6 Tasteful Southeast Asian Desserts Made with Coconut Milk & Cream

Besides a juicy and refreshing fruit packed with wholesome goodness, the coconut is also a major ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking, particularly coconut milk and cream. From curries and soups, to pastries, drinks and desserts, these two add a uniquely ‘tropical’ taste, smoothen the dishes’ tone and texture, and imbue a subtle yet appetizing nutty aroma. Incredibly versatile to blend with spicy, savoury, or sweet flavours.

How they’re made

Every coconut fruit is naturally filled with coconut water, but the flesh within its inner shell is also juicy; firm yet tender and bouncy with a jelly-like texture. To make coconut milk, the flesh is grated, then pressed and strained for its white liquid. When the milk is boiled till it thickens and emulsifies, then let cool, the resulting coagulated ‘gravy’ is coconut cream.

Yup, it’s all natural, no additives, and all you need is a fresh coconut to make your own. Of course, you can also easily find them in ready-made packs at Asian grocers and your local supermarkets, as chefs around the world, too, have discovered their wondrous uses. In Southeast Asia, they’re near ubiquitous across all cuisines, and a must-have for many delightful desserts and pastries.

So without further ado, here are 6 authentic tropical yummies with coconut milk or cream to satiate your sweet tooth cravings!

Burmese Coconut Jelly

This fruity jelly dessert from Myanmar is gluten-free, and has a soft, comforting texture, pleasant sweet flavour with a light savoury touch, and refreshing coconut aroma. Made from coconut water and coconut milk, with agar-agar powder, sugar and salt. A fun, easy and wholesome treat.

Laos Corn Sago Dessert Soup

Lovely warm or cold, this Laotian sweet soup combines the natural sweetness of corn and velvety coconut cream, with sago pearls for a soft, crumbly texture in every sip. Tasty, soothing and refreshing.

Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings

This Vietnamese dessert dumpling broth is probably inspired by the Chinese Yuan Xiao. Soft chewy rice balls bursting with succulent mung bean sweetness in every bite. Flavoured with ginger syrup for a light spicy touch, enriched with coconut cream, and topped with toasted sesame seeds and ground peanuts for extra nutty aroma. Savour it warm or cold with our recipe!

Thai Crispy Rice Pancakes

Golden brown and crispy with a fruity, nutty flavour, the Thai Khanom Krok is a sweet pancake with a double batter of rice flour, fine coconut flesh, and coconut milk; plus castor sugar and a pinch of salt, and lovingly pan-cooked over low-heat. We made ours in cutesy bite-size ‘tarts’, but you can shape it any way you like. Best enjoyed warm with coffee or tea.

Indonesian Coconut Sago Pudding

Cantik Manis literally means ‘pretty and sweet’, an Indonesia traditional dessert, made with mung bean starch, pearl sago and coconut milk; often in vibrant pink or red. Soft and sweet with a light nutty touch and alluring aroma. Make yours cute and yummy with our recipe!

Malaysian Baked Custard

Tender nutty sweet, thick yet velvety smooth and richly fragrant; the Malaysian Kuih Bakar is an egg and coconut cream custard cake, imbued with alluring pandan aroma. Absolutely mouth-watering and a pure pleasure to taste. Easy to make, too!

More coconut goodies

You can make a lot more delicious wonders with coconut milk and cream. Come savour some iconic Thai favourites, and be sure to check out our massive recipes collection!