Hello, Hive Foodies!
Oh my, I completely forgot to share the recipe I made last Thursday! So, I'm finally getting around to posting it today, haha.
Last Thursday was quite a busy day in my kitchen. The day before, my grandmother asked me if I could make some traditional snacks for her upcoming Arisan (a traditional social gathering). Usually, whenever someone asks for baked goods, I opt for making donuts because I've been practicing to consistently get that perfectly soft and fluffy texture. However, since making donuts from scratch can be quite complex and time-consuming when you're working solo, I decided to go with a simpler recipe to save time.
Without hesitation, I chose Dadar Gulung (Indonesian Pandan Crepes with Sweet Coconut Filling). This wasn't my first time making it. In fact, you could say it's one of my signature recipes that I make quite often. Aside from being simple, I am already very familiar with the rhythm of making it.
The initial target was just 50 servings, as requested by my grandmother. But whether the batter consistency was just perfect, or my hands were just in the zone while swirling the pan, the crepe-making process turned out to be incredibly efficient! As a result, using my usual recipe scale, I actually ended up with nearly 70 pieces of dadar gulung. My grandmother and I were thrilled, of course, because it meant extra snacks for the family at home outside of the order!
Here are the measurements I used to yield around 70 pieces of dadar gulung:
For the Sweet Coconut Filling (Unti Kelapa):
- Grated coconut (half-mature): 2 pieces (I used small-sized coconuts, using only the white part)
- Granulated sugar: 8 tablespoons
- Pandan leaves: 2 leaves
- Water: As needed
For the Crepe Batter (Kulit Dadar):
- All-purpose flour: 50 tablespoons
- Egg: 1 piece
- Salt: ½ tablespoon
- Pandan paste / extract: As needed (a few drops until you get a fresh green color)
- Cooking oil: 5 tablespoons
- Water: As needed (adjust until you get a smooth, thin consistency)
I prefer to cook the coconut filling first so it has time to cool down while I work on making the crepes.
Step 1: Cooking the Sweet Coconut Filling
First, I dissolved the granulated sugar by boiling it in 1 glass of water. Once the water came to a boil, I added the sugar along with the pandan leaves, letting it simmer until it released a beautiful, sweet aroma.
Tips: Honestly, you can use palm sugar/aren sugar here to get a richer flavor and a deep, beautiful brown color. But since I was utilizing the ingredients I already had on hand, I just stuck with white granulated sugar this time.
Once the sugar was completely melted, I tossed in the grated coconut and stirred until everything was well absorbed. Make sure to use low heat so the bottom doesn't burn and the sweetness distributes evenly. Don't let it get too dry. Once it's done, set it aside to cool.
Step 2: Making the Crepes (The Fun Part!)
This is the most crucial part, but also the most fun... and honestly, a bit exhausting!
While waiting for the coconut filling to cool down, I started preparing the crepe batter. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, egg, and cooking oil. Gradually pour in the water while whisking continuously.
Halfway through mixing, add a few drops of pandan paste or extract until the batter reaches a vibrant, fresh green shade. Keep whisking until the batter is completely smooth and free of lumps. Make sure it reaches a thin, runny consistency so the crepes turn out thin and pliable. Don't forget to strain the batter before cooking to get that perfect smooth texture!
Now, let's make the crepes.
Making sure the pan is hot enough is the ultimate key so that when the liquid batter is poured, it instantly forms those beautiful, signature skin textures (the honeycomb pores) on the bottom. To be completely honest, when I first learned how to make this recipe years ago, I had to repeat it over and over again because the batter kept sticking to the pan. But now that I know the tricks and the flow, the process has become so much easier, the batter stretched so far that it yielded nearly 70 sheets! Once cooked, lift and place them on a tray.
Step 3: Folding and Rolling
Once the crepes cooled down a bit, I started filling each sheet with the sweet coconut filling and rolled them up neatly.
Tips: Sometimes these crepes can tear easily since we are only using regular wheat flour. To fix this, you can add a tiny bit of tapioca starch to the batter to make the texture more elastic and less prone to ripping.
Since I'm so used to it, the process of filling and rolling dozens of crepes actually felt like a calming, therapeutic meditation for me. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the final 50 pieces arranged in the presentation box because I was in a rush and completely forgot, haha.
Overall, the whole process took almost 2 hours from start to finish. Honestly, that's pretty fast for me, considering I had to do everything entirely on my own. If I had forced myself to make donuts, it probably would have taken 3 to 4 hours because of the long proofing stages.
If you are looking for a simple traditional treat that everyone loves, you should definitely try this tablespoon-measurement recipe at home!
Oh, by the way, next time I want to experiment with adding sweet corn kernels to the coconut filling. I imagine the flavor would be amazing, adding a nice crunchy texture compared to just using plain coconut!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, see you in the next post!