Laguna’s Finest: Espasol
Espasol or rice pudding is a Native Laguna sweet treat, which is made from coconut strips and rice flour cooked in coconut milk. The cooked mixture will be shaped into cylinders and then will be rolled into a plateful of toasted rice flour. According to history and some locals of Laguna, espasol really originated from their town. For the best tasting espasol, you may visit the towns Los Baños, Alaminos, Nagcarlan and Pagsanjan in Laguna.
Pricing of espasol differs from town to town in Laguna. In Liliw, they sell it at P100 for 3 packs, while in Los Baños Laguna you can buy it only at P25 per pack, which is cheaper than in Liliw but with the same delicious quality. There is this well-known store named Lety’s Buko Pie, which also sells their great-tasting espasol but with a different touch. Instead of shaping it with the traditional cylinder, they shaped it in circular form just like their buko pie. This will cost you P80 per box, not a bad deal at all. However, the really best espasol can be bought in Pagsanjan. They do not use or dust their espasol with toasted rice flour; moreover, it is much denser and it does not taste too dry, which makes it so delicious. This great tasting espasol is available at Aling Emma’s store that also has the very famous bibingka of Pagsanjan.
Now that you are already planning to visit Laguna for that mouth-watering espasol, try making your own version first by following this espasol recipe. You can make your own version by shaping it in different forms that your children will love. It can also be a great bonding activity. Let your kids shape their own espasol into the form they want.
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice or bigas na malagkit
- 4 cups toasted rice flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1-1 ½ cups (shredded coconut, toasted)
- Anise seeds
Instructions
- Let the glutinous rice boil in water.
- In a separate saucepan mix anise seeds, sugar and coconut milk, letting it boil until thick
- Add the shredded coconut and cook for another 3 minutes
- Add now the boiled malagkit rice, let it cook until it thicken with occasional stirring
- Remove it from fire and add 3 cups only of the toasted rice flour
- Use a wooden spoon when mixing and let it pass through your cornmeal grinder
- Divide it into two parts and roll, which is about 2 ½ inch in diameter. Use the remaining rice flour for rolling to avoid sticking in your hands and rolling table
- Cut into ½ inch thick pieces
