This post is about a traditional Thai custard called sangkaya that has a delicious blend of egg, sugar, and coconut cream that is steamed. In this post, I share all about this dessert and how to make this Thai custard right at home.

Sangkaya is a traditional Thai dessert that is made of coconut cream, eggs, and sugar that is steamed either by itself in a small dessert tray or inside a hollowed out pumpkin. This is a very popular Thai dessert that you can eat both warm and cold.

This custard when combined with coconut sticky rice with mango is absolutely divine.

I’m going to share with you how you can make this recipe right at home!

All About Thai Custard – Sangkaya

This is a sweet, smooth, and creamy custard that is made with coconut cream, palm sugar, pinch of salt, and eggs. It provides a harmonious balance of sweetness and the savoriness of coconut cream. It is steamed either by itself or most often inside a kabocha squash.

What does Thai custard taste like?

Thai coconut egg custard is reminiscent of a chilled creme brulee. The flavor of the coconut provides the sweetness of the custard, the eggs provide the savoriness of the dish, and if steamed inside the pumpkin, the pumpkin provides the additional texture to balance this sweet dish.

Other names for Thai Custard

There are so many varying names for Thai custard. When Thai language is translated into English format, there are so many variations of spelling out the pronunciations that it’s hard to compare the differences in names. Below are ways that you’ll find this recipe mentioned:

• Thai custard
• Thai traditional custard
• Thai coconut custard
• Thai custard with sticky rice
• Pumpkin coconut custard
• Sweet Coconut Egg Custard
• Sangkaya
• Santakaya
• Sankaya
• Sangkhaya
• San ka ya
• Sang Ka Ya Fak Tong
• Sangkaya Fak Thong
• สังขยาฟักทอง

What does sangakya mean?

Sangkaya means custard in Thai. Fak thong (or tong) means pumpkin in Thai.

How is it sold in Thailand?

It is a very common and popular street food in Thailand. Often, you’ll find street food cart vendors selling this as a delicious snack served freshly steamed or even cold and chilled. It costs about $0.60 cents per slice!

What are the ingredients inside Thai custard?

Thai custard has just a handful of ingredients. All of these ingredients can be found at your local grocer. The traditional authentic recipe includes coconut cream (or milk), eggs, palm sugar, and salt.

I often like to level it up a notch by adding just a tiny bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavors (that’s my western influence coming into the mix).

When is it generally served?

Thai custard is generally served as a dessert after a big meal. It is often made for special occasions when there is time to steam the custard.

What is Thai custard often paired with?

Often, Thai custard is prepared with sweetened sticky rice. It is also often steamed inside of a kabocha squash (which can be found during the fall at most Asian grocers).

What type of steamer can I use for making custard?

I often use these Asian aluminum steamers. Here’s one that is similar to my twenty year old steamer.

Tips for Cooking Authentic Sangkaya Custard

While there is a simple ingredient list for this recipe, there are a few tips and tricks you’ll want to follow to ensure that the custard cooks all the way through. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a really soggy custard with eggs that didn’t cook all the way through. No one wants that!

Internal Thai Custard Temperature

When making sangkaya, the internal temperature of the custard should reach 170ºF (75ºC). Once it’s been reached, allow the custard to cool to room temperature before serving.

Choose the Right Coconut Cream

This is the coconut cream that I use to make this dish. When choosing coconut milks and creams, there are varying “strengths” of fatness depending on brands. For this recipe, ensure that you are using a can that has about 180 calories per cup so the flavor of the coconut comes out.

Tips for Serving Authentic Thai Custard

If it is seasonally appropriate, I would highly recommend cooking this custard inside a kabocha pumpkin. However, if it is not in season, Thai custard can be added on top of sweetened coconut sticky rice. 

Below, I’m sharing with you each of these recipes separately so you can make it at home yourself.

How to Make Thai Custard (Sangkaya)

Ingredients for Thai Custard

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of coconut cream
• 1/2 cup of palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

There are a few different options on how you can cook the Thai custard.

Instructions for Making Thai Custard Using Steamer

1. Whisk the eggs (you can also choose to use a blender).
2. Add the coconut cream and the palm sugar. 
3. Add in the vanilla extract. 
4. Put the custard in steam safe bowls. Add the bowls into layered steamer.
5. Steam for 50 minutes or until the custard reaches 170ºF (75ºC).  
6. As the custard becomes firm, it will expand. You can check to see if the custard is done by poking a toothpick into the custard. If it comes out cleanly, the custard is done.
7. Allow to cool to room temperature. 
8. Serve with coconut sticky rice!

Instructions for Making Thai Custard Using a Slow Cooker

1. Whisk the eggs (you can also choose to use a blender).
2. Add the coconut cream and the palm sugar. 
3. Add in the vanilla extract.
4. Add the mixture into a slow cooker on low.
5. Allow to slow cook for three hours.
6. As the custard becomes firm, it will expand. You can check to see if the custard is done by poking a toothpick into the custard. If it comes out cleanly, the custard is done.
7. Allow to cool to room temperature. 
8. Serve with coconut sticky rice!

Serving Sangkaya Thai Custard

Sangkaya Thai custard can be served long with sweet sticky rice, the same one that is used in making mango sticky rice.

Sangkaya can be preserved in the refrigerator for 2-3 days after being steamed or slow cooked. It is often enjoyed cold as well.

Summary of Sangkaya Thai Custard

Sangkaya is a deliciously sweet delicacy that provides an explosion of flavor to your taste buds. Thai custard is an extraordinary dessert to a delicious spread of food. With the perfect balance of steamed eggs with coconut cream, it truly is a delight on a otherwise normal day.

More Easy Thai Recipes That You’ll Love

If you love this Thai custard as much as our family does, see below for some other recipes. Please write a five star review and help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

• Thai sticky rice
• Thai sticky rice with mango
• Thai spicy green papaya salad

Thai Coconut Sticky Rice

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Thai coconut sticky rice with mango is heavenly and scrumptious - and it is THE beloved dessert in Thailand. It is a sweet, coconut creamed sticky rice that has a lot of delicious sweetness and texture.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sticky rice
• 1 14-ounce can of coconut cream
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• toasted sesame seeds or mango (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the rice in a deep bowl. Rinse until clear.
2. Add cold water until water is covering the rice.
3. Let it soak for at least four hours (preferably overnight for at least 10 hours).
4. After soaking, drain the rice and rinse.
5. Place the rice in a bamboo steamer basket.
6. Add water halfway up a metal base pot for a bamboo steamer and allow it to boil.
7. Once boiled, add the steamer basket on top and cover it with any cooking lid until the rice is covered.
8. Steam for 30 minutes.
9. Check the rice by pressing on it to ensure that it is firm.
10. Remove the rice, and place on a nylon sheet to knead it while it is still hot (you'll need to move it quickly due to the heat).
11. Place in bamboo basket to serve!
12. Take the coconut cream and sugar mixture and add a couple of ladles into the sticky rice bowl, delicately mixing it in. Keep adding more ladles while stirring. The goal is to allow the rice to remain sticky, but not be mushy.
13. Once the mixture looks like a sticky grain, pudding texture, cover the rice and let it stand for 5 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the mixture. 
14. Add toasted sesame seeds or mango (optional).
15. Serve warm.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Exact Steamer Set I Have
• 
  Sticky Rice (my favorite brand)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 1g