Native Kakanins (Filipino Dessert)
By emievil
We Filipinos Love Our Native Desserts
The Philippines
is not only known for its beautiful scenery and friendly people, it is also
known for its delicious food. Among these foods are what we call the
“kakanins”, native delicacies that are served as desserts. No party or celebration is
complete without these Filipino desserts (we are known for our sweet tooth, too). What’s more interesting about them is
that they (or their ingredients) tend to vary by region or by place. Another interesting fact is that a lot of Filipinos who are classified as "senior citizens" know how to make these desserts as they have already become part of the Philippine traditions.
Featured below are some of these “kakanins” that are always
a hit to Filipinos within and outside of the Philippines. Just a caveat, I don't really know how to make any of these but I love to learn. I love it more if I'm the one eating them LOL. =) Enjoy the hub!
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Puto – these are rice cakes that are made from rice flour, evaporated milk (or coconut milk) and sugar (among others). They come in various colors (see picture). They can even come in bite-sizes or they can just fill up a whole plate. Puto is best served with hot chocolate or dinuguan (as a replacement for rice). It is best eaten freshly baked and right out of the steamer.
Kutsinta – A brown rice cake, the kutsinta can go hand-in-hand with puto or they can be eaten all on their own (with freshly shaved coconut). They are also made from rice flour.
Bibingka – Another rice cake, this time made from malagkit rice (glutinous rice), coconut milk and brown sugar. Some variations of this will include bibingkang galapong (made from rice flour, coconut milk, baking powder and margarine), bibingka cassava (made from cassava, coconut milk and cream and margarine) and pineapple cassava bibingka.
Suman – Another steamed rice cake, this time, wrapped mummy-like in leaves before they are cooked. This can be served with sugar, grated coconut or “latik” – milk solids from coconut that are formed when fresh coconut milk is boiled.
Palitaw – Made also from glutinous rice and sugar, these are also cooked with sesame seeds and topped with grated coconut. They’re very soft and easy to chew and are best served cold.
Sapin-Sapin (“layers”)– A native colorful layered dessert, made from coconut milk, corn kernels, sugar, gelatin, whipped cream, ube (yam) powder and grated coconut.
Pastillas de leche (milk candies) – this is a milk-based pastry that comes in bite-sized pieces (great for snacking while you’re traveling). It is literally made for those with a sweet-tooth because it is made from granulated white sugar and condensed milk. When cooked, it is formed into balls or logs and wrapped with cellophane paper.
Maja Blanca – Otherwise known as coconut cake, this is another all-time favorite Filipino dessert. It is made from coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch and/or corn kernels.
There are lots of Filipino desserts or delicacies out there. They can be very sweet and they are always favorites for the young and old alike. A lot of them show the Spanish influence in my country (as evidenced by their Spanish names). But one thing is for sure, we, Filipinos, love our desserts. In fact, wherever you go in the Philippines, you will surely encounter these kakanins. So if and when you decide to visit my wonderful country, be sure to try out our native desserts. You’ll surely love them!
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Comments
This hub made me so hungry!!! I had putos and maja blanca at a Filipino wedding. There were delicious! Thanks for sharing this. One day I'm going to have to write a hub on Lao delicacies too!
Is halayang ube a kakanin too? Its my favorite. Maybe its classified as dessert, along with another favorite leche flan.. Nice hub anyways..
Thanks Smireles.
Dohn, thanks for the comment.
Stranded, I would say yes. It's my favorite too but it's so difficult to make =).
thanks for share. It looks delicious food. thanks for share. have the same characteristic with Indonesian traditional food.
I guess most of the kakanins have different levels of difficulty to make. But i think thats what makes it extra special, isnt it?
Maybe i should write a hub about difficult to make kakanins. Lol...
Thanks for dropping by and the comment prasetio30.
Stranded, yes the level of difficulty is different. I guess that's why I love eating them more than preparing them LOL. Do write about these kakanins. I'll look forward to reading them.
hehehe very yummy hub, you just pulled out a rabbit from a hat, oops a tiger cub rather nyahaha... tc there... Who is in the picture enievil is that you.
LOL no. That's from YouTube.
delicious you are filipino ha
Yup myka. Thanks for dropping by.
Wow! I would really like to try these because I'm gluten free and they look delish!!!
they are delicious indanila. Thanks for dropping by.
