Indonesian
Martabak Manis
A very thick Indonesian griddle cake with honeycomb bubbles, butter, chocolate, peanuts, and condensed milk.
8 servings · 20 minutes prep · 22 minutes cook
Ingredients
Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, lukewarm
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon water
Filling
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened, divided
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely crushed
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process chocolate sprinkles
- 1 cup finely grated mild cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Directions
Mix and Rest the Batter
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla and whisk vigorously for 3 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Preheat a dry, heavy 10-inch cast-iron or thick nonstick skillet over medium-low for 10 minutes. Mix the baking soda with the water, whisk it thoroughly into the batter, and rest for 5 minutes.
Cook the Martabak
- Pour all the batter into the skillet. Immediately rotate and use the back of a ladle to push a thin rim of batter 1 inch up the side. Cook uncovered over medium-low for 8 to 12 minutes, adjusting the pan over the burner, until bubbles honeycomb the entire surface and most have burst.
- Sprinkle the surface evenly with the filling sugar. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 6 to 10 minutes more, until the top is dry, the center springs back lightly, and the base is deeply golden but not scorched.
Fill, Fold, and Serve
- Slide onto a board and immediately spread the surface with 4 tablespoons butter. Distribute the peanuts, chocolate sprinkles, and cheese over the entire cake and drizzle with condensed milk. Fold in half, spread the exterior with the remaining butter, and cut into thick wedges.
- Serve warm while the crisp shell contrasts with the tender, deeply honeycombed center.
