Thai Pandan Custard, also known as Sangkaya, is a traditional Thai dessert best known for its rich and creamy texture, infused with the aromatic essence of pandan leaves.
For more desserts using pandan, you'll love pandan coconut jelly, kabocha custard, pandan brown sugar simple syrup, and Kabocha with coconut milk.
Learn more about pandan and how to make pandan juice here. Then, make these pandan-flavored dishes with these recipes. Pandan jasmine rice and pandan chicken.
Jump to:
- What is Pandan?
- Pandan Custard in Thailand
- Why You'll Love Thai Pandan Custard
- Ingredients for Making Thai Pandan Custard
- How to Make Thai Pandan Custard
- Tips for the Perfect Thai Pandan Custard
- Pandan Dessert Serving Tips
- Storage
- Variations & Substitutes
- Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
- Other Pandan Recipes You'll Love
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pandan Custard (Sangkaya)
- More Pandan Recipes You'll Love
What is Pandan?
Pandan, a tropical plant commonly found in Southeast Asia, is known for its vibrant green leaves and unique fragrance reminiscent of vanilla and coconut. Pandan grows in tropical climates, and finding fresh leaves in the United States is difficult.
Oftentimes, they are sold as frozen leaves in most Asian supermarkets.
Read more about what pandan is and how to make pandan juice here.
Pandan Custard in Thailand
My favorite place to have this delightful dessert is at one of the street vendors in a market near my village. She's been around for decades with her Thai coffee cart selling various types of coffee and tea as well as offering this pandan dessert with a side of Pa Ting Go, Chinese crullers.
Thai pandan custard can be found on the streets of Thailand, where vendors often serve them on the side as a nibble to have along with coffee or tea.
There are also various names and slight variations of the recipe for this addictive Southeast Asian dessert.
Why You'll Love Thai Pandan Custard
- Easy to make. Thai Pandan Custard is a hassle-free dessert with minimal ingredients and simple preparation steps.
- Distinct and unique flavor. The marriage of coconut milk and pandan creates a powerfully delicious blend of comforting and satisfying flavors.
- Versatile serving options. Enjoy Thai pandan custard with various sides such as croissants, toast, or soft bread, making it suitable for any occasion.
- It's quick. This dessert doesn't take a long time to make at all! It takes about 15 minutes to have this deliciousness on the table for serving.
Ingredients for Making Thai Pandan Custard
- Egg yolks. Provide richness and texture to the custard. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
- Coconut milk. Adds creaminess and a hint of sweetness to the dessert. We'll need an entire can of coconut milk.
- Evaporated milk. Enhances the richness of the custard.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Provides sweetness and helps thicken the custard.
- Tapioca starch. Acts as a thickening agent to achieve the desired consistency.
- Salt. Balances the flavors and enhances the taste.
- Sugar. Adjust the amount of sugar as needed for your sweet tooth preference.
- Pandan juice. Extracted from pandan leaves, it imparts the signature flavor and aroma to the custard.
- Pandan extract. It is used to intensify the pandan flavor and enhance the vibrant green color of the custard. These can be found at Asian grocery stores.
How to Make Thai Pandan Custard
1. Make pandan juice. If using fresh pandan leaves, chop them into 1-inch pieces, place them in a food processor with water, and blitz until they are chopped small. Strain the mixture over a cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve to a beautiful green juice.
Read this blog post for detailed instructions on making pandan juice.
We'll be using this thin liquid and discard the pandan paste fibers. If using store-bought juice, skip this step.
2. Combine Ingredients. Combine coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, tapioca starch, salt, sugar, and pandan juice in a saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
3. Add the pandan extract. Use as much as you'd like for the green color. Whisk some more until you have the color green of choice.
4. Cook over medium heat. Place the saucepan over medium heat, pour the mixture into a saucepan, and stir until the sugar dissolves and the pandan egg mixture starts to thicken.
5. Thickens the sauce. Lower the temperature to medium low heat and keep stirring. Use a whisk to lift the surface of the custard and see if you get a thick custard-like texture.
You want it thick but not stiff peaks thick.
6. Serve Warm. Remove from heat. Wait for the custard to cool down for a couple of minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out all the gooey goodness, and serve warm in a small bowl.
Serve with your choice of accompaniments, such as Chinese donuts, bread, or croissants.
