Bibingka

Ingredients

• 2 cups galapong (wet-milled glutinous rice flour)
• 1 cup regular rice flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (canned, full-fat)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 2 pieces fresh or frozen banana leaves, thawed and cut to fit pans
• 2 salted duck eggs (itlog na maalat), sliced into rounds
• 1/2 cup kesong puti or queso de bola, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons softened butter, for brushing after baking
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated mature coconut (niyog), for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans or individual clay bibingka molds by greasing the insides lightly with butter.
2. Pass the banana leaf pieces briefly over an open flame or hold them over a gas burner for 3 to 5 seconds per side until they turn bright green, soften, and become pliable. This removes any raw smell and prevents cracking. Wipe clean with a damp cloth, then press them firmly into the greased pans to line the bottoms and sides completely.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the galapong, rice flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten, then add the coconut milk, whole milk, and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk to combine.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until a smooth, slightly thick batter forms with no lumps. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared banana leaf-lined pans, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room to rise.
7. Arrange the sliced salted duck eggs across the top of each pan, pressing them gently into the batter. Lay the kesong puti or queso de bola slices over the top as well.
8. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the surface is set, the edges are golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a more authentic char on top, switch the oven to broil for the final 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
9. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the surface generously with the softened butter while the bibingka is still hot.
10. Scatter the freshly grated coconut over the buttered surface. Serve warm directly from the banana leaf-lined pan, cut into wedges.