Layers of Colors: Sapin-sapin

Introduction:
Sapin-sapin is a traditional Filipino delicacy made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, condensed milk, latik (toasted coconut curds), and flavorings such as ube and jackfruit. Because this delicacy is not easy to make, it is not very common in Filipino household. Instead, it is often reserved for special occasions like birthdays, weddings, baptisms, and other celebrations. Some stores choose to offer a variety of sticky rice cakes, and sapin-sapin is among their featured products.

In Filipino, the word sapin means “layer” or “cover.” Thus, the name sapin-sapin refers to the dessert’s signature layered presentation.

While there is no definitive record of sapin-sapin’s origin, Raymund, author of the Ang Sarap website, traces it to the northern Philippine province of Abra. This rice cake is best enjoyed with a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate.

 

Ingredients:
Local ingredients such as coconut milk and glutinous rice are used in this delicacy. Below are the ingredients I used, along with their measurements:
– 2 cups glutinous rice
– 4 cups coconut milk
– 1 cup granulated white sugar (I only used half)
– 1 small can condensed milk
– ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
– Violet food coloring
– Yellow food coloring

To be honest, I struggled to complete my ingredients. I wasn’t able to find ripe jackfruit or purple yam, but I still managed to pull through. Using a small round cup molder, I was able to make 22 pieces.

 

Procedure:

Making of the batter

Making of latik

 

Online source:
For today’s learning project, I followed the step-by-step recipe from Panlasang Pinoy. At the top of the website, there’s a brief description of the delicacy, along with a photo showing what to expect once it’s finished. I had to read the instructions a few times before giving it a try. Since I didn’t have jackfruit or purple yam, it disrupted the flow of the recipe a bit. At that point, I had to improvise and figure out how to complete the task with what I had.

I kept reminding myself that as long as I achieved the desired result — a finished sapin-sapin — the exact order of steps wouldn’t matter. Thankfully, that turned out to be true. I enjoy learning through short videos, but this step-by-step recipe was still manageable for me. It made me think about how my mom and family used to cook back in the day, before YouTube and other learning apps existed — relying on printed recipes, memory, and intuition.

 

Reflection:
Making this delicacy truly tested my patience — from preparing the latik to cooking each layer of sapin-sapin. As I stirred and waited for each layer to set, I realized just how much time this process demands. I started late in the evening, and honestly, I regretted not beginning in the morning. Lesson learned!

Another insight: I should have made the latik first. That way, I could’ve used the coconut oil it produces to grease my molders — much better than the cooking oil I used for my first batch. Coconut oil prevents sticking and adds a subtle aroma that complements the dessert beautifully.

One final reflection: it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them. That’s part of the journey. Despite the hiccups, I achieved the consistency and taste I was aiming for. It wasn’t too sweet, and the texture was soft yet satisfyingly chewy. I served it to our friends at a party yesterday, and they all loved it!

So, will I make it again? Probably yes — though I’m not sure when. What about you? Would you give it a try?

 

 

Disclaimer: Used Copilot as a grammar checker! 🙂