Steamed Honeycomb Cake (Bánh bò hấp) (Method 1)

Name: Steamed Honeycomb Cake (Bánh bò hấp) (Method 1)
Ingredients: 500 grams rice flour (about 4 cups); 150 grams fermented glutinous rice, including both the rice and liquid (about 2/3 cup); 300 grams granulated sugar (about 1 1/2 cups); 725 grams coconut water and canned coconut milk combined (about 3 cups); Toasted sesame seeds and roasted peanuts; Vegetable oil (or coconut oil); Cake molds and a steamer

Hoàng Thị Tố Hà @toha_2591227

Huế

It's been a long time since I made this cake because the preparation takes some effort... making the fermented rice, then letting the batter rise for hours. But... it's so delicious, everyone! 👍😮😙

Hoàng Thị Tố Hà @toha_2591227

Saved

Ingredients

500 gramsrice flour (about 4 cups)
150 gramsfermented glutinous rice, including both the rice and liquid (about 2/3 cup)
300 gramsgranulated sugar (about 1 1/2 cups)
725 gramscoconut water and canned coconut milk combined (about 3 cups)
Toasted sesame seeds and roasted peanuts
Vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
Cake molds and a steamer

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Steps

1

Rice flour, canned coconut milk, and fermented glutinous rice
2

Place the rice flour and fermented glutinous rice in a large bowl. Gradually add 300 grams (about 1 1/4 cups) coconut water while kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 8 hours.
3

After the first rise, knead the dough again for 5 minutes, then let it rise for another 3 hours (the dough will develop lots of bubbles and become airy).
4

About 2 1/2 hours into the second rise, start making the coconut sugar syrup: Add the sugar to a pot with 425 grams (about 1 3/4 cups) of liquid (a mix of coconut water and canned coconut milk, or just coconut water). Heat until the sugar dissolves, then turn off the heat and let it cool until warm (test with your finger; it should feel warm). Gradually add the warm syrup to the dough, stirring until well combined. Strain the batter through a sieve to remove any impurities and rice solids. Let the batter rest for another 1 to 2 hours.
5

Prepare the cake molds, a small bowl of oil (or coconut oil), a brush, and a steamer (you can use a rice cooker with a steaming tray).
6

To steam the cakes: Make sure the steamer is tightly covered and the water is boiling vigorously (use plenty of water). When the water is boiling, place the greased molds in the steamer for about 1 minute to heat them up, then fill each mold about 2/3 full with batter. Steam for about 10 minutes until the cakes are cooked through (larger molds will need more time).
7

Let the cakes cool before removing them from the molds. The cakes should be fluffy, chewy, and have a honeycomb texture.
8

Serve the cakes with a mixture of toasted sesame seeds and roasted peanuts.
9

Note: Since the first rise takes up to 8 hours, it's best to start kneading the dough around 11 PM 🤣 The cakes in the photo were made with both coconut water and canned coconut milk. 👍 With half this recipe, you can make about 36 cakes as shown.