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Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana
Indonesian Martabak Manis with chocolate and banana

Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
Martabak Manis (or Terang Bulan) is Indonesia's most popular street food dessert. This isn't a thin crepe, but a thick, honeycomb-textured pancake stuffed with goodies. The signature honeycomb structure allows melted butter, condensed milk, and chocolate to pool inside the little craters.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 45 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 480 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Indonesian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-bottomed (cast iron) skillet - critical!
  • Whisk
  • Spatula

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat
⚠️ Milk
⚠️ Egg
⚠️ Peanuts

Instructions

1 ✓

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with water and eggs. Beat vigorously for 5 minutes to incorporate air.

Tip: Mechanical aeration and gluten development help build the structure that holds bubbles.
2 ✓

Cover and rest batter for 30 minutes. Just before cooking, stir in baking soda dissolved in a teaspoon of water.

Tip: Resting hydrates the flour. Baking soda triggers gas production upon heating, creating the honeycomb.
3 ✓

Heat a thick skillet over medium heat (no oil!). Pour in batter and swirl with ladle to create a crispy rim up the sides.

Tip: The crispy edge is the best part of Martabak.
4 ✓

Cook until surface is full of bubbles that pop. Sprinkle with sugar, cover, and cook 2 minutes to steam the top.

Tip: Sugar prevents the surface from drying out.
5 ✓

Remove from pan, immediately brush thickly with butter. Sprinkle with chocolate, peanuts, banana, and cinnamon, then drizzle with condensed milk.

Tip: The mix of melting butter and condensed milk on hot dough creates the iconic flavor.
6 ✓

Fold in half, butter the crust, and slice.

Recipe FAQ

No bubbles/honeycomb appeared.
Either the baking powder was old, you didn't rest the batter enough, or the pan was too cold.
Bottom burnt but top is raw.
Heat was too high. Thick batter needs time. Use a heat diffuser or a very heavy pan.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk (for filling)
  • 1/3 cup Sugar (for batter)
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp Chocolate Sprinkles or Chips
  • 3 tbsp Roasted Peanuts, chopped
  • 1 whole Banana, sliced
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups Water
  • 2 tbsp Butter (for spreading)
  • 1 pinch Salt