Kueh Lapis (Kuih Lapis) Sagu is a traditional Peranakan snack or dessert which looks like a colorful layered rice pudding that is made of coconut cream, pandan extract and flour. Kueh means snack and Lapis means layers. The term Kuih is widely used in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, however, the word Kueh is commonly used in Singapore as it is derived from Hokkien andTeochew as snack. It is a broad term which is used to refer to cakes, dumplings, as well as pastries which are made from rice and glutinous rice.
This multi-layer dessert comes in rainbow colors or the usual classic colors consisting mainly of red, green, and white. Although it is a simple dish to make, the layers are required to be poured and steamed one at a time, layer by layer, thus it is very time consuming. To recreate this simple dish into a bar soap, we will need the white soap base, pandan fragrance oil, and liquid colorants.
Dice the white soap base into cubes, melt at high level on microwave in short bursts of 30secs until fully melted. Mix in the fragrance oil then pour the mixture into the mold, allow at least 10-15mins to dry before proceeding to the next layer.
Repeat the process of melting the white soap base, this time add in the green colorant then the fragrance oil. Again, pour the mixture into the mold and let it dry for 10-15mins.
Melt another set of white soap base, and add in the red colorant this time, remember to add in your fragrance oil for every layer. Carry on and repeat the steps of white, green, and red layers to finally create 6 layers in total. Allow to dry completely then start slicing your soap.
What You Will Need:
- 600g white soap base (100g per layer)
- Liquid colorant (0.3ml – 0.5ml per layer)
- Pandan fragrance oil (0.5ml – 1ml per layer)
- Rubbing Alcohol
Additional Tools You Will Need:
- Pyrex jug
- Mold of your choice
- Stirring rod or any ice cream stick
Tips:
- Spray the rubbing alcohol in between layers to prevents bubbles from forming on the soap.
- Do not let the soap layer dry out for too long. This may result in the layers not sticking to each other, causing them to break apart later.
- You can use any type of melt and pour soap base, or you can challenge yourself with jelly soap to recreate a more realistic Kueh Lapis Sagu.
- You can use any colorants to create your own rainbow version.