Tikoy (Sweet Steamed Cake) pronounced as “tee-coi” or Nian Gao in Chinese is often served every New Year. Originally, Tikoy is a Chinese food which was brought here in our country and there are many beliefs that if you serve on New Year’s eve, it will bring prosperity or money the whole year and the other one I know, since I was a kid sticky rice cake will make your family stick together no matter what.

Have you ever heard of this Filipino culture when it comes to Family Strong Bonds? We really value our family more than anything in this world no matter how hard life is as long as you have your family support. This maybe the reason why we easily get influenced by this.

Homemade Tikoy Anne Foodie’s style

So, a lot of people I know go to Quiapo or Binondo (famous little China town here in our country - Philippines) including my mother and her co-Teachers just to buy this very special Tikoy as in this is literally one of the best selling delicacy and if you’re not lucky then try your very best to search Tikoy wherever as possible (not to exagerate things here. It’s funny but I saw situation like this from other family haha).

Why is Tikoy best-selling?

Some Filipinos buy Tikoy just for this belief. Again, some Filipinos believe Tikoy symbolizes prosperity or money but not everyone believes the same way as we do.  

Second, I believe that some of us are just a sweet tooth and they just simply love it just like my parents.

Nowadays, Tikoy isn’t really hard to find because this is pretty much available now at some groceries unlike before that you have to go to a Chinese store or Quiapo/Binondo where there are many Chinese living in these areas so you can able to buy it. As far as I know Chinese are the only ones that can make Tikoy but not anymore.

We can now make our very own Tikoy.

Homemade Tikoy Anne Foodie’s style

I tried to make it myself and honestly happy. It taste really good and taste the same as the commercialized Tikoy.

We’ll need:

• 2 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 3-4 cups for steaming (this is in Electric Steamer)

1. Round Baking pan
2. Non-stick paper / Cling Wrap
3. Foil
4. Steamer

How to make Homemade Tikoy (Step by step - see pictures):

Step 1-6: Combine all the the ingredients and mix well until it becomes smooth. Make sure to mix all the ingredients and no lumps as possible.

Combining all the ingredients

Step 7: There are two options to do. Option #1 is place a non-stick paper to a baking round pan and Option #2 is grease a baking round pan with oil. I chose the first option to directly refrigerate it with non-stick paper and I’ll just cover it later with the same non-stick paper I use from the bottom.

You can do the second option (Option #2). It works the same with Option #1.

Greasing the baking pan

Step 8: Then pour mixture into the greased pan or with non-stick paper to a baking pan.

Step 9: Using an Electric Steamer, pour 4 cups water for steaming and place the Tikoy mixture into the steamer.

If you use traditional Steamer, do the same depending how big your steamer is.

Steaming Homemade Tikoy

Step 10-13: Steam for 60 minutes (1 hour). Cover it with Aluminum foil to avoid water dripping. In this post and video, I didn’t cover it with foil. My mistake but no big deal. Watch your water carefully, add water to the steamer if it is necessarily needed until time is completed.

Step 14. After steaming, leave it there. Let it cool.

Refrigerate Tikoy for 3-4 days to set.

Step 15: Using the same non-stick paper, seal it with cling wrap if you use cling wrap then if you use non-stick paper too then cover it with that.

Step 16-17: Refrigerate it for 3-4 days to set or until it becomes hard.

Step 18: After few days of setting it, remove the non-stick paper.

Step 19: Here is how it looks like after refrigerating it. Now, this is ready to be eaten or cooked.

Step 20: Slice thinly if your prefer it that way. 

To avoid sticking Tikoy into the knife when slicing:

Grease or brush knife with oil. That way, you can easily slice Tikoy.

Fried Tikoy with beaten egg

How to cook and prepare it to be eaten:

Dip a sliced Tikoy in beaten egg. Make sure that Tikoy is coated with beaten egg.

Grease a pan and fry Tikoy in a medium heat. Do not over burn it.

Enjoy your homemade Tikoy.

This can be stored up to 8 days based on my experience. Longer than 8 days, I don’t know if Tikoy is still okay. You may try it and let me know if it’s okay 💜.