Biko Cupcakes with Mango Sorbet - Gluten-Free Filipino Dessert

Biko is a new dessert to me, and unless you are Filipino, it's probably new to you as well.  Biko is a coconut sticky rice cake.  When I say rice cake, please, please don't picture those flavorless Styrofoam-like "desserts" enjoyed by dieters all over America. Biko cupcakes are like eating a bowl of brown sugar-topped coconut-flavored oatmeal in cupcake form. Enjoy them warm out of the oven for breakfast or top them with mango sorbet and latik (read my post about latik if that word means nothing to you) as a sweet end to a home-cooked meal. 

Latik - Cooking Magic with Coconut Milk

Although I still marvel at sugar turning to sweet, sticky caramel, egg whites tripling in size to become fluffy meringue, and heavy whipping cream turning into pipable clouds of frosting, I've seen these kitchen tricks so many times that I need to stop and remind myself to not take them for granted.  But, when I first saw a photo of latik a couple of weeks ago, I may as well have been at a David Copperfield show.  "Coconut milk can turn into that?"  I marveled.  I had no idea!  

Latik, a Filipino dessert topping, is made by cooking down coconut milk or coconut cream (the more solid stuff on the top of a can of coconut milk) for hours until it separates into fried coconut curds (latik) and coconut oil.  It's like putting coconut milk into a magic hat, saying abra cadabra, and pulling out a toasted cross between brown sugar and shredded baker's coconut. 

Latik is ideal for sprinkling on ice cream (in the image above, I topped Caio Bella Mango Sorbet with latik) or cupcakes to give them a shot of rich coconut flavor.  Also, you can use the byproduct (the coconut oil) for cooking or baking.

Latik may not be something that you'll make every day, but if like me you love exploring new feats of culinary wonderment, it's worth making at least once.