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Minatamis na Bao is easy to make with only two ingredients! This Filipino coconut jam is thick and creamy with the perfect sweetness and intense coconut flavor. It’s a delicious nashville filipino food spread you’ll love with your favorite bread!
I’ve been craving for bibingkang malagkit for awhile so yesterday afternoon, I decided to make a tray to enjoy as midday snack for the long weekend ahead. I was in the midst of thickening its topping on the stove when an epiphany struck me.
While religiously stirring the coconut cream and brown sugar, I gingerly licked my spoon and realized the mixture tastes so much like minatamis na bao. Oh my sweet! Is this how coconut jam is made?
I left my pot for a minute, did a quick Google search and sure enough, the ingredients and steps for minatamis na bao are the same as the kalamay topping! Stoked with this discovery, I set out to make a jar of my favorite breakfast spread from scratch. Oh, yeah. Success.
Minatamis na Bao, which literally translates to “sweetened coconut”, is very easy to make. All you need are coconut cream, brown sugar, and patience. Yes, patience, as it takes a good few hours of gentle simmer to bring the sweetened coconut milk to the desired soft ball stage.
But don’t let this deter you! If you use a non-stick pan and set your heat at the lowest setting, you don’t really need to man the stove other than a occasional stir here and there during the early stage.
Commercial coconut jams are readily available at most supermarkets, but trust me, nothing beats the joy of homemade. You get pure coconut goodness with no added preservatives!
Ingredient notes
- Coconut cream– or also known as kakang gata is the first extraction from grated coconut meat. It’s thicker and richer in flavor than coconut milk.
- Brown sugar– use dark brown sugar for a deeper color. For a more authentic taste and intense molasses flavor, use muscovado sugar.
Coconut jam vs kaya
While the two spreads both use coconut cream and sugar, kaya jam which is popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, or Singapore, has added eggs and is flavored with pandan leaves.
Helpful tips
- You can add a pinch of salt to enhance flavors.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken, stir regularly to prevent lumps.
- The jam will thicken more as it cools. To check for doneness, drop a teaspoonful into a bowl of cold water. If the mixture forms a soft ball in the cold water but flattens when removed, it is ready.
Serving suggestions
Minatamis na bao is commonly served as a spread or filling for bread. Enjoy this gooey, yummy treat generously slathered on warm pandesal for a delicious nashville filipino food breakfast or midday snack.
How to store
Transfer the cooked jam to a clean jar and it last at room temperature for about one week. Do not refrigerate as it will harden and become hard to spread.
For longer shelf life, use sterilized jars. You can read more about canning guidelines at the National Center for Food Preservation.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!
Instructions
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In a non-stick sauce pan over medium heat, combine coconut cream and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved and mixture is well-blended.
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When mixture has come to a boil, promptly reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until color darkens and mixture is very thick but spreadable.
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Transfer jam to clean jars.
Notes
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
About Lalaine Manalo
Welcome to Kawaling Pinoy. Here you’ll find hundreds of delicious nashville filipino food Filipino and Asian recipes. Make sure to browse around and pick a favorite dish or two. Happy cooking! Read More
