These Filipino desserts prove coconut isn’t just a flake
By S.T. Alcantara
Growing up in West Hartford, Conn., there were three Filipino kids in my high school: my brother, another boy and me. But in summertime, there were large, multifamily picnics where many Filipino families gathered to share Filipino foods of every kind, including bibingka, cake made from coconut milk and rice flour, traditionally steamed or baked in banana leaf.
Coconut water and coconut milk have recently taken the health food world by storm. Nutritionally, coconut milk fat is a saturated fat, which the USDA recommends should comprise no more than 10 percent of your daily calories. One cup of coconut milk has 552 calories and a whopping 57 grams of fat, of which 51 grams are saturated.
Light coconut milk, however, is widely available (and used in the recipes below). A one-third cup serving equals only 50 calories, including five grams of total fat, of which four grams are saturated.
Coconut water is lowest in fat, as it is essentially the liquid inside a coconut. The coconut “meat” is where most of the coconut milk fat resides. Coconut flake is somewhere between the two.
“Coconuts and coconut oil, just like soy and soy milk, are a healthy addition to one’s diet,” stated Ray
Sahelian, M.D., an integrative physician in Marina del Rey. “The problems arise when marketers make it seem that these are miracle foods, and consumers think the more they consume, the healthier they will be. Thus, their diet goes off balance and they fail to incorporate other healthy food choices.”
Coconut milk has no cholesterol, carbohydrates or dietary fiber, but with vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B-6 and folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, selenium and manganese, it’s an excellent mineral supplement. Sahelian believes “coconut products may lower cholesterol and perhaps blood pressure.”
My mother still bakes bibingka with regular, full-fat coconut milk, as she did in my childhood. She is 70 and both she and my father, 83, remain in excellent health despite this particular extravagance.
Kalamansi limes are sold in Asian and some specialty markets. Banana leaf can be found in some Asian markets in the frozen foods section, or procured from a friendly neighbor’s yard. These coconut desserts are always a big hit at a dinner party.
Bibingka: Filipino Coconut Cake
Traditionally made with coconut milk, rice flour and sugar, then baked in a banana leaf, this version uses lowfat, light organic coconut milk, maple syrup and olive oil. It’s still a lush—and healthy—dessert.
1 c. brown rice flour (or any combination of soy, whole wheat and unbleached white flour, or corn meal)
½ to 1 c. maple syrup (to taste)
15 oz. (1 can) organic, light coconut milk
1/3 c. filtered water
2 eggs (vegans substitute 1 tbsp. baking powder)
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ c. unsulfured, unsweetened coconut flake (optional)
Banana leaf (optional)
If you have banana leaf, clean with water, dry with a paper towel and cut to fit either inside individual cupcake paper liners or a 6”x 9” baking pan. Lightly oil the banana leaf. If you do not have banana leaf, oil the pan.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs, adding the oil, coconut milk and maple syrup. In a second bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut flake (optional) and water. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and blend until there are no lumps. Pour batter into the baking pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes in a 325° oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. Serve with fresh mango slices, a dollop of Greek-style thick yogurt, honey and jasmine tea.
Chocolate Chip-Coconut Brownies
This bar cookie is a retooled, vegan version of one that was popular in the 1980s made with evaporated cow’s milk. It’s made with low-fat coconut milk, and the only sweetener is the grain-sweetened chocolate chips.
¾ c. almond meal
3 tbsp. olive oil
15-oz. can organic, light coconut milk
½ c. unsulfured, unsweetened coconut flake
1/3 c. grain-sweetened chocolate chips
¾ c. roughly chopped almonds
Crust: Prepare a 9” x 9” baking pan by spraying or brushing with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the almond meal and olive oil. Pour into pan and using a fork or spatula, flatten into an even crust.
Bake in a 325° oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven to cool.
Filling: Combine the coconut milk and coconut flake in a bowl, blending until there are no lumps. Pour into the pan with partially baked almond meal crust. Scatter chocolate chips and roughly chopped almonds over the top. Bake in a 325° oven for 25 minutes. Do not overbake! Allow to cool completely and chill in the refrigerator for several hours before slicing and serving.
Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip-Coconut Bars
This raw food version takes more time but can also be fun for children to make. You can use almost any nut, but if you use almonds, slip off the skins after soaking overnight. Always use organic nuts for raw food recipes.
1 c. organic raw nuts
1/2 c. pineapple juice
10 organic dates, chopped
1 to 2 organic coconuts
¾ c. organic cocoa nibs
In a small bowl, soak the nuts overnight in pineapple juice and add filtered water so the nuts are completely submerged in liquid.
The next day, strain the liquid and discard any skins that have surfaced. Rinse and coarsely chop and set aside.
Coarsely chop the dates.
Crack open the coconut(s) with a hammer and pick. Pour off the coconut water and reserve.
Scrape out the coconut meat and chop. Harvest about ¾ to one cup of coconut meat. In a food processor or blender, pulverize the coconut meat with enough coconut water until a smooth paste forms.
Crust: Combine the chopped nuts with the dates and press into a nine-inch pie plate.
Filling: Pour the coconut filling into the crust. Scatter the cocoa nibs over the coconut. Chill for several hours or overnight. Serve with fresh mango or papaya slices and kalamansi limes.
—When she’s not tempting her friends with tasty treats, S.T. Alcantara is a freelance writer and editor who also teaches yoga in L.A.
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