Biko is a Filipino rice cake made with coconut milk and brown sugar. It’s sweet, sticky, and great for dessert or as a midday snack!

Table of Contents

My parents never learned how to make Biko, even though we all loved to eat it at family gatherings. My mom always said that it took a lot of work, which was daunting for her.

She wasn’t wrong. My first attempt at Biko was fine, my family loved it anyways, but I was still unsatisfied. One of my Titas made one of the best Biko I’ve ever tasted and I wanted to replicate her recipe almost exactly.

Her Biko was soft and chewy, with a dark, sweet, coconut caramel on top. She typically let it rest for a couple hours prior to serving, so it also had a chance to take on some of the flavor of the banana leaf.

So, long story short, thanks Tita for the inspiration. This recipe is dedicated to her, with a few small adjustments to suit my tastes.

What is Biko?

Biko is a native Filipino rice cake where glutinous rice is cooked with coconut milk and brown sugar. It’s typically topped with Latik, a coconut-based topping that can either be in syrup or curd form (this recipe uses both!).

Similar to other rice cakes, Biko is considered as kakanin -which refers to a Filipino snack or dessert composed primarily of rice and coconut milk.

It’s traditionally served in a round, shallow bamboo tray known as a bilao that’s been lined with banana leaves. Not only do the banana leaves form a barrier between the Biko and bilao (so that it doesn’t get dirty or sticky), but the leaves also add a mellow aromatic flavor, that I think, completes the Biko entirely.

Biko is similar to other party dishes, think Pancit, Lumpia, or Filipino Spaghetti. It’s meant to be shared with a group of people whenever you’re celebrating a holiday or celebrating someone else.

Some regions or families will add other flavorings into the rice, such as pandan leaf, ube extract, or vanilla. Feel free to experiment with these if you choose to add some variety to your Biko!

Ingredients

Rice: Traditionally, this dish is made with glutinous rice, also known as malagkit (sticky) rice in Tagalog. Other versions may also use standard Jasmine rice, which would result in a less chewy-textured Biko.

I tested three different versions for fun; one with only sticky rice, one with only Jasmine, and another with a combination of both.

Texture-wise, the one with only Jasmine rice lacked the characteristic chew of a traditional Biko. It was still great, but the mouthfeel was too soft and somewhat soggy.

The winner of the three was definitely the original recipe, though if you chose to do a combination of the two types of rice, the end result was also pretty good. Not too chewy, not too soft either -it was pleasantly delicious.

Coconut milk: You’ll need lots of coconut milk for this recipe since it’s the integral ingredient for any Biko. We’ll be using coconut milk to simmer the rice in, to make the coconut caramel, as well as to make our crunchy Latik topping.

Brown sugar: To make a dark, rich Biko, go for dark brown sugar or muscovado. Both of these contain high amounts of molasses which will give the Biko both a caramelized color and taste.

Salt: A little bit of salt goes a long way. This will balance out the sweetness of the overall dish.

Banana leaf: Biko is traditionally served in a bamboo tray lined with banana leaf that’s been lightly brushed with coconut oil. This not only prevents the rice from sticking onto the tray or plate, but it also lightly flavors the Biko with a floral, aromatic flavor.

If you don’t have access to banana leaves, parchment paper or foil may work.

Instructions

Prepare the crunchy Latik:

In a cold pan, pour in the coconut milk.

Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and continue cooking to evaporate the liquid. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid the bottom from burning.

After a while, the coconut milk will begin to thicken, which will eventually separate into the curds/solids and the coconut oil. Continue stirring and cooking until the coconut solids are golden brown in color.

Using a sieve, strain the coconut solids from the oil. Reserve the coconut oil for plating and let the Latik cool until crisp. Set aside.

Prepare the Biko:

In a medium-sized pot, combine together the rice, water, coconut milk, dark brown sugar, and salt. Mix to combine.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a medium low to simmer. Place a lid on, opening the lid frequently to gently fold the rice over to prevent the bottom from scorching (I usually fold every 5 minutes). Do not mix too vigorously or the Biko will come out mushy.

Continue to fold and simmer the rice over 50-60 minutes until the rice has softened and all the liquid has been absorbed.

In a hollow plate or pan, line with banana leaf and lightly brush coconut oil onto the surface to prevent sticking. Transfer the hot Biko onto the plate and evenly spread the rice around to ensure a flat surface. Let cool.

Prepare the syrup Latik:

Combine together the coconut milk, dark brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and let it reduce until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 5-7 minutes.

Pour the syrup Latik over the Biko, spreading evenly on its surface.

Finish the Biko:

Section the Biko evenly into squares. In each square, sprinkle a generous amount of crunchy Latik.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Tips

Gently fold your Biko, do not vigorously stir: Folding refers to gently mixing the Biko by bringing the bottom over the top. The idea is to incorporate the liquid evenly throughout, prevent the bottom rice from burning, and to avoid a mushy Biko. Mixing too hard will break up the rice grains, resulting with an unpleasant texture.

Rinse your rice: Rinsing the rice washes out the excess starch from the grains, which can cause your Biko to be overly thick.

Sweeten to taste: Feel free to add more or less brown sugar if you want to control how sweet you like it to be.

Add more water if there’s undercooked grains: If you find that after 50 minutes you still have hard rice grains, it may be indicative of not enough moisture. To fix, simply add a tablespoon of water at a time, folding gently, and continuing to let it simmer until the grains have softened.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I add flavorings to my Biko?

Yes! Other classic versions include Ube Biko (using ube extract) and Pandan Biko (either using fresh pandan leaves or pandan extract). You may also add vanilla extract if you’d like.

How do I store leftovers?

You can store leftover Biko for up to 3 days covered in an airtight container.

Do note that once refrigerated, the Biko tends to dry up and harden. To enjoy, simply heat slices of Biko in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds. You may also steam it until fully warmed-through.

Looking for other tasty sweet recipes? You might love some of these: