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

1. In a large saucepan, bring coconut cream to a boil then lower heat. Add teabags and pandan leaves and simmer.

2. 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.

3. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until combined. Pour into kaya mixture and stir till fully incorporated.
4. 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.

5. Let kaya spread fully cool down then discard pandan leaves and teabags. Blend kaya till smooth without lumps.

6. 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.