Pandan leaves blended with water to create an aromatic extract perfect for baking and other desserts. This two-ingredient pandan extract is simple to make and will definitely enhance the flavor of your desserts.
Pandan. Have you heard of it before? In Vietnamese, it’s called lá dứa.
It’s definitely an Asian flavor, and it might not be easy to find unless your local Asian market has it in stock.
It’s just I’ve been obsessed with this flavor for awhile now so I thought I’d share it with you. Just venturing briefly away from my usual “easy to find ingredients” niche.
Whenever I’m at an Asian bakery or dessert shop, I’m constantly looking for something pandan flavored. Have you ever had pandan flavored baked goods or desserts? You might have. It’s soo flavorful and just plain addictive. And they’re kinda distinctive since almost anything pandan flavored will most likely also be green in color. That delicious aroma from the green waffles? Pandan. That green jelly in your Vietnamese dessert? Pandan.
So of course, that meant that I wanted to try to create that flavor at home.
I’ve tried the store bought pandan extract before, and I didn’t quite like it. There was something about it that tasted a little off, a little artificial. So I bought a package of frozen pandan leaves from my local Asian supermarket and set about making my own.
Fresh pandan extract actually doesn’t taste as strong as I’d like, but it does enhance the flavor of your desserts.
Allow the frozen pandan leaves to defrost for a few minutes. Take about 22 pandan leaves, which is almost the whole package, and cut them into smaller pieces, about 1 inch sections.
Place these pandan leaves into a blender, preferably a strong one, and add about ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth. If your blender has trouble blending, add about 2-3 tablespoons of water to help with the blending.
Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or a cup. Pour the pandan into a fine mesh sieve and press with a spoon to squeeze out all the water into the bowl or cup.
Save this two-ingredient pandan extract for your desserts! There’s going to be one coming up soon =)
Hope you’ll like this as much as I do!
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- 22 pandan leaves, defrosted
- ½ cup water, more if needed
- Take about 22 pandan leaves and cut them into smaller pieces, about 1 inch sections.
- Place these pandan leaves into a blender, preferably a strong one, and add about ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth. If your blender has trouble blending, add about 2-3 tablespoons of water to help with the blending.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or a cup. Pour the pandan into a fine mesh sieve and press with a spoon to squeeze out all the water into the bowl or cup.
- Save this pandan extract for your desserts!
thanks Andrea for this recipe! I had bought frozen pandan leaves since I needed to use them for a srilankan recipe. I was wondering what to do with them and had noticed some dessert recipes! 🙂 what are the leaves that are next to the extract bottle in your picture?
The leaves are just decorations. lol. I thought the bottle looked too plain by itself. =)
I absolutely adore pandan chiffon cake! Have you ever made it and if you have do share the recipe! 🙂 Love your blog so much 💕 Rina xo
I have never had pandan chiffon cake, Rina! But now I want to try it!
Love pandan flavour! My daughter and I make green pandan pancakes, pandan tapioca pudding, and also cook it with rice… there are so many ways!!!
I’ll have to try pandan rice!
Very unique!
I have never heard about pandan before. It seems interesting. I am eager to give it a try.
Thanks so much for sharing.
I hope you get the chance to try it!
so cool to see something that grows in my backyard, frozen and packed away to another country! my favourite is pandan kaya, have you tried that? whats the other leaf you have in the photo? looks like curry leaves to me. really nice to read the way you get the extract, so detailed and easy to follow.
The other leaves are just decoration. I haven’t tried pandan kaya, but now I’m so curious!
the pandan plant is also very popular in malaysia, it is used a lot to flavour all kind of dishes, at times its is one of the key ingredients which makes or breaks a dish.
ken
I didn’t know that. And I haven’t really had pandan in anything other than desserts!
I love the flavour of pandan and can even buy the leaves fresh in a bunch. Great way to use them all. Thanks.
am not surprised that you like it … pandan leaves give a great flavour to all kinds of dishes . also when cooked with rice … 🙂
I haven’t tried it with rice! I need to try it!
I’ve got to try this. I have an Asian supermarket near me so I’m going to look for something pandan flavored.
I think you’ll like it!