Buko Pandan

Buko Pandan is a creamy, tropical dessert made with strips of coconut and pandan-flavored jelly. It’s refreshing and perfect for get-togethers or simply as an afternoon snack.

What is Buko Pandan?

The name buko pandan is derived from the two main ingredients of this dessert, buko which is a young coconut, and pandan, a green aromatic plant used widely in Southeast Asian cuisine.

In its basic form, the dessert contains pandan-flavored gulaman (jelly), strips of buko, and mini tapioca pearls mixed with a sweet cream mixture.

It is said to have originated from the eastern Visayas region on the island of Bohol. Influenced by American occupation, locals tailored the idea of an American fruit salad to suit Filipino tastes, compiling buko strips and jelly along with cream.

Nowadays, buko pandan has evolved tremendously across the Philippines, with each region and household preparing their own versions of this dessert.

It’s become so popular that buko pandan had become a staple flavor combination in the Philippines, being converted into iced drinks (palamig), cakes, and even ice cream!

Buko pandan is typically served during special occasions or get-togethers. My mom always brought a huge tub of this stuff to potlucks, where the guests would just grab their own cups/bowls to ladle themselves a good serving of buko pandan for dessert.

What Does Buko Pandan Taste Like?

The main flavor profile of this dessert is sweet and creamy, primarily flavored by the pandan.

The best way I could describe pandan is very floral, aromatic, somewhat grassy, with a hint of vanilla. It’s hard to describe until you actually give it a try, but its flavors work so beautifully with the young coconut.

Apart from the pandan, the young coconut strips give the dessert a great textural element. They’re soft and chewy, with a naturally sweet flavor.

Some recipes will add coconut juice, which can help to flavor the dessert with a more obvious coconut taste. Others will mix in nata de coco (coconut gel) or kaong (sugar palm fruit) that can also introduce different textures and sweetness into the mix.

Ingredients (and substitutions!)

Gulaman: This is Filipino dried agar, which exists both as a bar, or in powdered form. Both types can work in this recipe, but I ended up using the powdered version that comes in convenient packets (it’s already flavored with buko pandan so it makes prepping it easier).

Some recipes will call for you to use unflavored gulaman, which would then require you to manually flavor the jelly with either pandan extract or infusing the pandan leaves themselves. Whichever option you choose, the end result will all be fairly identical to each other, so there’s really no right or wrong answer here.

Buko (young coconut): In the West, finding fresh buko can be a challenge sometimes, so it’s more accessible to use the store-bought frozen buko. Otherwise, if you have access to fresh buko, by all means, go for it (and I’m highly jealous of you).

• Substitutions: Some readers have inquired if using the jarred/canned coconut is okay to use (aka. macapuno). While not entirely the same in terms of texture and taste, it can work as a good replacement if buko is unavailable in your area. I’d recommend rinsing the macapuno strings prior to incorporating as the syrup may make the dessert too sweet.

All-Purpose Creamer: Like the name, this creamer is used for all sorts of things in the Philippines (not just desserts, it’s even for savory dishes!). This adds a nice richness to the cream mixture of buko pandan and gives the dessert a velvety mouthfeel.

• Substitutions: You can substitute this with either equal parts of heavy cream or whipping cream.

Pinipig (flattened glutinous rice): This ingredient is totally optional, but highly recommended as it gives a good crunchy element to the dessert. Be sure to toast it slightly in a pan until golden to wake its flavors up a bit.

• Substitutions: Although not entirely traditional, you can also use any crunchy topping such as corn flakes, rice crispies, or even toasted shredded coconut.

Pearls: You can use either small tapioca pearls or sago pearls for this recipe so long as they’re tiny. A couple of my go-to brands include: Cock Brand or Bob’s Red Mill.

Condensed milk: A popular Southeast Asian sweetener, this will give our dessert a sweet and rich milky taste.

• Substitutions: Any sweetener should work, so long as they’re neutral tasting that doesn’t overpower the taste of the buko and pandan. Good options include simple syrup or coconut sugar. I would avoid brown sugars or maple syrup, since the heavy molasses and maple flavor may be too strong.

Evaporated milk: To provide more richness and creaminess to the desert, we’ll be using evaporated milk.

• Substitutions: You could technically also use standard regular milk, though do note it won’t be as creamy as using the evaporated kind.

Buko-pandan extract: If you wanted an even stronger buko-pandan flavor, adding a few drops of this stuff can help tremendously. I put this as optional since some may prefer their dessert to be more subtle in tastes, while others may really want that flavor in the frontlines.

Instructions

Begin by preparing your gulaman (jelly) by following the packaged instructions. Transfer the liquid mixture into a large heat-proof container to chill and set while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare the small tapioca pearls by bringing a pot of water a boil. Once boiling, throw in the tapioca pearls and turn down the heat to a medium-low. Let the pearls cook for around 15 minutes (stirring constantly to avoid sticking/burning), or until the pearls are translucent and no longer white in the centre. Drain, and rinse with cold water immediately to retain their chew. Set aside.

In a large container or bowl, combine together the all-purpose cream, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. Whisk to combine until smooth.

Once the jelly is firm, slice into 1-inch cubes.

Add the cubed jelly, cooked tapioca pearls, and young coconut strips into the cream mixture (you may also add the drops of pandan extract at this time if you prefer to intensify the buko-pandan flavor). Stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust the consistency to your preference.

Let chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Top with toasted pinipig and enjoy!

Tips

Taste and adjust as you go: This is one of those recipes where you don’t have to follow the instructions to the T. Use it as a guide, but ultimately, you can adjust the sweetness and creaminess as you go.

For instance, feel free to add more or less condensed milk to suit your tastes. You could even lessen the amount of pearls and gulaman to make the overall dessert more like a drink to serve over ice!

Drain and wash your Buko: Buko juice contains enzymes which can cause the dessert to spoil and curdle at a faster rate (especially since we’re using lots of milk and cream in this).

To avoid this issue, a trick my mom taught me was to drain the juice from the Buko flesh completely, and briefly rinsing the strips with warm water prior to incorporating it with the cream. This technique goes for both frozen and fresh Buko.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How many does this serve?

This is good for about 12-15 servings. Some readers asked how much a ‘serving’ was exactly, and I’d estimate it to be around 1.5-2 cups of Buko pandan per person.

How do I store this?

Buko Pandan can last for up to 4-5 days refrigerated in an airtight container. You can prepare this a day in advance to serve to your guests the next day (I personally like this better, as it gives the gulaman a chance to subtly flavor and color the dessert).

I wouldn’t recommend freezing this, as it can alter the over all texture of the cream and gulaman. Always pay attention to any changes to the smell and consistency of the dessert as it can also be prone to spoilage over a period of time.

Looking for more delicious dessert ideas? You might love these:

• Silky Leche Flan
• Mango Sago
• Ube Champorado
• Mango Float