Image credit: Curious Cuisiniere
Ah, cendol. The ever iconic dessert. This beloved sweet ice dessert can usually be found anywhere ranging from the street vendors to even packed restaurants. Cendol toppings can include creamed corn, jackfruit, or pulut (glutinous rice), as well as tapioca pearls folded into the ice, and the funky, pungent flesh of the durian fruit in some cases. With this simple recipe, you can make it at home.

Easy Cendol
Image credit: Curious Cuisiniere
Ingredients
For the Cendol Jellies
- 50 g
Cornstarch - 10 g Mung bean starch (rice starch may be substituted)
- 10 g Wheat starch (omit not available)
- 30 g
Granulated cane sugar - 400 ml Water
- 70 g Pandan leaves (if you can't find fresh or frozen pandan leaves, you can omit and use pandan extract instead)
- ¼ tsp
Green pandan extract - ¼ tsp Lye water (optional_
For the Sugar Syrup
- 100 g
Palm sugar - ¼ c Water
For The Finished Dessert
- Cooked red azuki beans
- Cooked yellow mung beans
Coconut milk - Crushed ice
Instructions
For the Cendol Jellies
- Prepare an ice bath by placing ice into a large bowl filled with water.
- Combine all the cendol jelly ingredients in a medium saucepan. Turn on the heat to high, and stir the mixture with a spatula.
- Once the mixture starts to thicken, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until it becomes a translucent paste. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and carefully transfer the paste to a potato ricer working in batches, squeeze the paste through the rice over top of the ice bath, ensuring the "cendol noodles" are submerged in the ice water.
- Leave the cendol in the ice water for 15 minutes.
- Drain the cendol and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
For the Sugar Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the palm sugar and water and heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a jar and let cool.
For The Finished Dessert
- To assemble, layer azuki red beans, yellow mung beans, cendol jellies, and crushed ice in a bowl or glass.
- Drizzle with coconut milk and sugar syrup.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe credit: Curious Cuisiniere