Biko (Filipino Sweet Rice Cake)

Soaking rice

1. Soak the rice in eight cups of water for at least four hours or overnight.

Latík

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the coconut cream and stir occasionally for 15 minutes. The oil and the curds should begin to separate at about five minutes. When the curds have browned and smell like toasted coconut, strain the curds from the oil, dry on paper towels to remove excess oil, and put it aside for later.

Coconut sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk, palm sugar, and dark brown sugar. Stir occasionally for ten minutes until the sauce thickens to the consistency of honey and have a dark brown coloring. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside. The sauce will also thicken as it cools.

Biko

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine coconut milk, water, palm sugar, dark brown sugar, and salt together and mix thoroughly.
2. When the mixture reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium and carefully stir in your soaked glutinous rice.
3. Continue to cook and occasionally stir the rice for about 25 to 30 minutes. Your rice is finished when there is no liquid leftover in the pot and the rice grains are soft throughout the grain. When you stir the rice, it should have a thick and sticky consistency.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
5. Lightly grease your pan with the leftover coconut oil you made from the latik. Add in the finished biko rice and spread the rice evenly.
6. Drizzle the coconut sauce on top of the biko and place the pan in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan when the topping is bubbling and darker brown.
7. Cool the biko on the counter for one hour and then add the crispy latík on top before serving.