Daring Bakers' September 2013 Challenge - Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake - Everyday Cooking, Easy Recipes for a Perfect Dinner!

27 septembre 2013

Daring Bakers' September 2013 Challenge - Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake

Hello! I'm back again, sorry I haven't made the last challenge. I was so busy in August traveling in France, but now I'm back in my kitchen.

This month, Inma from la Galletika challenge us to make a Tres Leches Cake / Three Milk Cake. This cake is very popular in Central and South America. It's a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk : condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream.

Thank you so much Inma for this delicious dessert, easy to make. I loved it. But next time I am thinking about soaking the sponge cake with more three milk syrup (condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream - flavoured with rhum).

Too much chantilly for my son :(

For my daughter it was perfect, if you add raspberrries "it's like a piece of heaven!"

Wow, it's so beautiful !!!

Yeah!! I know how to make chantilly, just whipping cream and sugar, and that's it!!! The chantilly is delicious!

And the soaking liquid milk flavored with 2 tsp of rum, Yummy!

September, it's also time to cut logs in our backyard. Thanks to my honey, I'm sure to spend the winter in a warming house :)

"After these good efforts, you can take one more piece, with one raspberry!"

Serving : 12

Ingredients for the vanilla sponge cake

5 large eggs (separated)
1/2 cup (120 ml) (4 oz) (125 gr) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) of vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup (240 ml) (5 oz) (140 gr) all-purpose (plain) flour (sifted)

For the three milk syrup

1 can (14 oz) (400 gr) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) (340 gr) evaporated milk
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (about 35% fat) or 1 cup of half & half or 1 cup milk
1 cinnamon stick (optionnal)
2 tsp (10 ml) rum (or other flavoring)

Topping and filling

2 cups (500 ml) of whipping cream (about 30% fat)
1/2 cup (120 ml) (4 oz) (125 gr) sugar
Canned or fresh fruit (to fill and decorate the cake)

Directions for the Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to moderate 180 degre C./350 degre F/gas mark 4. Prepare a square 9"x9" (23cmx23cm) pan or 9" (23 cm) round cake pan.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Beat the egg whites on medium speed, 3-5 minutes.
When soft peaks form slowly add the sugar in small batches
Whip until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a medium bowl beat egg yolks at medium-high speed for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the eggs yolks become pale colored, creamy and puffy. Stir in vanilla.
Pour the egg yolks over the egg whites, gently fold until just combined trying not to lose any volume from the mixture.
Fold in the flour little by little in the form of rain. Mix until just combined (over-beating will result in a denser, flatter cake).
Pour the batter into the prepared 9"x9" (23 cmx23 cm) square cake pan or 9" (23 cm) round cake pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
Let it cool.
Once cool, split the cake in half, flip the top of the cake and place it on a base. Poke using a fork holes all over the cake to better absorb the three milk soaking liquid.

Three milks syrup

In a saucepan add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and cinnanom stick, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove it and let it cool.
Once it's cool, add the rum or any other flavoring you are using.
Graduall brush all the milk soaking liquid into all sides of the cake (including the cut surfaces) until all absorbed. Best to rest the cake in the fridge overnight to complete the soaking process.

Topping

Whip the cream, when soft peaks form add the sugar little by little, continue whipping until stiff peaks form about 2 minutes.

Decoration

Layer some whipped cream on the bottom layer and cover with canned or fresh fruit and decorate the top layer with whipped cream and the fresh or canned fruit.