Its origins may be humble, but you may be certain of one thing, green tea kuih bakar will be a crowd pleaser. Cooked up in the kampung, its original recipe used pandan flavoured batter cooked over open fires in beautiful flower shaped bronze pans. It’s comfort food made for sharing.
This humble dessert is also known as kuih bakar kemboja because of its distinct flower shape. More importantly, it has that smoky, charred, and sticky texture that is very addictive. Later, people started making a version of it stuffed with corn. It has been a while since anyone created anything new. So we decided to make a more cosmopolitan variety using green tea powder. We had it delivered from Fulleaf Tea Store, of course! Surprisingly, it gave this recipe a rich lingering earthy sweetness that really pairs well with the crunchy sesame seeds on top. Wait, we know what you are thinking. Green tea is notorious for that bitter flavour, you say. Well, it is only bitter if it’s brewed in the wrong way.
How to make green tea tasty
The flavour would depend on a few factors: form, water, brewing temperature and steeping time. Green tea can come in the form of powder, loose tea leaves and tea bags. We’ll explain more here.
Green Tea Powder
It is the least likely to turn bitter. To prepare it, scoop out 1/2 a teaspoon of green tea powder into a bowl, and add 1/2 a teaspoon of fresh cool mineral water into the bowl. Whisk vigorously until it is smooth, then add hot, but not boiling water into the bowl. Continue whisking until it is frothy.
Loose Tea Leaves
Whole leaves are used to make nutrient-rich tea that promises to melt stress away. Being higher in quality than tea bags also means that it will be less bitter. Simply put tea leaves into an infuser in your teapot or cup. Add hot, but not boiling water. Let it steep for no more than 3 minutes.
Tea Bags
If you are pressed for time, tea bags are perfect for you. We like handpicked tea bags rather than mass-produced tea bags because the latter tend to have tea dust and sediments. Brew your tea by paying close attention to brewing times on the label, usually 2 to 3 minutes, then remove the tea bag immediately.
Green tea powder is perfect for cooking
Just like wine, tea can enhance the flavour of your food. We like using green tea powder because it is an easy flavour to work. Moreover, it is packed with catechins, the antioxidant compounds responsible for boosting metabolism and preventing cancer. This makes it a nutritious ingredient for beverages, desserts, mains and kuih!
Let’s get started, shall we?
Ingredients
- 117g (1 1/4 cups) of wheat flour
- 216g (1 cup) of sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 20g (2 tablespoons) of sesame seed
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 684 ml (3 cups) of santan
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of Fulleaf Tea Store Green Tea powder
- 8 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Method
1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius for 1 hour.
2. Add flour, sugar, salt, eggs and coconut milk into a bowl. Add hot water to the green tea powder, whisk it and add it in the bowl.
3. Whisk it well.
4. Sieve the batter into a separate bowl in order to remove lumps.
5. Take the bronze flower moulds and place them on the stove. At a medium-high heat, put in 2 tablespoons of oil in each mould and let it heat up for 1-2 minutes.
6. When the mould is sufficiently heated, lessen the heat and fill the the mould with batter.
7. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top then let the batter cooked in the moulds for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and take off the batter-filled moulds from the stove and put them in the oven for 45 minutes.
9. Take out the fluffy green kuih bakar out from the oven and let it sit for 15-20 minutes to let it properly set.
10. There you go!
Extra Tips:
- If you do not have the classic flower moulds, you can use a 9 x 9-inch pyrex tray to make your green tea kuih bakar. Just oil the tray, pour in the batter and bake it in the oven for 45 minutes at 180 degrees celsius.
- If you live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and want to find these classic flower moulds, you can try finding it in Chow Kit market.
Doesn’t it smell and look amazing? Take a picture of your green tea kuih bakar and upload it on instagram with #butterkicap hashtag. Don’t forget to let us know what you think!