Serving Tips. If serving many guests, use smaller bowls for individual servings so guests can have their own to prevent double dipping! It's very to do!
A Japanese friend who tested my recipes for me said she licked the container clean. And she's not a dessert kind of person either. Lol.
Tips for the Perfect Thai Pandan Custard
- If you have duck eggs, use them for a richer flavor profile.
- Add pandan extract for a more intense pandan flavor and vibrant green color.
- Use pandan essence to enhance the aroma and taste of the custard. See the image below for pandan bottles to grab at the Asian market.
Pandan Dessert Serving Tips
- Pair with croissants, crullers, donuts, soft baguettes, bread cubes, and warm bread for a delightful treat.
- Serve warm for a comforting dessert experience.
- Serve it a pastry cream.
- Pour the custard over glutinous rice with mango.
- Look for these Chinese donuts or Pa Ting Go (image below) in the frozen section of the Asian market to serve with your pandan custard.
Storage
Store leftover Thai Pandan Custard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Variations & Substitutes
Experiment with different flavors by adding vanilla extract or coconut cream to the custard mixture. Use different milk if you have coconut milk allergies.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
- Whisk. It is essential for mixing ingredients smoothly.
- Saucepan. For cooking the custard mixture over medium-low heat.
- Mixing Bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks and other ingredients.
- Fine sieve for straining pandan leaves and water.
- Plastic Wrap. Cover the custard if you'll leave it at room temperature for a while. (dinner parties, BBQs, etc.)
Other Pandan Recipes You'll Love
- Pandan coconut jelly
- Pandan leaves brown sugar simple syrup.
- Pandan Chiffon Cake
- Buko Pandan Salad
- Pandan sticky rice
- Pandan custard cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Pandan custard has a unique flavor profile characterized by the aromatic essence of pandan leaves combined with the creamy richness of coconut milk.
Yes, you absolutely can. The traditional Thai recipes use coconut milk, but if you have food allergies, adjust as needed for your nutritional needs.
Thai Pandan Custard can be enjoyed warm or chilled and served with various accompaniments such as bread, toast, or pastries.
**Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and a review in the comments section further down the page. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram!**
Pandan Custard (Sangkaya)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Thai Pandan Custard, also known as Sangkaya, is a traditional Thai dessert best known for its rich and creamy texture, infused with the aromatic essence of pandan leaves.
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks (4 large eggs or 5 small eggs)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup pandan juice
- Pandan extract. As needed
Instructions
1. Make pandan juice. If using fresh pandan leaves, chop them into 1-inch pieces, place them in a food processor with water, and blitz until they are chopped small. Strain the mixture over a cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve to a beautiful green juice.
We'll be using this thin liquid and discard the pandan paste fibers. If using store-bought juice, skip this step.
2. Combine Ingredients. Combine coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, tapioca starch, salt, sugar, and pandan juice in a saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
3. Add the pandan extract. Use as much as you'd like for the green color. Whisk some more until you have the color green of choice.
4. Cook over medium heat. Place the saucepan over medium heat, pour the mixture into a saucepan, and stir until the sugar dissolves and the pandan egg mixture thickens.
5. Allows mixture to thicken. Lower the temperature to medium-low heat and keep stirring. Use a whisk to lift the surface of the custard and see if you get a thick custard-like texture. You want it thick but not stiff peaks thick.
6. Serve Warm. Remove from heat. Wait for the custard to cool down for a couple of minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out all the gooey goodness, and serve warm in a small bowl. Serve with your choice of accompaniments, such as Chinese donuts, bread, or croissants.
Serving Tips. If serving many guests, use smaller bowls for individual servings so guests can have their own to prevent double dipping! (;
Notes
- If you have duck eggs, use them for a richer flavor profile.
- Add pandan extract for a more intense pandan flavor and vibrant green color.
- Use pandan essence to enhance the aroma and taste of the custard. See the image below for pandan bottles to grab at the Asian market.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: dessert
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: thai
** Thank you so much for visiting my blog! This is truly a passion for me. If you have enjoyed these recipes and appreciate the hard work I put into them, I would love it if you would share them with your friends! Your recommendation is the highest review I could hope for, and I’d appreciate it! **
More Pandan Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these recipes.
A Japanese Friend says
I made this. It was a delicious dessert, yellow a small bundt cake with whipped cream on top then drizzled Pandan custard. It was wonderful 🤤