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Sang Kaya Fak Thong in bowls topped with coconut flakes showing golden pumpkin custard texture.

Sang Kaya Fak Thong สังขยาฟักทอง Thai Pumpkin Custard

Susie Thompson
My mother rarely made this at home. We found it at the street market — after lunch, the market busy, the smell sweet and fragrant before we arrived. Yellow squares at the stall. She gave it to me as a treat because it was not something that appeared every day. I make it at home now in ramekins. Canned pumpkin, eggs, coconut milk. Poured and steamed and cooled. The same fragrance. The same golden color. The same taste that stayed.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert, Traditional Thai sweet, Celebration dish, Offering
Cuisine Royal Thai court origins, Thai, Thai/Central
Servings 6
Calories 180 kcal

Equipment

  • Large steamer or wok with steamer rack and lid
  • Small saucepan
  • Fine mesh sieve
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Individual ramekins or one 8-inch round baking dish
  • Ladle

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree canned or fresh
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup palm sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Custard Mixture:
    In a saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree, creamy coconut milk, and aromatic palm sugar. Heat the mixture gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the palm sugar fully dissolves. This step infuses the coconut milk with the pumpkin's natural sweetness, creating a flavorful base for the custard. Once dissolved, remove the saucepan from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, enhancing its texture and flavors.
  • Whisk Eggs:
    While the pumpkin mixture cools, take a separate bowl and whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add a pinch of salt for balance and a hint of vanilla extract to enhance the custard's fragrance and complexity. Whisk until the eggs achieve a smooth consistency, ensuring they are well incorporated for a uniform texture.
  • Combine and Blend:
    Slowly pour the cooled pumpkin mixture into the bowl of whisked eggs, stirring continuously to prevent the eggs from curdling. This gradual incorporation blends the creamy pumpkin-infused coconut milk with the eggs, ensuring a smooth, velvety custard base that captures the essence of Thai dessert tradition.
  • Strain for Smoothness:
    For a silky texture, strain the custard mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof dish or individual ramekins. This step removes any lumps or solid particles, ensuring the custard is impeccably smooth and pleasing to the palate.
  • Steam to Perfection:
    Place the dishes in a steamer over medium heat. Steam gently for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the custard is set with a slight jiggle in the center when gently shaken. This gentle cooking method allows the custard to set evenly without overcooking, preserving its delicate texture and flavors.
  • Cool and Serve:
    Once steamed, remove the custard from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Serve Sang Kaya Fak Thong chilled or at room temperature, allowing its flavors to meld and develop. Top with a little toasted coconut or a drizzle of coconut cream for an extra treat.

Video

Authentic Sang Kaya Fak Thong | Pumpkin Custard Steamed Dessert Tutorial

Notes

Strain the custard mixture before it goes into the ramekins. Always. Egg threads — the chalazae, the white fibrous cords attached to the yolk — will set during steaming into visible white streaks through the custard if they are not removed. A fine mesh strainer takes thirty seconds. Skip it and the custard will taste the same but look unfinished. Do the thirty seconds.
Cover the ramekins with foil before they go into the steamer. The foil keeps condensation from the steamer lid off the surface of the custard. A steamer produces a significant amount of water on the inside of its lid, and without the foil that water drips onto the custard surface and leaves marks. With the foil it arrives smooth. Remove the foil immediately after the ramekins come out of the steamer — leaving it on continues to cook the custard from the trapped steam.
The heat under the steamer must be low. A rolling boil produces violent steam that creates bubbles in the custard — the finished surface will be pitted rather than smooth, and the texture throughout will be slightly grainy. A gentle, steady simmer produces a smooth custard. Turn the heat down further than you think you need to. The custard will still cook. It will just cook correctly.
Cool completely before serving. The custard is still soft and fragile when it comes out of the steamer. It needs at least one hour in the refrigerator before it has the texture it should have — set, smooth, yielding under a spoon without collapsing. A warm custard eaten straight from the steamer will taste right but feel wrong. The waiting is part of the recipe, and it is the easiest part. The custard does it without you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 120mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15g
Keyword Thai coconut custard,pumkin puree custard, Thai dessert, steamed Thai custard,traditional Thai sweet, easy Thai dessert, Thai Pumpkin Custard
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