Wattalappam - Sri Lankan coconut custard

Earlier this year, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend two weeks in the lush and beautiful landscapes of Sri Lanka with two of my dearest friends. We immersed ourselves in the local culture, explored the stunning scenery, and made it our mission to sample as many traditional dishes as possible. Along the way, I purchased several unique ingredients that I have yet to find in Melbourne. One of these was palmyrah jaggery, an unrefined sweetener made from the sap of the palmyrah palm tree. This ingredient is commonly used in the beloved Sri Lankan dessert Wattalappam, where it replaces refined sugar and gives the dish its distinctive rich caramel flavor.

Despite its rich flavour and impressive appearance, Wattalappam is remarkably simple to make. It's an approachable recipe for beginners, which only adds to its appeal. For my version, I followed Dini Kodippili's recipe to a tee.

Ingredients:

        4 whole eggs

        2 egg yolks

        226 g Palmyrah Jaggery (Kitul Jaggery can also be used)

        30 mL plus additional 2 tbsp hotwater

        3 -4 cardamom pod seeds crushed just over ¼ tsp

        ¼ tsp nutmeg powder (If using fresh nutmeg, use less as it will be more potent)

        480 mL full fat coconut milk 

        ⅛ tsp salt

For garnish: (optional)

A handful of cashew nuts and sliced coconut, toasted in ghee.

Method: 

Preheat oven to 160°C
Oil and prepare 8, ½ cup capacity ramekins. (Note: Do not use butter to grease the ramekins because you will not be able to unmould the wattalappams.)
In a large bowl combine the jaggery and hot water and stir until it becomes a paste with no lumps. (the sugar does not need to dissolve completely)

Add the eggs and egg yolk, spices and salt and whisk until well combined – i.e. till the egg mixture becomes slightly thick ( just enough to thoroughly mix the sugar and eggs). Take care not to make the egg mixture frothy.

Add the 2 cups of coconut milk and whisk well.

Pour the mix into the prepared ramekins (or a large dish if you prefer). Cover the ramekins / dish with foil. 

Bake the ramekins/dish in a water bath for about 30 – 40 minutes for the ramekins and up to an hour if in a large dish, depending on the depth of it. You want the custard to set, but the middle to be very slightly wobbly.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes in the water bath.

When cool enough to handle, remove the ramekins from the water bath and cover them with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge to chill overnight.

Garnish with toasted cashewnuts and coconut slivers. Enjoy chilled.