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Overview

Martabak Manis

Terang Bulan, Kue Bandung

Martabak manis is Indonesia's thick sweet pancake: a yeasted batter cooked in a heavy pan until it rises tall and turns full of bubbles, then spread with butter and filled with chocolate sprinkles, grated cheese, crushed peanuts and condensed milk before being folded in half. This martabak manis recipe makes one large pancake, cut into 8 slices. One serving (one slice) is about 119 g.

Martabak manis is also known as terang bulan, meaning moonlight, and as kue Bandung after the city where street vendors made it famous. It traces its roots to the Chinese min jiang kueh brought to Indonesia by Hokkien migrants, and Indonesian vendors made it their own with the classic filling of chocolate sprinkles, grated cheese, crushed peanuts and condensed milk. Today it is sold from carts across Indonesia in the evening, cooked to order in a heavy pan.

Pairs well with: Hot sweet tea or black coffee.

Provenance

Indonesia flag Indonesia

Indonesian Street-Food Classic

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

1h 10m

45m prep • 25m cook

Batch Yield

8 Servings

360 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 119 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Yeasted Batter)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Occasions: Afternoon snack, street-food nights, family gatherings, festive treats Cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home
Tags: Sweet Vegetarian Fried
Slices of martabak manis topped with melted chocolate and grated cheese, showing the spongy honeycomb crumb

Indonesian Street-Food Classic

Photo: Malikpb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)

A yeasted batter rested until bubbly, cooked covered in a heavy pan until honeycombed, then buttered and filled with chocolate, cheese, peanuts and condensed milk.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 10m
P

Prep Stage: Whisk, Rest & Grate

45 Mins • Mix & Rest

Whisk the flour, 60 g of the sugar, yeast, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Beat the egg and vanilla into the lukewarm milk, pour it into the flour and whisk until smooth, then cover and rest for 30 minutes until bubbly. While the batter rests, grate the cheese, crush the peanuts and soften the spreading butter.

Maestro Tip: The batter should be thick enough to ribbon off the whisk — if it is runny, whisk in a spoonful more flour; a thin batter will not rise tall.

  1. 1

    Mix the Batter and Let It Rise

    35 Mins • Mix & Rest Room temperature, about 25°C (77°F)

    Whisk the flour, 60 g sugar, yeast, baking powder and salt together. Beat the egg and vanilla into the lukewarm milk, then pour it into the dry ingredients and whisk for 2–3 minutes until completely smooth with no lumps. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave for 30 minutes — the batter should look puffy and full of tiny bubbles.

    Milk hotter than 40°C (104°F) will kill the yeast; lukewarm to the wrist is right.

    Done when: The batter has risen slightly and is covered in small bubbles.

  2. 2

    Stir In the Baking Soda

    2 Mins • Mix Room temperature, about 25°C (77°F)

    Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon of the milk, stir it into the rested batter and whisk gently until just combined. The batter will loosen slightly and fizz a little — that is the lift that makes the honeycomb top.

    Do this only when the pan is already heating; the soda starts working straight away.

    Done when: The batter looks lighter and slightly foamy.

  3. 3

    Cook the Pancake Covered

    15 Mins • Cook Medium heat, about 180°C (350°F)

    Heat a heavy 26 cm pan or martabak pan over medium heat and grease it lightly with butter. Pour in all the batter and swirl once so it coats the base. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes until bubbles appear, then cover with a lid and cook for 10–12 more minutes. The top should be full of holes like a honeycomb and dry to the touch, and the base golden brown.

    Do not lift the lid in the first 8 minutes — the trapped steam is what cooks the top through. If the base browns too fast, turn the heat down, not up.

    Done when: The surface is dry, spongy and pocked with holes; the base is golden.

  4. 4

    Butter, Fill and Fold

    5 Mins • Fill Hot pancake, about 90°C (194°F)

    Slide the pancake onto a board and spread the 40 g soft butter generously over the whole hot surface so it melts into the holes. Sprinkle with the remaining 20 g sugar, then scatter the chocolate sprinkles over one half and the grated cheese and crushed peanuts over the other half. Drizzle everything with the condensed milk, then fold the cheese half over the chocolate half and press gently.

    Fill while the pancake is still hot — the heat melts the chocolate sprinkles and softens the cheese so the two halves stick together.

    Done when: The butter has melted into the crumb and the chocolate is soft and glossy.

  5. 5

    Slice and Serve Warm

    3 Mins • Serve Warm, about 60°C (140°F)

    Cut the folded pancake into 8 slices with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts. Serve warm, while the chocolate is still soft and the cheese is just melting.

    Cut from the folded edge outward so the filling stays inside each slice.