These sweets look delicious. I will look forward to trying the food when I am lucky enough to visit the Philippines!
Aqua, whereabouts in California do you live? I think there are some places there where you can buy these. There are a lot of Filipinos in California and I'm pretty sure they also crave for these sweets =). But feel free to come to my country anytime =). Just drop me a note and I'll go and find the best desserts for you =).
I live about 3 hours north of San Francisco. There are probably places to buy these treats there. I will make a note of looking next time I go. Of course I would much prefer to eat them in the Philippines! The Bibingka and Maja Blanca look delish!
San Francisco will be a great place to look for it. I was there five years ago, really like that place.
These look great. I may try some. I even have my won banana tree for the Sapin-Sapin. thanks. CC
Thanks ralwus.
It all looks good to me and I would love to come to your country to try it all.
I love Filipino main dishes, can't wait to try the desserts, looks delicious.
Fabulous! I think i want to 'live' in this hub! I will share this with friends here in Hawaii. My daughter will love this as well!
Bengriston, you're welcome to come here anytime =).
Steffsings, thanks. Watch out for the calories =).
IslandVoice, thanks. I always wanted to go to Hawaii. Heard there are lots of Filipinos there. =)
Y-U-M-M-Y!!! How about palabok, goto, and tokwa? Oh, they're not kakanins! But love them just the same. Now where can I get some palitaw? The picture looks so YUMMY!!! :)
hehehe, those foods you mentioned, I'm getting hungry just reading them. Palitaw? Hmmmm, Metro Manila and neighboring provinces I think LOL. I think there's a store in SM food court where you can get the kakanins. Don't know the exact name sorry =).
Hey, because of this hub we ate arroz caldo, and tokwa't baboy yesterday! Later, I'll be out hunting for palitaw. :)
I miss tokwa't baboy! or lugaw baboy for that matter =(. Er you're not "naglilihi". hehehehe
This hub made me hungry! It's nice to read it, knowing you're sharing Filipino delicacies to everyone in the world, and making them intrigued to try it out someday. :)
thanks Ninna. =)
I like your hub, with the videos, I will try to make some puto someday.
Hehe maribin. Can I eat some of those puto? =)
Sure, in fact, I want you to be the first to taste my puto, hehehe.
This hub makes me want to hightail it to your country so I can have some of these!
=) you're welcome to come over here anytime.
Maribin, that puto done yet? =D
those colorful desserts makes me feel hungry. does any kind of rice will work in making PUTO? thanks for this hub
You're welcome Anood. Puto is actually made from rice flour. =)
hayyy!!! you made me so HUNGRY and CRAVING for our Filipino kkanin..Nice job!
Hi maudine. Welcome to hubpages and thanks.
How about TAHO & BIBINGKA.. Will have to try them. Looks really YUM
Thanks Joy.
Sarap nman!
Very informative! Thank you for sharing:)
Waaaaaa.....Puto and Palitaw are my favorites. Thanks for sharing this very yummy hub.
Thanks borge for visiting my hub on Filipino desserts :).
seems yummmy try mango delight even a 12 year can make this
i love it....
i luv to know how to cook palitaw for our cooking laboratory...i hope i do it correctly...
how can I recycle native kakanins? any idea?
its look delicous!
weeeee
ang sarap na man yan parang gusto kong makatikim niyan
amf utang na yo!!!
ang sarap ng pastillas de leche.i like that food love it
complete information.. i like the sapin sapin..aahhhmm.. nice and great vidoes.
ilab you
its sohhhhhhhhhhhhhh delicouse i love it
namit ba
The pastillas de leche photo belongs to me. You never asked for my permission to re-use my photo. Please link it back to my blog post, otherwise remove it from your website. Please note the copyright at the bottom of my blog
here is my blog post
Hi Oggi. I'm really sorry about not linking to your blog. I've already linked it. Hope you find it in order. Thanks for pointing it out.
hahah ang sarap naman
Ang sarap aman pu ng mga paqkain naka2qutom
it is grate! big help for me and for my students....
sarap!!!!
Im PROUD to be Pinoy!!!
Great presentation for the maja blanca. Such a simple dessert/merienda item turned spectacular. Pang world class na!
of them all, my favorite is kutsinta, bibingka and sapin sapin!
hello to you!
Smireles 2 years ago
Excellent information about traditional desserts in the Philippines. Also great video lessons.