The humble puto makes a great blank canvas for different flavors. This recipe infuses the Filipino treat with the flavors of coconut milk and muscovado sugar. Like a cake, you can check if your puto is ready by inserting a toothpick in the center—it should come out clean. After that, you can turn off the steamer, put the lid on, and let the puto rest for five minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup muscovado sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp oil
Make batter: Combine flour, sugar, muscovado sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut milk, egg, water, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing together with a whisk or rubber spatula until well blended. Do not overmix.
Steam puto: Turn a steamer on to low heat and lightly grease puto molds. Fill molds with the puto batter and steam 12–14 minutes for small molds. For larger molds, add a few minutes and test with a toothpick to check if they're cooked. Turn the heat off, keep the lid on, and let puto rest in the steamer for 5 minutes. Unmold and serve warm.
