Earl Grey Kuih Kosui with Lemon Curd

Preparation time: 1 day (overnight)

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For Earl Grey kuih kosui:

50g rice flour

50g tapioca flour

100g castor sugar

3 bags Earl Grey tea

450g hot water

1 tsp lye water (alkaline water), optional

For lemon curd:

160ml lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)

Zest of lemons

2 whole eggs

4 egg yolks

180-200g sugar

60g salted butter, cut into cubes

Method:

1. Steep tea bags in hot water and set aside.
2. Place dry ingredients in a small pot and drizzle in hot tea, all the while whisking to create a smooth batter. Add lye water.
3. Place pot over a low heat and cook until batter thickens. Stir constantly.
4. Grease ramekins or heat-proof dishes with oil, and fill ¾ of each dish with batter.
5. Steam kuih batter over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, until kuih turns amber brown. Set aside to cool.
6. To make lemon curd, wash lemons well and remove the peels using a zester. Set aside in a small, covered bowl.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add lemon juice, whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until smooth, then add butter to the top of the mixture.
8. In a double boiler, cook lemon curd gently and slowly over hot steam. Ensure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the mixing bowl.
9. Stir gently but constantly, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until curd thickens. Test for a clean break by using your finger to run a line across the curd that’s on the spatula. If curd separates cleanly and doesn’t fill the line you’ve just created, then it is thick enough.
10. Strain curd using a fine-mesh sieve and stir in zest. Cover with cling film pressed directly onto the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill overnight.
11. To serve, spoon lemon curd over Earl Grey kuih kosui.

Tip: Lye water contributes to kuih kosui’s springy and chewy texture. You may omit it if you dislike its scent, but this will affect the consistency of your kuih.