Bibingkang Malagkit

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

Have you tried my biko recipe yet? I hope you check it out because today's bibingkang malagkit belongs to the same family of kakanin.

This native delicacy is also referred to as biko or sinukmani in other regions of the country. They share the same ingredients, but while the other is topped with latik, this version is topped with coconut caramel topping and finished off in the oven to brown.

Either way,  these sticky rice cakes are soft, chewy, and bursting with coconut flavor. They're delicious as a midday snack or after-meal dessert and guaranteed to be crowd favorites!

Ingredient notes

• Glutinous rice or malagkit- you'll find this cultivar labeled sticky rice or sweet rice in the stores.
• Water- for cooking the rice
• Sugar- we use white sugar for the sticky rice base and dark brown sugar for the top coconut layer for contrast in color.
• Salt- balances the sweetness
• Coconut milk- I used coconut milk for the sweetened topping for fewer ingredients, but feel free to swap coconut cream (kakang gata or first extraction) if you have it on hand.  This will speed up the process as it's more concentrated and has less water content to reduce.

Cooking the sticky rice

• Steam the glutinous rice until it is partially cooked, as it will finish in the sweetened cream mixture.
• Add a knotted strip of pandan leaves when cooking the rice to boost aroma and flavor.
• Do not skip the salt, as it helps balance the sweetness and richness of the rice cake.
• Use a wide non-stick pan to make stirring easier. Please do not leave the rice mixture unattended for long periods as it can burn in the bottom quickly.
• The sweet rice mixture is ready when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Making the coconut topping

• The caramel sauce is pretty easy to make but does take time to thicken. Make it in another pan simultaneously with the rice mixture so they'll finish congruently. Or you can prepare it a day before and store it in the refrigerator in a covered container.
• Use a wide shallow pan instead of a deep saucepot for the excess liquid to evaporate more quickly. Choose a non-stick material to make stirring easier.
• The coconut caramel is ready when it's thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Assembly

• 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! You can also line the baking dish with wilted banana leaves for added aroma.
• Spoon the caramel topping on the rice cake and spread it evenly to cover the cake completely.
• Tap the baking pan on the kitchen counter a few times to smooth out the thick sauce and remove any bubbles.

How to serve and store

• Serve as a midday snack or dessert. It can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
• Wrap the baking pan tightly with plastic film and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Note that the rice tends to harden when refrigerated.
• Reheat in the microwave for a few seconds until warmed through.

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