Before the kids were born, hubby and I were fortunate enough to travel to Hawaii. A good friend (elementary classmate) got married so it was the perfect excuse. It was also a great time to meet and reconnect with some friends who migrated to the aloha state.
Another close family friend invited us for dinner at their lovely home situated at the top of a mountain. We had so much fun that night talking about our hometown and reminiscing about our younger years. There was an abundance of food on the table but one dessert captivated me and I found myself having seconds (okay, even more). I asked and Manang Christy (one of the hosts) gladly gave me the recipe and explained how exactly it’s done. That made my day and I couldn’t wait to be home and make it myself. It was that good!
This dessert combines Cassava Cake and Leche Flan into one delicious goodness. It’s also a very easy recipe that’s perfect for parties. Though we’re still in the “new normal” way of gathering, it can’t stop us from celebrating the holidays with our families. Wherever we are in the world, we (Filipinos) always make sure we feel the spirit of Christmas. That feeling of having familiar food for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner) translates to like having that very meal with our families back home.
After the first 30 minutes Pouring the flan mixture After pouring the mixture
Check out our other equally delish cassava recipe, Dulce de Leche-Topped Cassava Cake. It’s also a crowd pleaser!
Cassava-Flan Cake
Ingredients
For the Cassava Cake:
- 2 packages 1 lb each frozen grated cassava, thawed
- 1 can 400ml coconut milk (I used Cha’s Organic)
- 1 cup sugar
For the Leche Flan Topping:
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 can 300ml condensed milk
- 1 can 354ml evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment:
- 9 x12 inch rectangular baking pan I used Pyrex
- Fine sieve to strain the flan mixture
- Cooking spray to grease the pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×12 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Place the thawed cassava in a large bowl. Check and remove any “woody” stems, if any. Add in the coconut milk and sugar and mix very well to combine. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until very well mixed and homogeneous. Strain mixture through a fine sieve for a smooth flan topping. Set aside.
- Pour the cassava cake mixture into the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. The mixture will be completely set on top but still pale in color. Take the pan out of the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325F.
- Stir the leche flan mixture then skim off any bubbles that might have formed on top. Gently pour the flan mix over the half cooked cassava (see picture illustration on how I did it).
- Bake for another 30-40 minutes or until the custard mixture is no longer jiggly. Check after the first 20 minutes and if the topping is browning too fast on the sides, reduce heat to 300F. Cool completely before slicing.
