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Espasol Recipe

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Espasol is a type of rice cake that is made of rice flour cooked in coconut milk. This cylindrically shaped treat originated from the Province of Laguna and is visible in almost all bus stops and “pasalubong” stores.

espasol

Like the other famous rice-puddings (or kakanin), there are various ways in making Espasol. I’ll be showing you one of the simple ways on how to make this fabulous dessert. Say adieu to your cravings and start making your own delicious Espasol.

Try this Espasol recipe and let me know what you think.

How to toast the rice flour

  1. Place a pan large enough to accommodate the rice flour on top of a stove and apply low heat.
  2. Put the rice flour in the pan and allow to toast while continuously mixing until the color turns light brown.
  3. Remove the toasted rice flour from the pan and transfer to a bowl or large container

How to toast the grated coconut

  1. Place a pan on top of a stove and apply low heat.
  2. Put the grated coconut in the pan and allow to toast while continuously mixing until the color turns light brown.
  3. Remove the toasted grated coconut from the pan and transfer to a bowl
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Espasol Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Author Vanjo Merano

Ingredients

  • 3 cups glutinous rice flour toasted
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour toasted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 cups coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 cups grated coconut toasted
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

Instructions

  • In a cooking pot, pour-in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.
  • Add the sugar and stir continuously for 10 minutes.
  • Put-in the toasted grated coconut and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the vanilla essence and toasted rice flour and cook for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until the mixture becomes really thick while folding.
  • Remove the mixture from the pot and allow to cool down.
  • Dust the toasted sweet rice flour in a flat surface.
  • Divide the mixture into parts and roll over the dusted sweet rice flour until a cylindrical shape is formed.
  • Slice according to your preference.
  • Put in a serving plate or wrap in paper or banana leaf. Share and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 4g

Watch the cooking video:

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Hi. Just want to say a big Thank You for all the recipes you’ve been posting. I don’t really know how to cook and I already have lots of recipe books but i find your website really helpful especially with the video. Some recipes i’ve tried before and didn’t turn out right but when i follow yours, i get the taste i wanted. so thanks again and keep up the great job.

    now, with the espasol recipe which is one of my favourite filipino food, can i substitute rice flour and the sweet rice flour with something else? i can’t seem to find them in our local shops unless i go to asian shops which are really far from our area. hope you can help me as i am really excited in making the espasol. Thanks again.

    Reply

    • Thanks Sheila. You may use sweet rice flour as substitute. If the liquid seems to be not enough, just add a little water to achieve the expected texture.

      Reply

  7. Dear Kuya,

    Your site has not only been exciting but also have been very helpful for people like us who is living outside the Philippines, since all of us are craving for Filipino foods. And you have been very helpful for me, as I have started my small business with the help of your very clear, informative and instructional informatioins on various Filipino delicacies. Thank you very much for your sincerity and passion in extending to thousands of people your extraordinary culinary arts. More power and may God bless you always.

    Kindly assist me regarding one ingredient which I cannot find here in the Gulf, that is the SWEET RICE FLOUR, we only have here the ordinary rice flour, and the glutenous flour. Can i use the glutenous rice in substitute for the sweet rice flour?

    Thank you very much and more power.

    Iman

    Reply

    • Iman, oks lang kahit ordinary rice flour. The reason why sweet rice flour is suggested is because this will be used to coat the espasol and some would like a sweet taste during the first bite. If possible, you can mix a quarter teaspoon of confectioner sugar to the ordinary rice flour to get that sweet taste or just simply use toasted plain rice flour.

      Goodluck sa business Iman!

      Reply

  9. hi!!its just been a couple of weeks since i first saw this site of yours,im very very thankful tlga kasi this is helping me a lot,since i dont really cook before and now im loving it because of your exciting and delicious recipes and my friends here in spain really loved them. more power and godbless you! ´cant wait to see more of your coming new ones..

    Reply

  10. hi kuya,

    just want to make sure is it really rice flour or glutinous rice flour there are two kinds di ba? and what is sweet rice flour where can i buy it?

