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1
Combine the sugar and starch in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in the coconut milk gradually until no lumps remain. The mixture should look uniformly milky and coat the whisk evenly.
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2
Set the pan over medium heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, reaching into every corner of the pan. As heat builds, the mixture will begin to thicken and turn from translucent at the edges to opaque throughout. Continue until the mixture coats the back of the spoon thickly and a line drawn through it holds for a moment before closing — this is where the dish lives or dies: the starch-to-liquid ratio, calibrated in this moment by feel, determines whether the set haupia will tremble cleanly on the plate or fail to either rubber or puddle.
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3
Pour immediately into a shallow pan to a depth of approximately 4 cm. Smooth the surface with a spatula. The surface should be glassy and uniformly white, with no skin forming if moved to the refrigerator promptly.
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4
Refrigerate until fully set. Test readiness by pressing the surface lightly with one finger: the haupia should spring back slightly and leave no depression, yet feel yielding rather than rigid. Tap the pan — a gentle, living jiggle across the surface confirms the correct set.
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5
Turn out or cut directly in the pan into two-inch squares with a clean, sharp knife. The edges should be precise and hold without sagging. Lift one square — it should retain its shape under its own weight but yield immediately to the lightest pressure of the fingers.