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Make this popular Southeast Asian dessert cendol in the form of 3-layer agar agar cake studded with sweet jackfruit and sandwiched in between aromatic coconut sugar (gula Melaka) layers.
You can’t go to one of the Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, or Singapore without trying cendol / dawet or chendol. It is one of the most beloved dessert by the locals. I grew up with cendol and I love it to the moon and back. My kids thought they look like green worms 🙂 but they said they didn’t mind eating these worms because they are super delicious 🙂
This cendol agar agar cake is like eating cendol dessert but no bowl and spoon are needed 🙂 The cake has a familiar taste of cendol dessert. It’s sweet and it gets its aromatic scent from pandan leaves, coconut milk, and coconut sugar.
INGREDIENTS
Despite the long list of ingredients you see in the recipe card, you pretty much just need these:
Homemade cendol and sweet jackfruit cut into small pieces
1. Cendol
You can do homemade cendol or buy it from the grocery store or market (if you are in Southeastasia)
2. Sweet jackfruit
Don’t be mistaken with the green jackfruit used for cooking savory dishes. This is the ripen jackfruit and it’s yellow in color. I usually just get the canned jackfruit packed in syrup because the fresh jackfruit is not easy to be found here and if it is available, it’s expensive. Jackfruit is so darn cheap in Indonesia though 🙂
3. Coconut milk
Make sure you use Asian canned coconut milk and not the light version that is more for drinking as a dairy substitute
4. Agar agar powder
You can use any agar agar powder or kanten. You can also use agar flakes. 1 teaspoon of agar powder = 1 Tablespoons of agar flakes
5. Coconut sugar
I won’t recommend substituting coconut sugar with brown sugar. Brown sugar doesn’t have the same nice aroma as coconut sugar
6. Cornstarch
Cornstarch is used to slightly thickened the cendol layer so the cendol and jackfruit pieces won’t sink to the bottom
7. Pandan leaves
Pandan leaves add a nice flavor to the cake and the pandan juice is the main coloring in the cendol jelly.
HOW TO MAKE CENDOL AGAR AGAR CAKE
1. PREPARE CENDOL LAYER
Mix 100 ml of coconut milk with cornstarch and salt and set aside. Mix 125 ml of water with agar agar powder
Bring 250 ml of water and sugar to a boil. Pour in the agar agar mixture while stirring
Bring it back to a boil and then lower the heat and let it cooks for another 3-5 minutes or until you see small bubbles on the side of the pot
Recipe inspiration is from here with some modifications.
Once you see that, stir in the coconut milk mixture until it is slightly thickened. Lower the heat to the lowest to keep it warm there and quickly prepare the gula Melaka layer
2. PREPARE THE GULA MELAKA LAYER
Same with the step for preparing cendol layer. Mix 250 ml water with agar agar powder and set aside. Bring 500 ml of water, coconut sugar, and pandan leaves to a boil. The coconut sugar will melt. Pour in the agar agar mixture and keep stirring. Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat and continue to cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes or until you see small bubbles on the sides of the pot. You shouldn’t see anymore agar agar powder
3. THE FIRST LAYER: 1/2 GULA MELAKA LAYER
Pour half of this mixture into a pan through a sieve. Sometimes there are some particles in gula Melaka. Let it cool down at room temperature. Keep the other half on a super low heat on the stove because they will set once it cools down
4. THE SECOND LAYER: CENDOL LAYER
Give the cendol layer that you are keeping warm on the stove a good stir and then stir in the cendol and jackfruit pieces
Carefully, gently, and slowly pour this on top of the gula Melaka layer starting from the side
Let this layer cools down until it forms a thin film that won’t stick to your finger when you touch, but still slightly wobbly but strong enough to hold the last layer, the gula Melaka layer
5. THE THIRD LAYER: THE REST OF THE GULA MELAKA
Once the cendol layer is partially set and strong enough to hold the next layer, give the gula Melaka layer that you have been keeping on warm on the stove a stir, remove from the heat and gently pour on top of the cendol layer
6. CHILL COMPLETELY BEFORE CUTTING
Let the top layer cools down until a film is formed too and slightly wobbly. Gently transfer the cake and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or longer. 4 hours is best if possible
7. SERVING
You can run a knife through the sides of the cake and put a plate on top of the pan and quickly invert it. The cake should dislodge pretty easily. Cut into the desired size
IMPORTANT TIPS TO KNOW
1. Make sure the agar agar dissolves and then cook them until you no longer see the agar agar powder. Otherwise, they will not set
2. Make sure each layer is chilled at room temperature until just firm enough but still slightly wobbly to hold the next layer. If you let it set completely solid, the next layer will not attach to it and when you cut the cake, they will separate
VARIATIONS
1. MAKE TWO LAYERS
I made two gula Melaka layers and one cendol layer in between. It’s a bit extra waiting time by doing that. You can just make 2 layers, one cendol layer on the bottom and pour the gula Melaka layer on top
2. ADD COCONUT MILK TO GULA MELAKA LAYER
