When I lived in Hawaii, haupia was everywhere and I didn’t mind one bit. In fact, I couldn’t get enough of it. I loved the Haupia Pie at Ted’s Bakery, haupia ice cream at the Seasider at BYU Hawaii, haupia-filled malasada’s at Leonard’s, haupia hand pies from McDonalds (please McDonalds, bring this to the mainland!), and even just plain haupia squares from Foodland or the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. Haupia just might be the EASIEST Hawaiian dessert you can make, which is awesome because you can always have a little taste of Hawaii in a jiffy no matter where you are!
How To Make Haupia
Note: If using agar agar you will want to bring the water and agar agar to a simmer in a sauce pan FIRST to cook the agar agar, and THEN add the coconut milk and sugar.Keto variation: If you use the agar agar method and use monkfruit powder in lieu of the sugar this becomes a delicious keto dessert!
Coconut Milk (full-fat ONLY) or Coconut Cream – There is some debate on whether using coconut milk, coconut cream, or cream of coconut is most traditional. Honestly you can use any of these. Coconut cream is a little more difficult to come by, but you can find it at most Asian markets. Coconut cream is thicker, so you may need to add a little more water to get the consistency you want. Cream of coconut is the sweetened version of coconut cream, so if you use cream of coconut, no additional sugar needs to be added. Sugar – just plain granulated sugar. Haupia typically isn’t overly sweet, in fact, most haupia I have had isn’t very sweet at all. If this is your first time having haupia and are more accustomed to very sweet desserts, you may want to add up to ⅓ cup sugar. Thickener – such as cornstarch, agar agar, or arrowroot (see detailed breakdown below). Use the amount listed for a more firm haupia, or about half if you want to make it more of a pudding or custard. Water
Cornstarch – The easiest to come by here in the states and by far the cheapest option. It still sets up well. This is the most widely used thickener today because of the ease and affordability. Arrowroot – The most traditional option. Has a very smooth texture and sets up great. Arrowroot can be difficult to find and a bit pricey, but it’s worth a try if you want it to be really authentic. If you use it in this recipe, you can swap it straight across at a 1:1 ratio with the cornstarch. Agar Agar – Great, smooth texture and sets up nicely. It’s a great natural substitute for cornstarch and commonly used in haupia. It has no corn, soy, gluten, carbohydrates, starch, sugar, or preservatives and it is high in fiber. If using agar agar in this recipe, you will want to use much less than you would if you were using cornstarch or arrowroot. About 1-2 teaspoons rather than 5 tablespoons.
As far as taste goes, all of these options are neutral in flavor. It will be hard to taste a difference between any of them. For texture, they are similar and unless you try them side-by-side you won’t notice a big difference. Agar agar and arrowroot tend to have a smoother more “gelatin-y” texture but it’s not too drastic of a difference. READ NEXT: The Best Hawaiian Desserts
How to Make Haupia
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