For the coconut layer:
1 cup unsweetened coconut cream (the thick part that rise to the top of the can)
1/2 cup whole milk
Note: You may wonder why milk is necessary, why not just use coconut milk. From my experience, whenever I use canned coconut milk, the finished coconut layer almost always separates into two visible sub-layers: one of coconut cream and one of coconut “whey.” It tastes fine, but is aesthetically challenged. If you don’t mind that, go for 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened canned coconut milk instead of 1 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup whole milk. If you have access to freshly-squeezed coconut “head” (the first and most concentrated extraction), by all means, use that as it’s the best. Vegans, you can substitute whole milk with soy, almond, or drinking coconut milk.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon agar powder
For the pandan layer:
5 frozen pandan leaves (2, if fresh)
1 teaspoon of pandan extract (optional, but necessary if you use frozen pandan leaves as they barely have any scent)
2 3/4 cups water, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon agar powder
Cut the pandan leaves into 1-inch pieces and place them into a blender along with 3/4 cup water; blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and measure out 1/2 cup of pandan juice; set aside.
Put all of the coconut layer ingredients into a medium saucepan, whisk to blend, and bring the mixture to a hard boil over medium heat. Keep it boiling for 30-40 seconds being careful not to allow the liquid to boil over.
Remove from heat and pour into a 8x8x3-inch pan (no need to grease the pan). While waiting for the coconut layer to set, make the agar layer.
Add the prepared pandan juice along with the remaining ingredients for the pandan layer into another medium saucepan. Follow the same instructions for the coconut layer but do not pour the mixture into the pan yet. This is a tricky part.
Check to see if the pandan layer has set. You don’t want it to set too hard as that prevents the two layers to stick together once both have set. You want the surface of the coconut layer to be barely taut and for the whole layer to jiggle when you shake the pan. When it reaches that stage (should take about 15 minutes), gently pour the pandan layer on top, holding the pot as close to the surface of the coconut layer as possibly so as not to bore a hole in the coconut layer with the stream of warm pandan agar mixture falling from a great height (I flunked physics, but this I know from experience). Let both layers set hard, about 30-45 minutes at room temperature.