Dadiah-Style Set Milk with Palm Sugar

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Easy

A thick, mildly sour set milk like a soft yogurt, finished with palm sugar syrup, toasted rice flakes and coconut. This is our adaptation: store milk and a yogurt starter replace raw buffalo milk and bamboo. Makes 4 cups in about 24 hr 15 min.

Prep 15 min

Cook 720 min

Cooling 12 hr

Total 24 hr 15 min

Servings 4

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

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servings

3 ¾ cups (900 ml)whole milk, pasteurized
7 tbsp (100 ml)heavy cream, pasteurized
2 tbsp (30 g)plain yogurt with live cultures, as starter
6 tbsp (80 g)palm sugar, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml)water
¾ oz (20 g)rice flakes or puffed rice, toasted
¼ cup (30 g)fresh grated coconut, or unsweetened shredded

Fresh ingredient guides

CoconutHow to pick, season & nutrition · 496 kcal per 140 g

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Instructions

Heat the milk and cream to 180 F (82 C) in a clean pot, holding it there 2 minutes. Cool to 110 F (43 C).
Whisk the yogurt with a ladle of the warm milk, then stir it back into the pot.
Pour into four clean jars or a bowl and cover loosely. Keep warm at 100 to 110 F (38 to 43 C), for example in an oven with just the light on, for 8 to 12 hours without moving it, until it is set and jiggles as one piece.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours to firm up.
Simmer the palm sugar and water 5 minutes until syrupy; cool.
Toast the rice flakes in a dry pan until crisp and lightly golden.
Spoon the chilled milk into bowls and top with palm sugar syrup, rice flakes and coconut.

Tips

Do not stir or jostle the milk while it sets.
Longer fermentation gives a stronger sour taste.
Use clean jars; this recipe relies on pasteurized milk and a known starter, not wild fermentation.
Use pasteurized milk only, keep jars clean, and refrigerate after setting. Raw milk is not used in this recipe.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make dadiah-style set milk with palm sugar?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 12 hours of cooking, plus 12 hours to chill. The recipe makes 4 cups (4 servings).

How should I store dadiah-style set milk with palm sugar?

Refrigerate covered up to 4 days.

Can I make dadiah-style set milk with palm sugar ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Dadiah is made by the Minangkabau of West Sumatra by letting buffalo milk ferment naturally in a bamboo tube capped with banana leaf, and it is commonly eaten with palm sugar and rice crackers or flakes. Serve it with hot tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 4 servings this recipe makes.

369 Calories / serving

19.0g Fat

42.5g Carbs

8.9g Protein

35.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (4 servings): ~1476 cal · 76g fat · 170g carbs · 36g protein · 141g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.