Coconut Milk Egg Pudding with Jasmine Water

Introduction

With 4 eggs, thick coconut milk, and ½ teaspoon Jasmine water, this pudding sets into a soft steamed custard with a light floral finish. You cook it over boiling water in a bamboo steamer, which keeps the texture delicate as long as the heat stays gentle. It works well as a make-ahead dessert because it firms up more cleanly as it cools.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 425 milliliters thick coconut milk
• 115 grams white granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon Jasmine water

Instructions

1. Combine eggs, coconut milk, sugar and Jasmine water in a dish. Beat until foamy.
2. Pour the mixture into a heatproof dish, and place on top of a bamboo steamer basket.
3. Cover the basket and place above a large wok of boiling water.
4. Steam the pudding for 30-40 minutes, or until no longer fluid. If the pudding is cooked too fast, it becomes rubbery.
5. Take the pudding out of the steamer and allow to cool.

Variations

• Replace ½ teaspoon Jasmine water with vanilla powder (use half this amount if you prefer less rich vanilla flavor) if you want a warmer, more familiar custard flavor instead of a floral note.
• Swap the 115 grams white granulated sugar for palm sugar for a deeper sweetness and a slightly darker pudding.
• Steam the mixture in individual heatproof cups instead of one heatproof dish if you want faster cooking and built-in portions; the edges will set a bit more firmly.
• Use light coconut milk instead of thick coconut milk if you want a lighter pudding; the final texture will be less rich and slightly less creamy.

Tips for Success

• Stir the thick coconut milk well before measuring if it has separated in the can, or the pudding can set unevenly.
• Beat the mixture until foamy and the sugar is dissolved so the texture stays smooth rather than grainy.
• Keep the water in the large wok at a steady boil or strong simmer, not a violent rolling boil, since fast cooking makes the pudding rubbery.
• Start checking during the 3040 minute steaming window; the pudding is ready when the center no longer looks fluid and only jiggles lightly.
• Let the pudding cool fully before serving if you want the cleanest texture and easiest slicing or spooning.

Storage and Reheating

Store the cooled pudding in an airtight container or cover the dish tightly and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Freezing is not a good option; the custard texture tends to separate and turn watery after thawing.

You can serve it cold, at room temperature, or gently warmed. To reheat, steam it for 5–8 minutes until just warmed through, or microwave individual portions at 50% power in short bursts so the eggs do not tighten.

FAQ

Can you make this without a bamboo steamer?

You can. Any steamer setup that holds a heatproof dish above simmering water and traps steam with a lid will work.

Why did the pudding turn rubbery?

It usually means the heat was too high or the pudding steamed too long. Keep the steam gentle and stop once the center is no longer fluid.

Can you substitute the Jasmine water?

You can use vanilla powder (use half this amount if you prefer less rich vanilla flavor) or a very small amount of rose water. The pudding will still work, but the flavor will shift from floral and clean to warmer or more perfumed.

Is this pudding dairy-free?

Yes, it is dairy-free as written because the richness comes from thick coconut milk rather than milk or cream. If you are serving it to someone with allergies, check the label on the Jasmine water as well.