Apam Balik
Apam Balik is a thin, crisp-edged griddled pancake folded around a sweet, buttery filling of chopped peanuts and corn. This beginner-friendly version delivers the classic contrast of lacy shell, crunchy nuts, and lightly caramelised sweetness in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Batter
- 120 gplain flour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- 25 gfine sugar
- 1 largeegg
- 180 mlwater
- 20 gsweetened condensed milk
- 1 pinchsalt
Filling
- 60 groasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 20 gfine sugar
- 50 gsweet corn kernels, drained
- 15 gunsalted butter
Instructions
- 1
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, fine sugar, and salt. Add the egg, water, and sweetened condensed milk, then whisk until smooth and pourable, with no lumps. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes while you prepare the filling; this short rest helps the flour hydrate for a more even, lacy pancake.
- 2
Mix the roasted peanuts and fine sugar for the filling in a small bowl. Keep the sweet corn and butter ready beside the stove so you can work quickly once the pancake starts to set.
- 3
Heat a 24-26 cm non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium-low heat. When the pan is evenly hot, pour in half of the batter and immediately swirl it into a thin round. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes until the surface is mostly set, tiny holes appear, and the underside is light golden and crisp around the edges.
- 4
Spread half of the butter over the pancake surface, concentrating on one half. Scatter over half of the peanut-sugar mixture and half of the sweet corn. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until the bottom is crisp and deeply golden; reduce the heat if the sugars start browning too fast.
- 5
Fold the pancake in half to enclose the filling and press very lightly with a spatula for 10-15 seconds to help it adhere without crushing the crisp shell. Slide onto a board and rest for 1 minute so the filling settles, then cut into wedges.
- 6
Repeat with the remaining batter, butter, peanut-sugar mixture, and sweet corn to make the second Apam Balik. Serve warm while the exterior is crisp and the filling is nutty, buttery, and slightly molten.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a crispier street-style result, keep the batter fairly thin and cook over medium-low rather than high heat.
- •If your pan is not reliably non-stick, brush it very lightly with oil before the first pancake.
- •Coarsely chopped peanuts give the best texture; avoid grinding them too finely or the filling becomes pasty.
- •Best eaten immediately, though leftovers can be reheated in a dry pan for a few minutes to restore some crispness.
Background
Apam Balik is a beloved Malaysian hawker snack with roots in Chinese-influenced griddle cakes that evolved locally into several regional styles. In Malaysia, it is commonly sold folded over a sweet filling of peanuts, sugar, butter, and often corn, ranging from thick fluffy versions to the thin, crisp style popular at markets and roadside stalls.
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