Bingka Ambon @Bika Ambon

Bingka Ambon or better known as Bika Ambon in Indonesia, was my next experiment, after Mr Hubby voiced out that it would be nice to eat Bika Ambon which has the tint of lime & pandan taste.. The last time he/we tasted was when my cousin bought the bika ambon from Batam Island and it was very nice..After that his niece brought back from Jakarta but it was way tooo sweet...so the search started from there..

So here it  goes...After the 4th trial & error of making Bika Ambon, I made it!!!..well, at least 90% there just need some fine tuning and adjusting here & there...this was the kuih that made me almost gave up and pity the chicken for wasting their hard earned eggs!!!!...been browsing the internet for a good recipe for Bika Ambon..I saw a few, ... looking at the pictures posted wah this must be good, but after trying I was very dissappointed as all my three attempts were a disaster and heart pain!!...either the taste is not there or the outcome of the bika was hard like a brick!!!..

I even asked Deetha for the recipe as I thought this should come from her side(Thanks Deetha for the trouble)..Then the other day, saw in Yatie's blog ...which there's a Malay saying, "Kuman dilautan nampak Gajah depan mata tak nampak"(You can see germs in the sea but you cant see elephants in front of you)ha engkau, direct translation..hehe..which I think can go for this situation(bantai ajelah) sorry peribahasa tak pandai tapi nak gunakan juga....I scrambled those recipes from far ahead but it was right in front of my eyes this recipe was long already there..Originally  from Kak Wan ..Thank you ladies for sharing this wonderful recipe..Tapi sorry minta ampun ya bu, I adjusted here and there to get the bika ambon I have been looking for ...

Ingredients:-
Bahan A

• 1 sudu besar yis segera
• 1 sudu besar gula pasir
• 125ml air suam
• 150gm tepung gandum

 Bahan B

• 150gm tepung ubi
• 300gm gula pasir-(Ayu gunakan 250g)
• 5 biji telur ayam
• 1/2 sudu teh garam halus
• 1 sudu teh esen pandan/vanila-(Ayu gunakan esen vanila)
• 50ml air daun pandan-(Ayu masak dengan menggunakan 4 helai daun pandan + 5 helai daun limau purut, tapis)
• 1/4 sudu teh pewarna hijau-(Ayu gantikan dengan warna kuning)
• mentega cair utk meleser

 Bahan C

• 450ml santan pekat dimasak hingga mendidih dan disejukkan.-(Ayu gunakan 500ml)
• Hiasan : Bijan-(Ayu tak letak)

Method:-

1. Bancuh bahan A dalam mangkuk yang besar hingga rata dan perapkan selama 1 jam, biar adunan mengembang.
2. Pukul telur, gula, esen pandan(esen vanila) dan garam hingga kembang. Masukkan kedalam bahan A, gaul perlahan-lahan sambil masukkan tepung ubi sedikit demi sedikit. Kemudian tuangkan bahan C, santan yang telah disejukkan tadi. Kacau rata dan masukkan air daun pandan(+limau purut) dan pewarna hijau(warna kuning). Kisar sekejap dengan blender dan perap adunan selama 2 - 3 jam.
3. Leser acuan dengan majerin dan panaskan dalam oven selama 10 minit(Ayu tak panaskan). Masukkan 3/4 adunan kedalam acuan-acuan keci(Ayu gunakan loyang 7"). Tabur bijan atau kepingan badam dan bakar pada suhu 160c(Ayu gunakan 140C) api atas dan bawah(Ayu gunakan api bawah saja) selama 40 minit hingga permukaan adunan mengerutu dan kekuningan.(Ayu bakar10-15 minit terakhir baru gunakan api atas bawah)
4. Cucuk dengan lidi jika adunan tidak lagi melekat, bolehlah diangkat.
5. Kuih ini melekit sewaktu dipotong ketika masih panas tetapi akan bertambah lembut jika dibiarkan sejuk (4 - 5 jam) pada suhu bilik. 

Sources:-From yatiememories.blogspot.com & citarasawan.blogspot.com

Below are what I have tried and experiment..The techniques for  most recipes normally used in baking bika ambon ..were to use sand and oven door open ajar slightly..

My first attempt was really cant be eaten at all...dont even dare to take photos of them and even posted into the blog!!..compared of all the recipes, this one used glutinous rice flour....

20 egg yolks  used!..gone into Mr BIN..

Sand was used to bake and oven door open slightly..till now I dont understand why we have to do that, but I still do it lah..hehe..even asked Mr Hubby to take sand from Sembawang beach at 10pm at night tau...

scoop the bubbles away before pouring into moulds which I didnt do that end up the top of the bika was not cooked..

 My second attempt, the taste was a bit weird, and the base of the bika was very hard, with the top part very sticky ..became powdered as you keep chewing them!!!

12 eggs yolks used-this time used sago flour, coconut juice

and this time used sand to bake as the base ..with door open ajar..(pintu oven renggang sedikit)

most bika ambon from Indonesia calls for this method..fermented for 6 hours

My third attempt, the taste was almost there when after just baked...but after 1 hour it turned out to be a 'brick' bika..just cant be eaten..16 egg yolks used-also sago flour

nice honeycomb but very hard.. fermented for 8 hours

this time also used sand as the base for baking, and oven door open slightly ajar

Overall, I have so much egg whites left and waiting to be experimented with other recipes..