Hainanese Caramel Kaya Toast

Method

1. Knot the pandan leaves and warm them with the coconut milk in a small pot on low heat for 5 min, just until steaming, then turn off the heat to infuse. Don't boil it, or the coconut milk will split.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk (full-fat) 200 mlPandan leaves, knotted 3

   low heat

2. In another small pot, heat 40% of the sugar with the water on medium heat for 5 min. Don't stir; swirl the pot until the caramel is the colour of strong tea (deep amber). Take it off the heat, remove the pandan, and pour the warm coconut milk in very slowly, stirring to dissolve the caramel. It will steam and bubble up fiercely, so keep your face back and use a long spatula. If the caramel seizes, set it on low until it melts.

   Add in this stepWhite sugar 48 gWater (for the caramel) 30 ml

   medium heat

3. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, remaining sugar and salt, then pour in the warm caramel coconut milk in a thin stream, whisking nonstop so the eggs don't cook. Strain until smooth.

   Add in this stepEggs (for the kaya) 2Egg yolks (for the kaya) 2White sugar 72 gSalt 1 pinch

4. Set the bowl over gently simmering water on medium-low heat and cook for 40 min, scraping the bottom and sides with a silicone spatula every 2 to 3 minutes. It is done when it becomes a deep caramel custard that coats the back of the spatula thickly (about 82 °C). If the texture is grainy, blitz with a stick blender for 10 seconds until silky, then jar and cool.

   medium-low heat

5. Bring water to cover the eggs by 2 cm to a rolling boil in a 16 cm pot on high heat, switch to heat off, lower in the room-temperature eggs with a ladle, cover and leave for 7 min.

   Add in this stepEggs at room temperature (for soft-boiling) 4

   high heat→heat off

6. Heat a dry pan on medium-low heat and slowly toast the thick bread for 4 min per side, until deep golden and crisp, two slices per pan in 2 rounds. Cut off the crusts, then use a bread knife to split each slice horizontally through the middle into two thin slices, crisp outside and soft inside.

   Add in this stepThick-sliced white bread (2 cm) 4

   medium-low heat

7. Spread the soft inner sides generously with kaya, add 5 mm slabs of cold butter, sandwich and cut into triangles. Crack the eggs into a bowl and season with light soy, a few drops of dark soy and white pepper. Serve with strong coffee.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, cold 40 gLight soy sauce 2 tspDark soy sauce ½ tspGround white pepper to taste