    Reply

    • Either would do Ivan. It depends on your location. Here in Chicago, I usually get it from Filipino stores or Asian markets.

      Reply

  11. Thank you so much for providing us with this awesome website. I live here in Southern United States married to an American guy. He doesn’t eat Filipino food except for Mechado and Chicken Adobo, but I always have a craving for it. I was so thankful when I found your wonderful site with easy to follow and well written recipes. With regards to Espasol, can I use the sweetened grated or shredded coconut and toast it. That’s the only thing I can find in the groceries. Should I reduce the sugar amount? I’d like to try your Espasol soon, I miss it!!!

    Reply

    • Hi Mel, nice to hear from you. Sure, you may use the sweetened grated coconut but reduce the sugar a bit. Please also make sure that you use low heat in toasting since sweet grated coconut can burn fast.

      Reply

  13. thank you so much!!! i made it and my mom loved it!!!
    she thought i bought it from the store!!!
    thank you sa recipe!!!!!!!

    Reply

  14. Hi Margaret. You can call me Vanjo :)Your message is very flattering. Thank you for your appreciation. I hope that we could still reach our other kababayans so please spread the word ma’am. Please extend my regards to all our kababayans in Norway.

    Reply

  19. It’s easy to make icing… you just buy and icing sugar…,,, open it get a cup.. then put into a bowl pour about 1/2 cup of hot water then keep mixing until the mixture is thick… then get like a spoon. and spread it over the cake or cupcakes.. thanks.. 😀 .. LOL..

    Reply

  20. Hi, thanks for posting. I made polvoron for the first time and my filipino relatives loved it. My uncle requested I make espasol next time. I didn’t know what it was but now that I’ve found your site…I will make it next Christmas. Your videos are great. I guess that will be my contribution to our christmas table from now on, Filipino foods from your website. Thanks again.

    Reply

  22. just wanna thank you for sharing a lot of delicious recipes sa site mo. i have tried almost of it and it really works for me as a new housewife.my husband always wondering how did i cook such tasty food.so thanks a lot kuya.more power and GOD BLESS!!!!!!

    Reply

  23. hello po kuya…. I found this espasol recipe and it looks delicious. I can’t wait to make some but before that I have to ask you how to make the sweet rice flour? It says here in the recipe that 1/2 cup of sweet rice flour is needed and I honestly wonder what that is. Is this the toasted rice flour with sugar??? Help me please…..

    Reply

  25. Hello! I’m so happy to be back here in Panlasang Pinoy. I really appreciate what you’re doing for your kababayans, especially for us living abroad where we don’t have access to Filipino food that we miss so much.

    May I know the difference between glutinous rice flour and sweet rice flour? I live here in Florida and I don’t know which one to buy at the Oriental market. Thank you and more power!

    Reply

  26. Follow-up questions:

    -can I use the sweetened shredded coconut from the supermarket, same amount?

    -I don’t have sweet flour, can I use the toasted glutinous flour for rolling the cooked espasol?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  27. Hi, I’d just like to let you know that I cooked this today. I didn’t have any sweet rice flour so I put 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of sugar and just used the glutinous rice flour w/out sugar to dredge or roll the Espasol. By the way, it took me only 20 minutes to cook the whole mixture of Espasol. Thank you very much, overall it is worth all the effort. It’s so good!!!

    Reply

  28. hi, i just wanted to ask you, i did everything that says on the recipe, but at the end, mine wasn’t like yours. it wasn’t sticky, mine looked grainy, wasn’t smooth and sticky…can u tell me wat i did wrong…thnx

    reggie

    Reply

    • reggie, did you use glutinous rice flour for this recipe? If you did, I don’t see any scenario why it should be grainy because it will eventually become very sticky one its added.

      Reply

  29. hi kuya,

    your recipes are of great help, i’m married to a muslim so PORK is a BIG NO.
    before bumping your site I only have fried chicken always in mind or tinolang manok, but now I have different cuisines to choose from because of what you have posted in your site.Cooking now is just like eating peanuts…Now manage to serve unfamiliar dishes in the table but surely mouth watering one.A BIG THANK YOU FOR YOU.