    Done when: Each slice shows the spongy crumb with a stripe of chocolate and cheese inside.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the martabak manis warm, one or two slices per person, with hot sweet tea — the outside should be golden and crisp at the edges, the inside soft, spongy and full of melted chocolate and cheese.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

360

kcal / serving

Protein

9g

Complete AA

Carbs

46g

Complex

Fats

16g

Healthy

Per serving (8 servings · 1 serving ≈ 119 g)
Energy360 kcal
Protein9 g
Carbohydrates46 g
Fat16 g
Fibre1.7 g
Sugar20.0 g
Sodium396 mg
Per 100g
Energy302 kcal
Protein7.8 g
Carbohydrates38.4 g
Fat13.3 g
Fibre1.4 g
Sugar16.8 g
Sodium333 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Calcium and vitamin B12 (milk, cheese and egg), vitamin E and magnesium (peanuts), small amounts of iron and B vitamins (flour, egg, cocoa in the sprinkles).

Quick Energy

Flour, sugar and condensed milk give fast energy, which is why street vendors sell it as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Protein from Egg, Milk and Cheese

Egg, milk and cheddar add protein to a sweet snack, so one slice is more filling than a plain sugary treat.

Peanuts Add Healthy Fats

Roasted peanuts bring unsaturated fats, vitamin E and magnesium to the filling.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Drinks

Hot Sweet Tea

Teh manis is the classic street-stall partner — hot tea cuts the richness of the butter and cheese.

Black Coffee

Bitter black coffee balances the very sweet filling and makes the chocolate taste deeper.

Sides

Fresh Banana Slices

A few slices of banana on the side add freshness and a soft, fruity contrast to the rich pancake.

More Pairings

Vanilla Ice Cream

A warm slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns the street snack into a proper dessert.

Complete menu

Serve one warm slice of martabak manis with hot sweet tea after dinner, with a few fresh banana slices on the side.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Cooking on High Heat

High heat burns the base before the thick batter cooks through, leaving a raw, doughy middle. Keep the heat medium and be patient — a burnt base cannot be fixed. This is general information, not medical advice.

Very Sweet Drinks

The pancake is already rich in sugar and condensed milk, so sweetened milky drinks on the side can make the whole snack overwhelmingly sweet. Choose plain tea or black coffee instead. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich sweet snack at 360 kcal a slice — one slice with plain tea is a treat, not an everyday snack.
  • ChildrenChildren love the chocolate and cheese filling; one small slice is plenty, and it is soft and easy to chew.
  • ElderlySoft and easy to chew, but sweet and rich — a small slice with tea is a good afternoon treat.
  • Pregnant womenThe egg, milk and cheese provide protein and calcium during pregnancy, but the pancake is high in sugar, so keep it to an occasional small slice and check with your clinician.
  • Breastfeeding womenA satisfying, energy-rich snack; keep to one slice because of the sugar and saturated fat from the butter and cheese.
  • AthletesEnergy-dense, so a slice works as quick fuel after training, but it is low in protein for recovery — pair it with something protein-rich.
  • Weight gainEnergy-dense for its size, so it can help add calories between meals — one slice as a snack.
  • Weight lossRich in sugar, butter and cheese, so it is a treat rather than an everyday snack — a small slice, and skip the sweet drink with it.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesHigh in sugar and fast carbohydrate, so it raises blood sugar quickly — people with diabetes should eat a small piece only occasionally and check with their clinician.
  • High blood pressureThe salt is moderate, but the pancake is rich in saturated fat and sugar, so keep the portion to one small slice if you watch your blood pressure; check with your clinician.
  • Kidney diseaseMilk, cheese and peanuts are high in potassium and phosphorus in larger amounts, so people with kidney disease should eat this rarely and in a small portion; ask your clinician.
  • GoutLow in purines, so gout is not a particular concern with this pancake; the sugar and fat are the bigger issues.
  • Stomach issuesRich and buttery, so it can feel heavy on a sensitive stomach — eat a small slice slowly and stop if it bothers you.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseButter and cheese are high in saturated fat, so this is an occasional treat rather than a regular snack for heart health; check with your clinician.
  • Fatty liverA rich, sugary pancake is heavy on the liver in large amounts — keep it to one small slice occasionally; ask your clinician for guidance.
  • Food allergiesContains wheat (gluten), milk (butter, cheese, condensed milk), egg and peanut. There is no soy or tree nut in this recipe. If you are allergic to wheat, milk, egg or peanut, do not eat this pancake.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable for low-sugar, low-fat or low-cholesterol therapeutic diets; a version with less sugar and no cheese is lighter but will not taste the same. Ask your clinician or dietitian before changing your diet.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool completely, then wrap tightly in cling film or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
In the fridge
2 days in an airtight container; bring back to room temperature or warm gently before eating.
In the freezer
1 month, wrapped tightly in cling film inside a freezer bag; thaw in the fridge overnight.
How to reheat
Warm a slice in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 5 minutes, or in a dry pan over low heat until the chocolate softens; reheat to at least 74°C (165°F) if it has been refrigerated.
Freezing recommended
Yes — it freezes well; slice before freezing so you can thaw one piece at a time.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell from the milk or cheese, or mould spots.

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