Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Gula Melaka is the dark palm sugar of South East Asia, sold in hard blocks or discs, and this is simply that sugar melted down with water into a pourable syrup. It is thick, glossy and almost black-brown, with a deep smoky caramel flavour and a slight salty, butterscotch edge that ordinary sugar syrup never has.
Once cooked and strained it keeps well in a jar in the fridge, ready to pour over coconut puddings, sago and chendol, to soak sponges, to sweeten coconut creams and mousses, or to stir into caramel fillings where you want a darker, more fragrant note. A little goes a long way, so keep it close by when you want to lift a plain dessert.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 950
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: jar of syrup, about 900 g
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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700 |
24.6 ounces
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Palm Sugar
Palm sugar, known as gula melaka in Malaysia and gula jawa in Indonesia, is made by boiling down the sap of coconut or palmyra palms until it sets hard. It is sold as dark brown blocks, discs or cylinders and has a smoky, caramel flavour that is far deeper and less sweet than refined sugar.
dark, block or disc form
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chopped or grated |
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B
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250 |
1.1 cup
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Water
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950
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Chop or grate A (palm sugar) into small pieces so it will dissolve evenly. Have a fine sieve or a piece of muslin and a clean heatproof jar ready. |
No large lumps left |
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2 |
Heat |
Put A and B (palm sugar and water) into a heavy saucepan and warm over a low to medium heat, stirring now and then. |
Sugar fully dissolved with no gritty pieces on the bottom of the pan |
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3 |
Simmer |
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the syrup thickens slightly and turns glossy. Skim off any foam that rises. |
Syrup coats the back of a spoon; do not let it boil hard or it will catch and taste bitter |
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4 |
Strain |
Pour the hot syrup through a fine sieve or muslin to remove grit and fibre from the sugar blocks. |
Smooth, clean syrup |
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5 |
Cool |
Leave the syrup to cool, then pour into a clean jar or bottle and seal. |
Completely cold before sealing and refrigerating |
Important Notes
This quantity makes roughly 900 g of finished syrup; about five per cent of the weight is lost as steam during cooking, so expect a little less than you put in the pan. The syrup thickens further as it cools, so judge it while it is still warm. Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge, where it will keep for several weeks; warm it gently or stand the jar in hot water if it becomes too thick to pour. Blocks of palm sugar vary in hardness and in how much grit they carry, so straining is worth the trouble.
Tools & Arrangements
Heavy-based saucepan, wooden spoon, knife or grater for breaking up the sugar block, fine sieve or muslin cloth, ladle, heatproof jar or bottle with a lid, kitchen scales.
