Desserts and Drinks
Explore my Singaporean and Malaysian dessert recipes, from soft, chewy kuih and comforting bowls of bubur to rich cakes, festive cookies and favourite drinks. There’s plenty of pandan, coconut and gula melaka, along with sweet treats for afternoon tea, family gatherings and those occasions when one pineapple tart somehow becomes six.
Many of these are recipes I grew up eating and making in Singapore, including the kuih and banana fritters we prepared for my granny’s food business. Whether you’re looking for a familiar taste of home or trying something new, you’ll find recipes below to get you started.
Kuih, Kueh and Kuih-Muih
Kuih is a wonderfully broad term covering small cakes, dumplings, biscuits and other snacks. You’ll also see it written as kueh, especially in Singapore. Kuih can be steamed, boiled, baked or fried, and they can be sweet or savoury. Kuih-muih refers to an assortment of these treats.
You’ll often hear the term Nyonya kuih, referring to kuih associated with the Peranakan Chinese cooking tradition. But not every kuih is Nyonya: Malay, Peranakan and other local communities have their own recipes, with plenty of shared favourites and variations between households.
For something sweet, try my onde onde, also spelt ondeh ondeh. These pandan-flavoured balls have a soft, chewy dough made with sweet potato and glutinous rice flour, a molten gula melaka centre and a coating of grated coconut. It’s my granny’s recipe, and one I’ve been making since childhood.
Kek: Singaporean and Malaysian Cakes
Kek is the Malay word for cake, and our cakes range from light sponges to rich fruit cakes and buttery celebration cakes. An oven isn’t always involved, either.
My kek kukus is a steamed fruit cake with dried fruit and caramel. Kukus means steamed, so the name tells you how it’s cooked. It’s a lovely choice for a festive spread or a slice with tea.
Then there’s Eurasian sugee cake, made with semolina, almonds and butter. This much-loved cake is associated with the Eurasian communities of Singapore and Malaysia, appearing at Christmas, weddings and other family occasions.
Bubur and Pengat: Sweet Porridges and Puddings
Bubur means porridge, although that doesn’t necessarily mean rice, and it certainly doesn’t always mean something savoury. Our sweet bubur recipes can use glutinous rice, mung beans and other ingredients, often with coconut milk and pandan.
Two favourites to start with are:
Bubur pulut hitam: black glutinous rice pudding with palm sugar, pandan and coconut milk. The rice keeps a little chew, making every spoonful satisfyingly substantial.
Bubur kacang hijau: a sweet mung bean porridge with gula melaka and coconut milk. It’s an everyday tea-time favourite that’s also particularly welcome during Ramadan.
You’ll also come across pengat in Malay dessert names. In this context, it refers to sweet dishes made by cooking ingredients such as bananas, sweet potatoes or yam in coconut milk and sugar. There’s some overlap with sweet bubur, and names and preparations vary.
Biskut and Festive Cookies
Biskut means biscuits or cookies in Malay, although some of our favourite festive cookies also go by the name kuih.
Pineapple tarts, or kuih tart, are a perfect example. Crumbly pastry and sweet pineapple filling make these a favourite for Hari Raya and Chinese New Year, as well as other celebrations. My recipe comes from my granny, with eggless and vegan versions included.
For something nutty, there’s biskut kacang, also known as biskut Mazola. These peanut cookies are another familiar addition to festive biscuit jars. Of course, you don’t have to wait for a festival to make them.
Pandan, Coconut and Gula Melaka
These three ingredients appear together in many traditional Singaporean and Malaysian desserts, each bringing something different.
Pandan lends its distinctive sweet, grassy fragrance. Coconut milk, or santan, adds richness, while grated coconut gives kuih their familiar snowy coating. Gula melaka, a dark palm sugar, brings deep caramel flavours to fillings, syrups and sweet porridges.
Texture is just as much a part of the pleasure. Rice flour, glutinous rice flour and tapioca starch produce different results, from tender to sticky and springy. They aren’t interchangeable, so do check which flour your recipe calls for.
Alongside the traditional recipes, you’ll find a few of my own creations. My pandan mahalabia gives a Middle Eastern milk pudding a Southeast Asian flavour, with pandan, gula melaka and coconut.
Sweet Snacks and Drinks for Tea Time
Calling this a dessert collection doesn’t mean everything has to wait until after dinner. Plenty of our sweet treats are enjoyed at breakfast or with an afternoon cup of tea.
Pisang goreng, also called goreng pisang, are banana fritters with a crisp batter surrounding the soft, sweet fruit. They’re best enjoyed freshly fried, preferably while someone else makes the tea.
Or make a jar of homemade kaya, the rich coconut and egg spread flavoured with pandan. Spread it on toast with butter and serve with kopi gu you, our traditional butter coffee.
For something cold, my homemade rose syrup makes a refreshing drink mixed with water and ice. Add milk instead for the familiar pink pleasure of sirap bandung.
Have a favourite Singaporean or Malaysian dessert you’d like to make? Drop me a comment if you have a request.
