Kueh dadar mille crepe cake (vegan!)
A vegan crepe cake filled with whipped coconut cream and a coconut gula melaka (palm sugar) filling.
Kueh dadar is basically a crepe roll filled with the same coconut and gula melaka filling.
What I'm trying to say is that it's the perfect dessert to turn into a crepe cake.
A super simple recipe, yet yields impressive-looking results (honestly, as is with all crepe cakes).
Gonna be honest, I've tried to make whipped coconut cream before (like a few years ago), but it didn't work out. Too soft. I had made sure not to shake the can or anything, before or after placing it in the fridge, yet even the thickest bits would not hold up after being whipped. Since then, for the longest time I hadn't tried to make it again....
UNTIL, after opening a can of coconut milk recently and seeing how THICK it was, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to try again. I think this coconut milk is quite out of the ordinary as it is exceptionally thick, like thicker than coconut cream, but it is actually perfect for whipping and for visual presentation. I'd suggest going for a high percentage coconut cream as opposed to coconut milk unless you know your coconut milk is super thick.
A high percentage coconut cream held up well as well, but the coconut milk I used (Coles Asia premium Thai coconut milk - uses guar gum as a stabiliser though, unlike the coconut cream I mention here) yielded a whiter colour and a creamier texture. So if you're going for aesthetics, I'd go for something like that. If you're going for something just 100% coconut/water, then go for that high percentage cream (or high percentage milk if it works for you).
Anyway, my point is that I wanted to make something that I could use whipped coconut cream for. I also wanted to make something vegan friendly since I was already going the non-dairy route with the coconut cream.
I was going to go with matcha, but pandan is still #1 in my heart ❤ IMO pandan and coconut is the superior flavour combo, plus I remembered that kueh dadar exists, which further solidified my pandan decision.
With these eggless crepes, I find that they break more easily than those made with eggs, so I suggest cooking them a little thicker than you would regular crepes. They should still be thin enough for light to pass through, but they do not have to be paper thin.
In the recipe, I say to cook them with the lid on. This is to ensure they are more sturdy and more cooked through before flipping them, reducing chance of breakage.
You don't need to worry too much about browning as they're all stacked anyway, but I would make sure to set aside your nicest looking crepe for the top.
Also, as you can see in the pictures, I added the coconut filling every 7th layer and served extra filling on the side, however, I personally would recommend adding filling to every 4th (or 3rd or 5th) layer instead.
Recipe
For the coconut pandan crepes
Makes 27 14-15cm crepes
INGREDIENTS:
400g plain flour
40g sugar
1/2tsp salt
400g coconut milk
500g water PLUS an extra 180g water
1-1 1/2tsp pandan paste/ essence (to taste/ colour)
120g oil
METHOD:
1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and whisk in the sugar and salt to combine. Set aside.
2. In a large jug, mix together the 500g water and coconut milk. Add in the pandan and whisk to combine.
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour the wet mixture in. Add the oil then whisk everything together until smooth. Add in the extra water a little at a time until the mixture is quite runny. It should be thicker than milk but thinner than whipping cream.
4. Sieve the mixture, cover, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the coconut filling (see recipe below).
5. Prepare a long plate, dish, baking tray, or chopping board and line with baking paper. This is place your cooked crepes on.
6. Heat a pan on medium-low heat. Scoop some mixture onto the pan and swirl to cover the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then cover with a lid and cook for 1 more minute or until lightly browned. Remove lid, flip, and cook for 1 more minute. Flip out onto the prepared dish.
Repeat until all the batter is used up. The cooked crepes can overlap halfway when cooling. Avoid stacking fully on top of each other until they are fully cooled.
For the coconut filling
From Side Chef
INGREDIENTS:
100g desiccated coconut OR grated coconut
15g water (if using desiccated coconut)
135g gula melaka (palm sugar)
100g water
1 pandan leaf, knotted
METHOD:
1. If using desiccated coconut, steam it with the 15g water for 15-20 minutes or until softened and no longer scratchy, stirring halfway.
2. Meanwhile, chop or grate the gula melaka. Place it in a pot over medium heat with the 100g water and pandan leaf and stir constantly to melt.
3. Once the sugar has melted and the coconut has finished steaming, pour the coconut into the sugar mixture and cook until the coconut has absorbed the liquid.
Set aside to cool.
To assemble
INGREDIENTS:
21 coconut pandan crepes (see above recipe)
1 batch coconut filling (see above recipe)
720g thick/ separated coconut milk or cream
30-60g icing sugar mixture (to taste)
desiccated coconut, to decorate
METHOD:
1. Use a bowl or something similar to help guide you in trimming the edges of the crepes. You can trim around 3 at a time. This is to ensure the edges are neater and the crepes are all the same size.
Set aside.
2. Place the coconut cream into a bowl and sift in the sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
3. Place one crepe onto your serving dish and dollop on some coconut cream. Spread it out evenly. The layer of cream shouldn't be too thick, but it should be thick enough that you cannot see any crepe underneath.
4. Repeat the process in step 3 until your 7th layer (I did every 7 layers and served extra filling on the side, but you can do every 3, 4, or 5 layers instead). On this layer, spread on some cream then layer on some coconut filling. You can break off the filling and press it in your hands to make it flatter and more even. Top it off with more cream and smooth it out evenly.
5. Repeat step 4 (except change the layer number to every 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 7th layer) until there is one crepe left. Place it on top. Smooth out the sides of the cake with some extra coconut cream and dollop some cream in the center of the top. Top it off with extra filling and desiccated coconut if desired.
Serve with any extra coconut filling.
That's it!
Store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container or covered securely with cling wrap.
