Bibingka
No simbang gabi would be complete without the tempting smells of bibingka and puto bungbong cooking over fiery coals. Both are staples of the dawn mass experience. But these two dishes, especially the bibingka, can be made available throughout the year. Bibingka has long been a favorite merienda or dessert since our childhood days, back when our lola used to make it. The tradition of eating bibingka has been passed on generation after generation.
The bibingka is said to be a variation of the traditional Goan dessert known as bebinca. It is a type of pudding made of plain flour, sugar, coconut milk and clarified butter. Our local version is made of rice flour and served with margarine or butter on top, with generous sprinkling of grated coconut.
There are two general types of bibingka: the Bibingka Galapong, which is made with rice flour and Cassava Bibingka, which made of cassava.
To make your own very special bibingka with a slight twist, check out this recipe for Baked Bibingka Supreme:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/3 cups of fresh milk
- 1 ¼ cup of sugar
- ½ cup of grated cheese
- ¼ cup of butter
- 2 pieces of salted eggs, sliced
How to Cook:
- Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Grease the bottom of a 2 to 8-inch layer baking pan and line it with wax paper of banana leaves.
- On a bowl, sift baking powder, salt and flour together then set aside.
- On another bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly then add 1 cup of sugar in gradual amounts. Beat the mixture well after adding portions of sugar.
- Add the flour mixture into the beaten eggs, alternating it with the fresh milk. Beat and blend well.
- Pour this mixture into the lined pan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Smear butter on top of the bibingka then sprinkle with grated cheese and the remaining sugar.
- Put salted egg slices on top and bake for another 15 minutes.
