I've been in Finland for over a year, and I initially thought the first skill I would master would be—speaking fluent Finnish.
But reality hit me hard: after studying Finnish for five or six months, I went straight from "beginner" to "giving up," it was just too difficult!
However, I didn't expect my kitchen skills to skyrocket.
Believe it or not, I have actually made egg pancakes, baked flatbreads, meat floss rolls, pork jerky, and even made meat floss from scratch! Yes, you heard that right—meat floss can really be made at home! 😅
I don't know why I've made so many strange things
Tomorrow I'm going to a friend's house for a small gathering, and I've decided to bring some desserts. Since I had some success with coconut milk squares before, I thought I would make them again and show off a little. You should know, this treat can be easily bought at bakeries and dessert shops back home, but in Finland? Sorry, no chance, I have to make it myself. So, my "kitchen god training" just leveled up! 🥳
👇 I didn't expect that this article would end up becoming a tutorial for coconut milk squares. 😋
According to the online tutorials, the ingredients are actually not complicated: milk, cream, cornstarch, and coconut flakes. Theoretically, you can find them all in Finnish supermarkets!
Milk is of course no problem; the supermarket shelves are as neat as a military formation. But when it came to cream, I was dumbfounded: whipped, baking, salted, lactose-free... I started to doubt whether this was a trick question; I was afraid of making the wrong choice. 🤯
Coconut flakes were even more interesting. I thought this was something only found in China, but I found it in Finland too! However, don't look in the snack aisle; it's not there at all. I eventually discovered it in a corner of the baking section—apparently, in their eyes, coconut flakes are not snacks but "baking ingredients." What do they use it for? I'm still puzzled. 🤔
Cornstarch had a little twist too. We usually buy it at Asian supermarkets, but later I learned that Finns use it as well, though they call it "maissitärkkelys." To be honest, when I saw that long word, I almost thought I was buying the wrong thing. 📦🥄
With all the ingredients ready, let's get started! Coconut milk squares are really not hard to make. If you want to try, just follow my process, and you'll be done in no time.
Combine cornstarch, sugar, milk, and cream in a bowl and mix well. For smaller portions, I used: 250g milk, 30g cornstarch, and 20g sugar; if you want to upgrade, you can replace 10%–30% of the milk with cream. This time I made a larger batch: 400g milk, 100g cream, 60g cornstarch, and 40–50g sugar (depending on personal taste). 👉 Make sure to mix the cold liquids well; otherwise, it will clump when you cook it!
Milk, cream, cornstarch, white sugar, and coconut flakes—these are all the ingredients!
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, especially at the bottom and sides of the pot to prevent burning. When you see obvious trails and it can stick to the spoon, it's ready.
Heat on low until thickened, but it still looks quite abstract...
Pour into a square container, smooth the surface, let it cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Remember! Don’t rush; you can’t get good squares if you’re impatient! The first time I took it out after just 2 hours, and it didn’t have the same texture as this time.
After chilling, turn it out and cut into small squares (I cut mine a bit unevenly, making it look more like "irregular milk shapes").
So white and tender!
Finally, roll it in coconut flakes until all sides are covered. As I was doing this, coconut flakes scattered everywhere, like a snowstorm of coconut. 🙈
To be honest, this dessert is simple to make, but it can easily "fail." For example, the first time I didn't control the heat and almost ruined the whole pot. I was stirring while praying in my heart: "Please don’t burn! I’m counting on you to impress!"
Although the process was chaotic, it still looked quite nice on the plate: snow-white squares, with a fragrant milky aroma, just looking at it lifts my spirits. Thinking about bringing it to my friend's house tomorrow, I even feel a bit proud—if you know what I mean! 🤗
I just didn't expect that the first skill I successfully mastered after moving abroad would not be language, but various "kitchen skills." This is not the first time: I've made egg pancakes, baked flatbreads, meat floss rolls, pork jerky, and meat floss. Things that can be easily bought back home, here in Finland, all rely on my own hands to "summon." So the question is—what will my next challenge be?! 🤪
That's life for you; it always pushes you to uncover some hidden skills. I may not have learned the language, but I’ve certainly honed my cooking skills. Perhaps this is another form of "growth." Cravings really can't wait. 😅
Have you discovered any hidden skills that life has "forced" you to develop?
If you lived abroad, which hometown dish do you think you would learn to cook first?
Or do you have any "unique recipes" that you would recommend I try?
Feel free to share your stories in the comments; maybe next time I can unlock another "kitchen god achievement" based on your skill list. 🎯
THE END
This post is just my perspective—your input will make it richer!