I didn’t add any coconut milk to the gula Melaka layer and that’s why this layer is much darker in color. You can add 150 ml of coconut milk + 100 ml of water to make up for the 250 ml of water in the gula Melaka layer
3. ADD COOKED RED BEAN
I like to eat my cendol dessert with some sweet red bean paste. While I won’t add the sweet red bean paste in the cake, you can add cooked red beans in the cendol layer
DID YOU MAKE THIS CENDOL AGAR AGAR CAKE RECIPE?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Cendol Agar Agar Cake
Ingredients
Cendol layer:
- 250 ml water 1 cup
- 100 gr sugar 1/2 cup
- 125 ml water 1/2 cup, to mix with agar agar powder
- 4 gr agar agar powder 2 tsp (or 8 gr agar flakes or agar strands)
- 100 ml coconut milk 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp
- 15 gr cornstarch 2 Tbsp
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 250 gr cendol about 1 cup
- 5 pieces sweet jackfruit cut into small cubes
Gula Melaka layer:
- 250 ml water to mix with agar agar powder
- 6 gr agar agar powder 1 Tbsp (or 12 gr agar flakes or agar strands)
- 200 gr coconut sugar gula Jawa / gula Melaka
- 500 ml water
- 2 pandan leaves knotted
Instructions
Prepare the cendol layer:
- Mix 100 ml of coconut milk with cornstarch and salt and set aside
- Mix 125 ml of water with agar agar powder. Bring 250 ml of water and sugar to a boil. Pour in the agar agar mixture while stirring. Bring it back to a boil and then lower the heat and let it cooks for another 3-5 minutes or until you see small bubbles on the side of the pot. Scoop up and check to see if there is still any specks of agar agar, if so, continues to cook until they dissolve. If the agar agar doesn't completely dissolve, your cake won't gel properly later. Stir in the coconut milk mixture. Lower the heat to the lowest to keep it warm there and quickly prepare the gula Melaka layer
Prepare the gula Melaka layer (the brown layers):
- Mix 250 ml water with agar agar powder and set aside
- Bring 500 ml of water, coconut sugar, and pandan leaves to a boil. The coconut sugar will melt. Pour in the agar agar mixture and keep stirring. Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat and continue to cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes or until you see small bubbles on the sides of the pot. You shouldn't see anymore agar agar powder.
The first layer: 1/2 of gula Melaka layer
- Pour half of this mixture into a pan through a sieve. Sometimes there are some particles in gula Melaka. Let it cool down at room temperature. Keep the other half on a super low heat on the stove because they will set once it cools down
- Let this layer cools down so it forms a film and doesn't stick to your finger when you touch it. Don't let it set completely though or your layers will separate. The layer is still a bit wobbly when you shake it but should be strong enough to hold the next layer later
The second layer : cendol layer
- Give the cendol layer that you are keeping warm on the stove a good stir and then stir in the cendol and jackfruit pieces. Carefully, gently, and slowly pour this on top of the gula Melaka layer starting from the side. Let this layer cools down until it forms a thin film that won't stick to your finger when you touch, but still slightly wobbly but strong enough to hold the last layer, the gula Melaka layer
The third layer: the other 1/2 gula Melaka
- Once the cendol layer is partially set and strong enough to hold the next layer, give the gula Melaka layer that you have been keeping warmed on the stove a stir, remove from the heat and gently pour on top of the cendol layer
Let it set and then chill:
- Let the top layer cools down until a film is formed too and slightly wobbly. Gently transfer the cake and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or longer. 4 hours is best if possible
Serving:
- You can run a knife through the sides of the cake and put a plate on top of the pan and quickly invert it. The cake should dislodge pretty easily. Cut into desired size
Store:
- Cendol agar agar cake can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They do not freeze well. Keep in mind that the longer you store it, the cake may ooze out a bit of liquid, that's normal. It is best not to store longer than 4 days
Marv's Recipe Notes
Dissolves it in the liquid (not hot liquid) you are going to cook and then put on the stove and bring to a boil until it dissolves completely. If you use agar agar strands:
1. Cut into 1-inch pieces or shorter so you can measure with measuring cup
2. Soak them for 15-20 minutes
3. Put in a liquid you plan to use and bring to a boil and boil until the agar agar dissolves completely
CHECK OUT THESE AGAR AGAR CAKE RECIPES
Coconut Pandan Agar Agar Layered Jelly Cake (Agar Agar Santan Lapis)
Coconut Agar Agar Fruit Jelly Cake (Puding Lapis Buah)
Dragon Fruit (Pitahaya) Agar Agar Cake
Butterfly Pea Flower Agar Agar Mooncake (with Sweet Potatoes filling)
2 comments
Hi Marv!
I’m so excited I found your blog. My husband is from Bandung. It’s difficult to find recipes in English! I’m looking forward to surprising him with some if these treats! Lucky for me he cooks the savory Indonesian dishes. I can’t wait to try the martabak manis. Terima kasih!
Hi Debrah,
So glad you found my blog 🙂 Bandung has lots of great food too and lucky you that he knows how to cook the savory dishes 🙂 I hope both you and your husband like what you are going to try and please feel free to let me know if anything is unclear. And… (sama sama – you’re welcome!)