Kuih Sapit

Ingredients

Batter

• 200 grice flour
• 100 gplain flour
• 200 gcaster sugar
• 4eggs
• 400 mlthick coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonvanilla, optional

Sometimes added

• 2 tablespoonsblack sesame seeds
• a little pandan extract
• 1 teaspoonground cinnamon

Equipment

• a kuih kapit iron mould
• or a pizzelle iron
• oil, for the mould
• a cloth, for folding

To serve

• stored in tins
• with tea or coffee
• for visiting guests at Hari Raya

Directions

1. Fold it the instant it leaves the iron. The wafers are extremely hot when folded. Use cloths rather than bare hands. Keep children away from the work. Have cold water nearby throughout. Use a full fat coconut milk for it. A little wheat flour helps them hold together. Put both flours in a large bowl. Add the sugar and the salt to them.
2. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add the coconut milk to the eggs. Combining them takes some care. Pour the wet into the dry gradually. Whisk it as you pour to avoid lumps. Add the vanilla if you are using it. Whisk it all together until smooth.
3. Pour the batter through a fine sieve. Lumps show as thick spots in the wafer. Cover the bowl and let it stand. Give it about thirty minutes to rest.
4. Stir it well before every wafer. Heating the iron takes attention. Set the iron over a medium flame. Heat both of the plates evenly. Turn it over every minute or so. Give it a good five minutes to heat. Brush both plates with a little oil. Use a brush or a folded cloth.
5. Pour a small spoonful onto the lower plate. Put it in the centre of the plate. Use less batter than you would expect. Too much oozes out of the sides. Press the handles together firmly. Hold them closed as the wafer cooks. Cooking it takes under a minute. Hold it over the flame for about thirty seconds. Turn the whole iron over carefully. Judging it takes a careful look.
6. Adjust the heat between wafers. Lift the wafer off with a knife point. Lay it on a cloth immediately. Fold it in half with the cloth. Press the fold firmly for a second. You have about five seconds to fold it. Work fast and do not stop to admire it. Set the folded wafers on a wire rack.
7. Let them cool down completely there. A warm wafer still feels slightly soft. Pack them into airtight sealed tins. Layer them carefully so they do not break. Pack them in layers rather than piling them. Keep the tin somewhere cool and dry. Serving them is done from the tin. Set them out in a bowl for guests. Serve tea or coffee alongside. They keep three weeks in a sealed tin.

Technique

• The wafer comes off the iron soft and pliable and must be folded within about five seconds, since it sets rigid as it cools and then shatters; have the cloth ready before you open the iron and do not stop to admire it.
• The iron and the wafers are extremely hot, so fold with a folded cloth rather than bare hands, keep children away from the work and have cold water nearby.
• Rice flour settles to the bottom quickly and the batter separates as it stands, so stir it well before every single wafer; that matters more here than almost anywhere, since one watery wafer in a batch will not crisp.

Substitutions

• A pizzelle iron works in place of a kuih kapit mould.
• Black sesame seeds or pandan extract are common additions to the batter.

Variations

• The same wafer is kuih kapit in Malaysia and Singapore, called a love letter.
• They are folded into quarters or rolled into tubes, both are made.
• Households make hundreds before Hari Raya, often working as a group.

History

Baked in quantity before Hari Raya in Brunei and stored in tins for visiting guests.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kuih Sapit?

Kuih Sapit is a snack from Brunei: thin coconut wafers pressed in an iron mould and folded while still hot. Baked in quantity before Hari Raya in Brunei and stored in tins for visiting guests.

How long does Kuih Sapit take to make?

Kuih Sapit takes 30 minutes of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes about 60 wafers. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Kuih Sapit?

Yes, within limits. A pizzelle iron works in place of a kuih kapit mould. Black sesame seeds or pandan extract are common additions to the batter.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kuih Sapit?

Fold it the instant it leaves the iron. The wafers are extremely hot when folded. Use cloths rather than bare hands. Keep children away from the work. Have cold water nearby throughout. Use a full fat coconut milk for it. A little wheat flour helps them hold together. Put both flours in a large bowl. Add the sugar and the salt to them.