Kaya, the sweet coconut-based jam from Malaysia and Indonesia, is showing traction on menus, particularly in metro areas. Spreading kaya on a toast sandwich is its classic application, but it shows potential for sweet and savory creativity across the menu.
Making kaya in-house can be labor intensive, but efficiencies are found in creating it once a week, turning it into a viable option for most operators.
Fresh-made kaya is a combination of sugar, coconut cream and egg yolks. Pandan leaf is the classic flavoring, but a great substitute is either pandan extract, which yields nice floral and grassy notes, or vanilla extract.
Top Kaya Applications
- Served in ramekin as brunch condiment alternative
- Topper on pancakes, waffles, French toast or crêpes
- Use as a spread for a sweet and savory sandwich build
- Pastry filler alternative to traditional creme based desserts
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