Sri Lankan watalappan (coconut custard)

Name: Sri Lankan watalappan (coconut custard)
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 400ml coconut milk; 120g dark muscovado sugar; 1 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 0.25 tsp sea salt

A silky, steamed coconut custard sweetened with dark sugar and scented with nutmeg and cardamom.

Time1 hr 15
LevelMedium
Costabout £0.34 a head
Oven150°C (130°C fan)

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

6 servings

Ingredients

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4eggs
400 mlcoconut milk
120 gdark muscovado sugar
1 tspground cardamom
1 tspground nutmeg
1 tspvanilla extract
¼ tspsea salt

Method

1
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Warm the coconut milk and sugar in a pan over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
2
Whisk the eggs in a bowl with the cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla and salt.
3
Slowly pour the warm coconut milk into the eggs, whisking. Strain through a sieve into a jug.
4
Pour into 6 ramekins and cover each tightly with foil. Place in a deep tray and pour in hot water to come halfway up the sides.
5
Bake for 40 minutes, until set with a slight wobble in the middle.
40 min
6
Cool, then chill for 2 hours before serving.
120 min

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.