Pandan Waffle (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa)

INGREDIENTS

PANDAN OPTION 1 – FRESH EXTRACT (RECOMMENDED)

• 35 g (8 leaves) pandan leaves, fresh or frozen, cut into 3" sections
• ½ c water

PANDAN OPTION 2 – ARTIFICIAL EXTRACT

• 2 drops artificial pandan extract
• 1/2 c water

WAFFLE

• 285 g (2 c) tapioca starch
• 73 g (1/2 c) rice flour
• 75 g (1/2 c) all purpose flour
• 200 g (1 c) sugar
• 10 g (2 tsp) baking powder
• 1 g (¼ tsp) salt
• 3 large eggs
• 13.5 fl oz coconut cream
• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil

EQUIPMENT USED: personal blender, Belgian waffle iron, disher / cookie scoop.

INSTRUCTIONS

PANDAN OPTION 1 – FRESH EXTRACT (RECOMMENDED)

• Defrost pandan leaves (if frozen) and clean leaves under running water.
• Cut your pandan leaves into three inch sections, add to the blender.
• Add half a cup of water to the blender, and blend until you no longer see large chunks.
• Strain the pulp, reserve the remaining liquid, and squeeze out any liquid inside the pulp too.

PANDAN OPTION 2 – ARTIFICIAL EXTRACT

• Add the artificial extract drops to the water and mix. Set aside for later.

WAFFLE

• In a medium mixing bowl, add the tapioca starch, rice flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• In another large mixing bowl, beat the eggs together. Then, add the coconut cream, pandan extract, and oil.
• Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients mixing bowl and fold carefully to prevent from over mixing the batter. Your batter should be slightly thick and have lumps left over. If you're using artificial pandan extract, and want the batter to be more green at this point you can add 1-2 more drops and mix the batter again.
• Let the batter rest for at least one hour, this improves the dough texture. If you're only resting one hour, leaving on the counter is fine, but you can rest it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week and the batter will still be good.
• When ready to cook, mix the batter a little bit and heat up your waffle iron. Do this before making EACH waffle since the batter can separate and settle. I use an Oster belgian waffle iron and found that the setting for medium-high works best.
• Using a disher or ladle, drop three to four scoops onto the waffle and cook. When your waffle iron is finished cooking, your waffle should be nice and golden brown with specks of green on the outside.
• Remove your waffle and serve. If you find your waffle is on the softer side, let it rest for about one minute and it should get crispier.

NOTES For the pandan extract: For this original recipe of 35 g of pandan leaves to 1/2 c of water, you should produce at least 1/2 c of pandan extract (if not slightly more).