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1
Steam the Coconut Coating
10 Mins • Steam
Steam, about 100°C (212°F)
Toss the grated coconut with 1g salt in a heatproof bowl and steam for 10 minutes until soft, fluffy and fragrant. Spread it out on a wide plate and leave it nearby — the balls must be rolled in it while they are still hot.
Steaming the coconut keeps it fresh-tasting and helps it cling to the hot balls; skip it only if the coconut is very fresh.
Done when: The coconut is soft, warm and smells sweet and nutty.
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2
Make the Pandan Dough
10 Mins • Mix & Knead
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Put the glutinous rice flour, rice flour and 1g salt in a large bowl and stir. Pour in the pandan juice a little at a time, mixing and then kneading for about 3 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and pliable, like soft modelling clay. If it feels sticky, dust in a spoonful more glutinous rice flour; if it cracks, add a splash of water.
Add the juice gradually — pandan leaves vary in juiciness, and too much liquid makes a dough that will not hold its shape.
Done when: The dough is smooth, bright green and holds together when rolled into a ball.
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3
Fill and Roll the Balls
10 Mins • Shape
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Flatten one piece in your palm into a disc about 5 cm across, place a piece of palm sugar in the centre, fold the dough over it and pinch the edges firmly shut. Roll gently between your palms into a smooth ball. Repeat with the rest, keeping the finished balls covered with a damp cloth so they do not dry out.
Seal each ball twice — pinch, then roll — because any gap lets the melted sugar escape into the boiling water.
Done when: Each ball is smooth and round with no visible seam or crack.
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4
Boil the Klepon
8 Mins • Boil
Boiling water, about 100°C (212°F)
Bring 1.5 L of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Drop the balls in a few at a time and stir very gently once so they do not stick to the bottom. Cook for about 5 minutes: the balls sink first, then float to the surface when the dough is cooked and the sugar inside has melted. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, letting the water drain off for a few seconds.
Do not crowd the pot — balls that bump into each other while boiling can split open.
Done when: The balls float to the surface and look glossy and slightly puffed.
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5
Roll in Coconut and Serve
5 Mins • Coat
Serve warm, about 60°C (140°F)
While the balls are still hot, roll each one in the steamed coconut until it is fully coated, then set it on a serving plate. Serve warm, four balls per person, so the first bite releases the hot palm sugar syrup.
Roll the balls the moment they leave the water — once they cool, the coconut will not stick.
Done when: Every ball is evenly white with coconut and still warm to the touch.
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6
Eat Them Fresh
2 Mins • Serve
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Eat the klepon the same day, ideally within a few hours of making them. Warn everyone to bite carefully: the palm sugar inside is hot liquid sugar.
Klepon harden as they cool, so make them close to serving time rather than a day ahead.
Done when: The balls are soft and chewy, with a burst of warm syrup inside.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the klepon warm on a banana leaf or a plain plate, four per person, with hot jasmine tea — the balls should be soft and chewy, the coconut fragrant, and the palm sugar inside liquid and warm.
Indonesia
35m
