0 from 60 votes
Sri Lankan Watalappan (Cardamom Spiced Coconut Custard)
Watalappan is a classic Sri Lankan dessert! It's a deliciously creamy baked cardamom spiced coconut custard that is sweetened with unrefined jaggery or sugar!
Servings: 8 1/2
Calories: 267 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Sri Lankan
Ingredients
- 4 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 lb natural dark brown molasses sugar or finely grated kitul jaggery
- ⅛ cup hot water
- 3 -4 cardamom pod seeds crushed just over ¼ tsp
- ¼ tsp of nutmeg (If using fresh nutmeg, use less as it will be more potent)
- 2 cups of thick coconut milk (First press milk) if the coconut milk is lumpy - which can happen in cold weather - warm it up to dissolve the lumps
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320°F / 160°C
- Oil and prepare 7-8, ½ cup capacity ramekins.
- in a large bowl combine the sugar and water and stir until it becomes a paste with no lumps (the sugar does not need to dissolve completely)
- Add the eggs and egg yolk, spices and salt and whisk until well combined - i.e. till the egg mixture becomes very slightly thick (not the “ribbony stage,” just enough to thoroughly mix the sugar and eggs). Take care not to make the egg mixture frothy.
- Add the 2 cups of coconut milk and whisk well.
- Pour the mix into the prepared ramekins (or a large dish if you prefer). Cover the ramekins / dish with foil.
- Bake the ramekins/dish in a water bath for about 30 - 40 minutes for the ramekins and up to an hour if in a large dish, depending on the depth of it. You want the custard to set, but the middle to be very slightly wobbly.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool for about 15 minutes in the water bath.
- When cool enough to handle, remove them from the water bath and cover the ramekins with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours (longer for larger dishes). Best chilled overnight.
- Serve as is, or with some cashew nuts on top.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Note - some watalappan recipes add raisins and cashew nuts into the custard. You can also do this if you like. Personally I'm not a big fan of it.
Nutrition Information
Serving
0.5cup
Calories
267kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
30g
(10%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Trans Fat
0.01g
Cholesterol
130mg
(43%)
Sodium
85mg
(4%)
Potassium
199mg
(6%)
Fiber
0.01g
(0%)
Sugar
28g
(56%)
Vitamin A
184IU
(4%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
52mg
(5%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 81/2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 267
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0.5cup | |
| Calories | 267kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 130mg | 43% |
| Sodium | 85mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 199mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 0.01g | 0% |
| Sugar | 28g | 56% |
| Vitamin A | 184IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 52mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.