Kueh Bangkit challenge

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Without the patterns, these bangkits look like white jade

Like many bakers before me, most bakers know that Kueh Bangkit is particularly finicky. The issue that must be taken care of are: removal of moisture from the flour, the problem of gluten so only flours like sago or tapioca flour will do and lots of patience tending it over the stove. The last bit I promise, will not take more than 20 minutes. It is the wait for the flour to cool that can take the fire away from me! ( About an hour before separating the pandan leaves from the fried flour )

Baking martyrs like fatboo has gone through some experiments to figure out what works and the comments are encouraging. It is worth going over there to take a look at what transpired in her kitchen in the quest for melt in the mouth bangkits.

I was hoping my neighbor would make some but it looks like none might be coming this year so here I am. Anyways, I am starting small ( portions, that is ). Hey, better than nothing. There is a tendency to get it right the first time for me because I am careful for virgin projects. The first batch was successful in terms of taste. Hopefully I am no one night wonder and hope to repeat a successful bangkit story after this.

Some takeaways : Keep in mind that the pastry must have the consistency of wet clay, so don’t dust too liberally or else it gets dry and doughy. The word that comes to mind is non-Newtonian as the cut pastry joins the main dough if I am slow to lift it off. The bangkits are not pretty but certainly airy and melt in the mouth. Handle with hand as little as possible so that the bangkits do not loose their shape during transfer.

Makes about 50.

Credits : fatboo

Dry ingredients :

400g sago flour

10 pandan leaves, washed and wiped dry, cut into 2 inches long

Wet  ingredients :

120g coconut cream

100g icing sugar ( split to 2 portions )

1.5-2 small egg yolks ( about 25g of yolks )

Method :

·      Over medium heat, in a deep pot, fry sago flour for 10 minutes, stirring with slotted spatula. Flour will be dense at this point and gradually gets lighter.

·      Add pandan leaves into the cooked flour. Stir with a pair of chopsticks and fry over medium heat.

·      When leaves are shriveled and dry and the flour becomes light ( about 6 minutes ), remove the pot from the heat source.

·      Cool completely, about 4 hours. As moisture escapes, the flour gets even lighter. Handle properly to prevent a dust storm.

·      Sieve flour and reserve. Be careful not to let the leaves disintegrate and get into the flour. Discard leaves.

Next up, the pastry:

·      Stir coconut cream and 50g ( half ) icing sugar until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

·      Whisk yolks and remaining 50g of icing sugar until pale and creamy.

·      Add coconut/icing sugar mixture. Whisk on low until mixture is homogenous.

·      Portion out 280g of sieved flour.

·      Prepare a lined baking tray. Line worktop with silpat or cellophane.

·      Stir in 280g of the dsasieved flour. Pastry should be sticky and non-newtonian in nature.

·      Flour worktop and cookie cutter with remaining flour.

·      Knead the pastry with floured hands until it comes together.

·      Roll out the pastry to about half the thickness of your pinky. Cut out cookies and transfer to the baking tray. Cookie expands about 5% so space them on the tray.

·      Preheat oven to 160C.

·      Bake the cookies at 160C for 10 minutes, then 130C for 20-22  minutes or until cookies starts to tan.

·      Cool and then store in an airtight container.