end product is as good.

    ReplyDelete