Bibingkang Malagkit

Name: Bibingkang Malagkit
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 12 Servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coconut oil or melted butter; 1 pandan leaf, optional; 5 cups coconut milk; 1 3/4 cups brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 cups glutinous rice, washed and drained well; 1 1/2 cups water

by Lalaine Manalo last updated September 30, 2019 posted September 23, 2018 43 Comments

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Bibingkang Malagkit made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar perfectly sweet, creamy and chewy. Topped with sweetened coconut spread, this Filipino rice cake is a delicious treat you’ll love as snack or dessert.

Guys, I am sorry I haven’t been here as often this month and that my recipe posts have dwindled to once a week. You see, I am insane because, for some reason, I think I have super powers and can do it all.

As if maintaining Kawaling Pinoy and my other blog, Onion Rings and Things, was not hard enough, I decided to start a THIRD cooking blog for Instant Pot and Slow cooker recipes. As I said, I am crazy. Or maybe I just love what I do so much I live it and breathe it. 🙂

Also, in my defense, I haven’t totally neglected the blog. I’ve been knee-deep in reshooting and updating old recipes to include in-process photos and helpful tips.

I hope you’ve already checked out our revamped biko post because this bibingkang malagkit also belongs to the same family of Filipino kakanin. In fact, this native delicacy is also referred to as biko in other regions of the country.

The ingredients of both rice cakes are mostly the same, but while the other is topped with latik, this version is topped with coconut caramel topping and finished off in the oven to brown.

Tips on How to Make Bibingkang Malagkit

Step 1: Cook the Sticky Rice

While you can partially cook the glutinous rice in water and finish off in coconut milk and brown sugar, I like to cook the rice straight in the sweetened milk mixture. It can be a little tricky finding that sweet spot of perfectly cooked sweet rice and a chewy texture using this method but the extra depth of flavor is worth the effort.
As different brands of rice work differently, and the required liquid may vary, I like to start off with 4 cups of coconut milk and then add water in small increments as needed to thoroughly cook the rice.
Do not skip the salt as it helps balance the sweetness and richness of the rice cake.
For an extra boost of aroma and flavor, add a knotted strip of pandan leaves when cooking the rice. You can also line the baking dish with wilted banana leaves.
Please do not leave the rice mixture unattended as it can burn in the bottom pretty quickly. Use a wide non-stick pan to make stirring easier.
The sweet rice mixture is ready when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Since we are not making latik here, use melted butter to grease the baking pan. If you have coconut oil on hand, so much the better!

Step 2: Make the Coconut Caramel Topping

The caramel sauce is pretty easy to make but does take time to thicken. Make it in another pan the same time as the rice mixture so they’ll finish congruently. Or you can prepare it a day before and store in the refrigerator in a covered container.
I used coconut milk in this recipe so you’ll need a fewer number of ingredients but swapping coconut cream (kakang gata or first extraction) will speed up the process as it’s more concentrated and has less water content to reduce.
Use a non-stick pan so you don’t have to stir the mixture as often and use a wide shallow pan instead of a deep saucepot so the excess liquid will evaporate quicker.
The coconut caramel is ready when it’s thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Step 3: Top the rice cake with Coconut Caramel Sauce

Spoon the caramel topping on the rice cake and spread evenly to cover the cake completely.
Tap the baking pan on the kitchen counter a few times to smooth out the thick sauce and to remove bubbles if any.
The pan I use is 5 x 8-inch in size; if using a wider pan or you prefer a thicker caramel, you might need to double the amount.

Give this bibingkang malagkit a try and let me know what you think. I’ll be back in a few days with my almost-famous cassava cake updated with new photos. Enjoy!

a slice of bibingkang malagkit on a white serving plate

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