
Bon Appétea: Creamy Mint Rooibos Pandan Kaya Spread

Bringing back a time-honoured tradition of homemade kaya, this luscious number infused with the richness of coconut milk and sweet fragrance of pandan leaves is reminiscent of kopitiam (coffeeshop) breakfasts growing up. A nod to the Hainanese-style kaya characterised by its dark brown hues and creamy texture, try your hand at whipping up this quintessential breakfast spread starting out with a base of 7 ingredients.

Featuring Carmien’s Mint Rooibos tea, the hint of refreshing spearmint complements the candied sweetness from the caramelised brown sugar, and lends an extra flair of nuttiness for a full-bodied, creamy mouthfeel.
Creamy Mint Rooibos Pandan Kaya Spread
(makes 1 jam jar)
Ingredients

Kaya
- 2 Carmién Creamy Mint teabags
- 4 pandan leaves
- 1 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 3/4 cup + 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 1/2 tbsp water
Method
- In a large saucepan, bring coconut cream to a boil then lower heat. Add teabags and pandan leaves and simmer.

- In a bowl, whisk 3/4 cup sugar with eggs. Pour egg mixture into saucepan and mix well with coconut cream. Stir continuously for 10-15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until combined. Pour into kaya mixture and stir till fully incorporated.
- In a small saucepan, heat up 1/3 cup sugar till it melts and becomes caramel. Pour caramel into kaya mixture and stir well. Turn off the heat.
- Let kaya spread fully cool down then discard pandan leaves and teabags. Blend kaya till smooth without lumps.
- Transfer kaya spread into a jar and keep in fridge for up to a week. Kaya is best served on crisp toast with freshly roasted coffee. Dunk your kaya toast into soft boiled eggs with a bit of dark soy sauce and a dash of white pepper for a mouth watering local fare.

Carmién – Rooibos Pyramid Tea – Creamy Mint, 15.00 SGD (20 teabags)
Tips: Your kaya will be lumpy when cooking and reach a smooth consistency after blending. Add more sugar as desired when making caramel.