Sweet Science: Uncovering the Magic of Kaya Jam!

Taste the sweet science behind Singapore's beloved kaya jam and discover the eggy alchemy that creates its creamy consistency. Downloadable activity sheet included!

Photo by Marcus Loke on Unsplash

Kaya Jam

Toasted bread spread evenly with rich, creamy kaya jam reminds us of our local Singaporean dish. Coconut jam also known as kaya jam is made from coconut cream, eggs, sugar, and sometimes pandan leaves for additional flavouring. Kaya jam is a sweet and creamy spread that can be found in almost every neighbourhood coffee shop. 

The Origins of Kaya Jam

When Hainanese immigrants came to Singapore in the 19th century, many of them worked as cooks for the British people. As most of the British people left Singapore in the 20th century, the Hainanese immigrants started their own businesses by selling food at the local coffee shops, also known as kopitiams. They adapted the original English-style fruit based jams used in breakfast and created kaya jam. Hainanese cooks and kopitiam were responsible for popularising the consumption and taste of Kaya that most Singaporeans know today. (Find out more about the history of kayaat Singapore Infopedia.)

The Science of Kaya Jam

So what gives kaya its thick consistency? When the kaya jam mixture is heated on the stove, the heat causes the proteins in the eggs to thicken. Just like how we fry eggs in the pan, the heat from the fire causes the egg to solidify. This is known as coagulation, which gives kaya its creamy and spreadable texture

For our little friends, think of the egg yolk and egg whites as a big group of tiny building blocks all stuck together. When we warm it up, those blocks start to shake and wiggle because they’re getting hot. Some of them even break apart and start to stick to each other in new ways, creating a thick, yummy mixture.

Here are some discussion topics for parents and educators to have with your little ones when you’re making your very own kaya jam.

1. What do you think will happen to the egg if we cook it for 2 seconds?

2. What do you think will happen if we cook the egg over very low heat instead? 

Make your own Kaya Jam at home 

Here are the ingredients and steps needed to make 1 cup of Kaya Jam:

1. 200 ml canned coconut cream

2. 4 egg yolks from large eggs, beaten

3. 50g white sugar

4. 50g palm sugar

5. 3 pandan leaves, knotted

Step 1: Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.

Step 2: Add 200ml of coconut cream, 50g white sugar, 50g palm sugar and 3 knotted pandan leaves to a pot on medium heat. Heat until the sugar is melted. 

Step 3: Beat 4 egg yolks in a separate bowl and pour in ¼ of the coconut cream mixture into the egg yolk bowl.

Step 4: Pour the egg yolk bowl mixture back into the pot, and stir everything together on medium heat.

Step 5: Stir the mixture for 8 minutes on medium heat or until the mixture thickens.

Step 6: Set aside the kaya jam for it to cool down completely. To store, transfer the kaya jam into a glass jar and keep it in the refrigerator. 

Now, you have your very own simple homemade kaya jam, ready to eat anytime you feel like having a sweet treat. Remember to remove the kaya jam from the refrigerator and let it cool to room temperature before having it. 

Download the printable recipe sheet below!

Written by Choh Xue Ting and Denise Neo
Instruction images generated using DALL-E

Last updated: 30 June 2025