Espasol Craving

If there is one kakanin or dessert that I like the most, it is Espasol. It is a cylindrical-shaped rice cake which originated from the province of Laguna. It is made of toasted glutinous rice flour, coconut milk and sweetened coconut strips, dusted with toasted rice flour.

I used to ask friends and colleagues to buy me some when they go to Laguna. Nowadays, I order from a local delicacy store here in our province when I feel like eating. The taste is similar with the ones bought from Laguna so it is much better if I have the craving attack.

I have no idea how to cook this favorite food of mine. Until I stumble upon a recipe of espasol on the net. I thought, why not try cooking it myself since the ingredients are easy to find and the process is simple as described in the recipe. I even watched different tutorials on YouTube to familiarize myself.

I took the challenge of cooking it today. Since I would like to rest from staring at the computer and do my assignments, I bought coconut milk from the market. I already have glutinous rice flour, sugar and other ingredients available in the pantry ‘cause I try to cook different delicacies and desserts when I have time. I’m not a seasoned cook but was able to achieve the taste of any dish I tried and this is the perfect time to test my skill.

First, I toasted 3 ½ cups of glutinous rice flour, set aside ½ cup of it for dusting the dough later. In a pan, I put 2 cups of coconut milk and let it simmer for a few minutes; put 1 cup of sugar while stirring constantly; after dissolving the sugar, I slowly put the toasted glutinous rice flour; added a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a squeeze of lime to add flavor. I also have the option in putting toasted shredded coconut but skipped this step as requested by my mother. I made sure that the fire is in low setting to avoid burning the mixture. Mixing the dough is a challenge because it is so sticky. I continued mixing for about 15 minutes and stopped when the natural oil of the coconut milk is evident and the dough is not loose anymore. While letting the dough cool down a bit, I prepared the banana leaves where I sprinkled the toasted flour. This is where I’m going to lay the dough flat and cut into strips. I rolled the strips to the flour one by one and the final product is arranged in a platter.

The taste test finally came. I’m not sure if I did the right thing. I’m worried about the result. It looked like the usual espasol I buy but the taste is still a mystery. My nieces, mother and son, took a bite. They looked at each other and said “SARAP”. It’s delicious in Filipino and that really made my day. I will never be afraid of trying a new recipe again because my family appreciates it and that makes me really happy.