How I make proper kaya toast at home

Good kaya toast is more achievable at home than people think, and the homemade kaya is worlds beyond the jarred stuff. It’s essentially a patient custard of coconut milk, eggs, sugar and pandan, stirred low and slow.

Toast your bread properly — thin, crisp, well-browned — then load it with kaya and a too-thick slice of cold butter so it half-melts. The contrast is the whole point.

Finish with soft-boiled eggs seasoned with dark soy and white pepper for dipping. It’s a weekend project, but you’ll make it on repeat. Method and timings below.