    If it isn’t 2 much to ask please feature BEEF RANDANG…
    God bless you.

    luiza

    Reply

  31. Hi there!
    Awesome site, I am a small business owner here abroad. I will try this recipe to sell. I will let u know the outcome. God bless you. You are a great help for me.

    Reply

  32. hi thanks a lot 4 posting your knowledge about cooking different kind of pilipino food! I ENJOYED it watching your video while your showing the step how to do it!! god bless panlasang pinoy! kip it up the good work! mabuhay,,:))

    Reply

  33. Hi,

    Thank you for all your fantastic recipes!
    I’m just wondering with this recipe, I’ve been looking everywhere for Sweet Rice Flour but unable to locate it anywhere.
    What can I use instead of it?

    Thanks very much.

    Reply

  34. Hi I have a question about the flour ingredients:

    -3 cups glutinous rice flour, toasted

    -1/2 cup sweet rice flour, toasted

    I have Mochiko- Glutinous Rice Flour, but when I googled it says Glutinous Rice Flour was similar to Sweet Rice Flour. Can I use the Mochiko for both? or is there another substitute for Sweet Rice Flour?

    Thanks in Advance:)

    Reply

    • I have the same Mochiko here but it says on the box ‘sweet rice’ I googled it, according to wiki ‘glutinous rice’.. is also called ‘sticky rice’ or bigas na malagkit. Im a bit confused now with the ingredients.. maybe the 3 cups glutinous rice flour should only be just rice flour? I was about to make this but Im confused with the glutinous rice..

      Reply

  37. Thank you po sa nga recipes. I’m a foodie here in New Zealand.
    You make it look so easy! I’m cooking more often now.
    Happy New Year!
    Cheers from all of us
    Brenda

    Reply

  39. hi,

    i tried this recipe and it was successful! i’m so happy kc i really like espasol before i used to order to my neighbor but now after watching you video i can make my own…you’re really big help to us! thank you very much for sharing it to us and keep on cooking other recipes.

    Reply

  40. I went to Vietnamese and Thai Asian stores in my area and asked them for rice flour and glutinous rice flour. I was told by both stores that they were same.
    If rice flour is made of regular rice, can I just put regular rice in a blender and grind the heck out of it till it turns to powder?

    Reply

  41. hello, thanks for the very informative site….this would be a very good help especially those who are starting a food business like me…Good luck and God Bless!

    Reply

  42. thanks po sa pagpost ng kung pano lutin ang espasol…its my first time to cooked this im happy coz i knew it…

    Reply

  44. Hi i want to thanks panlasang pinoy.com,that i discover. im living ing Germany.im soo happy na mkaloto na ako ng pinoy eating. thanks to GOD and GOD BLESS TOO LESENERS.

    Reply

  45. Hi Vanjo,

    I love watching your videos on your website everytime I need recipes, I’m from U.S. and I just wanna know where can I buy those molds that you use for kutsinta and pichi-pichi? I really appreciate it if you could e-mail to me where I can get those molds.

    More power to you and your website.

    Thanks!:)

    Reply

  46. Please post the receipes of sapin -- sapin, ang mga menu nyo ay malaking tulong sakin dito sa abroad kasi nakakapag part time ako ng pagtitinda ng mga nagagaya ko ng menu sa inyo extra income, now i have dream na makpagpatayo ng business. thanks a lot….

    Reply

  47. this is one of my favorites; thanks for posting! i enjoy watching. hopefully next time i can make some of your recipes. sooo easy to prepare! that`s why i love it! (“,)

    Reply

  48. Lou, this recipe will be last for 4 days. It will be in the best condition for the first 3 days. Do not refrigerate espasol because it will turn-out hard.

    Reply

  49. Glutinous rice is Malagkit. The way other people used to make espasol are totally different from what I inherit frm my parents. Traditionally I like the original recipe which is the best you will ever taste in Luzon. I have many make it but nothing compare to what I have known
    Everyone has the right to own a version the way they like it. We make it only for especial occasion and as a present for friends and relatives by which sometimes bring it to US and Australia by relatives

    Reply

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