Bibingkang Malagkit (Sticky Rice Cake)

A very happy new year to you, my dearest friends and readers! I am hoping that you all had a wonderful New Year's celebration with your loved ones.

I know that you are all looking forward to the new possibilities and opportunities that this brand new year has to offer. For sure, many of you did some preparations to have the best possible start for 2012! 

Do you know that we, Filipinos "eat for luck" on New Year's Eve??? Though we believe that everything is all dependent on God's will, we still practice this tradition which is one of the influences we got from the Chinese. Every New Year's Eve, we prepare and eat special foods that are believed to bring us riches, long life, love or other kinds of good fortune during the rest of the year. We cook uncut noodles to signify long life. We also prepare sweet delicacies which symbolize a rich, sweet life. Traditional delicacies made from glutinous or sticky rice like this Bibingkang Malagkit are also prepared so good fortune will stick around throughout the year.

This dessert has always been on our dinner table for Media Noche (New Year's Eve feast) since I was a kid. But this isn't just for special occasions. It's a favorite everyday Filipino dessert or snack that's so good with a cup of coffee. This is almost similar to biko, the only difference is the topping and the color of the cake. Biko has latik (coconut milk curd) for topping and cake is brown in color because brown sugar is used, while bibingkang malagkit has condensed milk and coconut milk for topping and the cake is white. I will share with you my biko recipe soon. For now, enjoy this bibingkang malagkit that will definitely be a hit for all types of occasions!

Ingredients:
Makes two 8" x 5" pans
Rice Cake: 

• 4 cups malagkit (sticky rice)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup butter

Topping: 

• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp molasses

Procedure:

1. Wash and drain sticky rice. Combine with sugar and water and cook in rice cooker. Once the switch turns to warm, add butter. Mix well and set aside.  (You can also cook the rice in a pot over medium low heat with constant stirring. I prefer using rice cooker because it doesn't need too much attention compared to cooking it on stove top.)

2. Preheat oven to 300 F. 

3. Spread the rice mixture in a greased baking pan/dish. Using a greased wooden spoon, smooth the rice mixture until the surface is even. Bake for 20 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, combine topping ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. 

5. Pour over rice mixture. Increase oven temperature to 350F, and bake for another 15 minutes. Turn the broiler to low and continue cooking until the topping is all bubbly.

 

6. Allow to cool down. Slice and serve.