This Vegan Pastillas Recipe is made with just 5 ingredients from pantry staples. They are the perfect treat for a little something sweet.
Pastillas is a milk based candy from the Philippines. Traditionally it is made with Karabao milk (Indigenous Water Buffalo), sugar and corn starch. When traveling locally within the Philippines it is one of the treats that you get as a pasalubong. A gift to bring home to your loved ones.
The real authentic ones are from roadside stalls that you see on road trips. It is still super rare to see them at a grocery store. If you do, they are the massed produced ones that doesn't have the same type of love put in them as the handmade ones.
This version is made vegan with a combination of coconut condensed milk and cashew butter. There is no dairy in it whatsoever.
Ingredients
Coconut Condensed Milk - You will need one whole can of coconut condensed milk.
Cashew Butter - The cashew butter acts as a binder and helps neutralize the coconut taste of the coconut condensed milk.
Vanilla Bean Paste - It adds an additional flavor dimension to the Pastillas.
Orange Zest - I like adding orange zest or even calamansi zest if you can access it. It gives it a more citrus pop .
Salt - Salt balances out all the flavors.
How To Make Vegan Pastillas
Combine the coconut condensed milk, cashew butter, vanilla paste, orange zest and salt in a small sauce pan.
Mix well until smooth.
Cook the mixture over medium/low heat for 15 minutes letting it bubble, while stirring constantly. Don't stop stirring or the cashew butter will burn.
After 15 minutes transfer it to a bowl and leave it to cool at room temperature. Once at room temperature leave it to chill in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day line a small plate with plastic wrap and sprinkle some sugar all over the plastic.
Divide the mixture into 18 small Pastillas balls.
Place ¼ cup of sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in the sugar to coat.
After rolling in sugar you can reshape the into a more oval shape like a Pastillas.
How to Store These Vegan Pastillas
I like to store them in the refrigerator in a closed container. You can leave them in there for up to a week, but I don't think they will last that long.
How To Make Them Your Own
The cashew butter can be replaced with other butters to make different flavored Vegan Pastillas.
- Use Ube Cookie Butter to make Ube Pastillas
- Use Pistachio Butter to make a Pistachio Version
- For a peanut version use Peanut Butter
- If you love chocnut you can make use Chocnut Butter.
For more Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox. And if you make this recipe. I would love to see it. Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.
Equipment
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 1 Can Coconut Condensed Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Cashew Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 Teaspoon Orange Zest
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Cup Sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Combine the coconut condensed milk, cashew butter, vanilla paste, orange zest and salt in a small sauce pan. Mix well.
- Cook the mixture over medium/low heat for 15 minutes letting it bubble, while stirring constantly. Don't stop stirring or the cashew butter will burn
- After 15 minutes transfer it to a bowl and leave it to cool at room temperature. Once at room temperature leave it to chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day line a small plate with plastic wrap and sprinkle some sugar all over the plastic. Divide the mixture into 18 small Pastillas balls
- Place ¼ cup of sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in the sugar to coat.
- After rolling in sugar you can reshape the into a more oval shape like a Pastillas.
- Place on a platter and serve right away.
Notes
- Use Ube Cookie Butter to make Ube Pastillas
- Use Pistachio Butter to make a Pistachio Version
- For a peanut version use Peanut Butter
- If you love chocnut you can make use Chocnut Butter.
For more healthy Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox. And if you make this super easy Pastillas recipe I would love to see it. Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.
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