Thai layered cake (khanom chan)
Khanom chan is a Thai steamed layer cake that alternates green pandan layers with white coconut milk layers. It's chewy, cool and rich, and you can peel it apart one thin layer at a time to eat it. Thai cooks often make nine layers, since the number symbolizes progress and advancement.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Rising or chilling
- 4 hr
- Total time
- 5 hr 45 min
- Method
- Steamed
Ingredients
For the base batter
For the green pandan layers
For the white coconut layers
For preparing the pan
Instructions
Step 1
Heat 400 g coconut milk with 260 g granulated sugar and a pinch of salt over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves, then turn off the heat and let it cool a little. Dissolving the sugar first keeps the layers clear and smooth, without specks. The mixture is ready when it feels warm, has no sugar grains left, and hasn't started to simmer.
Step 2
Mix 240 g tapioca starch, 40 g arrowroot starch and 40 g rice flour in a large bowl, then slowly pour in the warm coconut milk and squeeze the starches with your hand or a whisk until smooth. Adding the liquid a little at a time lets the starches blend together without lumps. The batter is ready when it is as smooth as thin cream and falls in an even stream when you lift the whisk.
Step 3
Strain the batter through a fine sieve and divide it evenly into two portions, then stir 120 g pandan juice into one and 120 g coconut milk into the other. When both portions have the same consistency, the layers come out equally thick and stick firmly together. You should end up with two bowls of batter of the same thickness, one deep green and one ivory white.
Step 4
Bring a steamer to a boil over high heat, brush a 20 cm square pan on the bottom and sides with vegetable oil (to taste), and set it in the steamer basket for about three minutes to heat up. A preheated pan helps the first layer cook quickly and evenly from the bottom. The steamer is ready when steam is billowing strongly through the holes of the basket.
Step 5
Stir the green batter again, ladle a thin layer about half a centimeter deep into the pan, cover with a towel-wrapped lid, and steam over medium heat for about eight minutes. The first layer needs a little longer because the pan is still absorbing heat. The layer is cooked when it has turned from opaque to translucent and doesn't stick when pressed lightly.
Step 6
Add the white and then the green batter in alternating layers, using the same amount each time as for the first layer, and steam each layer for about five to six minutes; remember to stir the batter before each ladleful. Waiting until the layer below is fully cooked before adding the next keeps the layers distinct and the colors from bleeding. Each layer is ready when the surface is translucent and slightly glossy, with no opaque white batter left in the middle.
Step 7
After adding the final layer, which should be green, steam for about twenty minutes more so the whole cake cooks evenly from the inside out. This long steam firms up the cake and helps the layers bond together. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no wet batter.
Step 8
Lift out the pan and let the cake cool completely at room temperature for at least four hours; don't cut it while it's still warm. The starches need time to set, so a warm cake will be soft and gummy and stick to the knife. The cake is ready when the top is cool and firm and the whole cake doesn't wobble when you shake the pan.
Step 9
Run a knife around the edges of the pan to release the cake, then cut it into diamonds or squares with a lightly oiled knife or a piece of thread. An oiled knife cuts more cleanly and keeps every colored layer visible on the cut side. Each piece is ready when it stands firm, the cut side is flat, and the layers peel apart easily.
Equipment
- Steamer
- Square pan
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Sieve
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl
- Pastry brush
Tips
- To make pandan juice, blend about ten pandan leaves with a little water, then squeeze and strain well; the more concentrated it is, the more natural the green.
- For a more striking white, use thicker coconut milk for the white layers or add a little jasmine water for extra fragrance.
- Wipe the condensation off the lid between layers so water doesn't drip down and pit the surface of the cake.
Storage
Covered, the cake keeps at room temperature for one day. If you refrigerate it, it will harden, so steam it again for about five minutes or let it sit at room temperature for a while to soften before eating.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The layers separate when you cut the cake.
- The layer below steamed too long and dried out on top before the next layer went on. Add each new layer as soon as the previous one turns translucent, and cover the steamer quickly to keep in the moisture.
- The cake is hard and not chewy.
- There was too much rice flour or the cake was steamed over too high a heat. Weigh the starches accurately and keep the heat at medium throughout steaming.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
