Rice can be dessert. Case in point? Kakanin

Filipinos love rice. From breakfast, lunch, and dinner to midnight snacks, we just can’t get enough of it. And if you think dessert would be the only course where we’d skip rice—remember, we have rice cakes.

Rice cakes (a.k.a kakanin) are a cultural staple. They make our food culture so distinct. I mean, who would want to consume rice cakes after a hearty rice meal? Yeah, only Filipinos. (Okay, maybe some fellow Asians as well.)

And there’s so much more to Filipino kakanin than just kalamay, sapin-sapin, biko, puto bumbong, and bibingka. (Admit it, these are more or less the only native rice cakes you know, too.) So let us help expand your knowledge as we scroll through these dessert-worthy rice cakes. We also highly recommend ordering one (or all) of these next time you crave something sweet. (It wouldn’t hurt to take a break from ice cream and milk tea, you know?)

Toto’s Suman Negro

If you think sugar or latik (toasted coconut milk) are the superior suman combos, then you clearly haven’t tried partnering suman with chocolate and mango. Toto’s Suman Negro is made with sticky rice and mango slices lathered with chocolate cream sauce. Trust us, the slight tanginess of mango complements the sweetness of the chocolate.

Puto Manapla

You all know puto as a pairing for dinuguan. And you’re probably already familiar with some of its variations: puto with cheese, puto bumbong, puto flan, and so on. But have you ever heard of puto Manapla? It’s the Negrenses’ (locals from Negros Island) version of puto and they use tuba (a.k.a palm wine) as a leavening agent instead of baking powder or dry yeast, making the flavor a lot more unique.

Maja Blanca

You would often see this rice cake in town fiestas and during the holidays. It’s a kakanin made with coconut milk, cornstarch, and corn kernels topped with grated cheese. Maja blanca isn’t an easy recipe to follow—it requires effort and time. So, if you’re not into that, it might be better to just order from stores or restos that are kakanin experts.

Black Sambo

This isn’t exactly a kakanin, but it’s a Filipino dessert that made waves during quarantine (yes, dalgona coffee isn’t the only quarantine food trend). Black sambo is made with creamy milk gelatin layered on top of chocolate-flavored gelatin. Believe us when we say it’s a must-try.

Originally published in Shopmag Online

Header photo courtesy of Sampath Nayak on Pexels