Latik

Latík

Cassava suman smothered in latík
Origin
Place of origin	Philippines
Type	Dessert topping

Roasted lat�ík (made from pure coconut milk extracted from fresh mature grated coconut meat), a by-product of coconut healing oil in Philippines.

Latík (Tagalog pronunciation: [laˈtɪk] la-TIK) refers to two different ingredients in Philippine cuisine. In the northern parts it refers to solid coconut curds, the byproducts of coconut oil production, used as garnishing for a variety of desserts. In the Visayan region it refers to a syrupy caramelized coconut cream used as a dessert sauce.

Tagalog Latík

Latík in Luzon is made from coconut milk simmered in a saucepan until it reduces to coconut oil and solids ("coconut curds") begin to form at the top surface. These solids are left to fry in the coconut oil until golden brown.

Latík is commonly used as topping for a variety of Philippine dishes including maja blanca, sapin-sapin, and ube halaya.

They are sometimes mistaken for fried caramelized coconut flesh (another type of garnishing/dessert known as bukayo in Bisaya).

Visayan Latik

Latík in its original sense in the Visayan languages literally means 'syrup' (equivalent to arnibal in Hiligaynon). It can refer to any type of thick sweetened liquids including jam. In the most common usage, however, latik means a syrupy condiment derived from reducing coconut milk and sugar.

It is used much in the same way as syrup, in dishes like kalamay and suman.

It is sometimes translated into English as "coconut caramel".

See also

• List of condiments
• List of dessert sauces
• List of Philippine dishes
• Maglalatik (literally "latik maker"), an indigenous Philippine dance
• Philippine condiments