Espasol and Pastillas de Leche

Living outside the Philippines, most of my Filipino colleagues and friends misses Filipino treats. This time, my friend Rachel requested for us to make Espasol and Pastillas de Leche. So here they are...

Espasol

Ingredients:

• 3 cups glutinous rice flour, toasted and divided
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, toasted
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Method:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, pour-in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.
2. Add the sugars, toasted grated coconut and vanilla and stir to combine. Let it boil for another 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 1/2 cups of toasted rice flour and keep on stirring constantly until mixture is hard and dry.
4. Remove the mixture from the pot and place and flatten onto floured board for about 1/2 inch thickness. Allow to cool down.
5. Cut the mixture into desired size and and roll onto the rest of the flour. Shake off excess flour.

Pastillas de Leche

 

Ingredients:

• 515 g (1 can) condensed milk
• 2 3/4 cups of powdered milk
• caster sugar

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix condensed milk and powdered milk until well combined. (I asked Rachel to reserve half and i added strawberry paste to add flavor. The mixture got a bit too soft and so next time we should be adding some more powdered milk.)
2. Spoon small amount onto greased (we used butter) hands and roll the mixture into a ball and shape into a cylinder afterwards.
3. Roll onto caster sugar, just enough to cover the shaped pastillas. 
4. Wrap in paper or cellophane.