I just transferred over to a new facility and had the pleasure of attending our annual summer party. This year’s theme was Mexican and let me tell you, that’s right up my ally. I’m actually part Mexican and was born in Mexico. There’s nothing so dear to my heart in comfort food as a Bohemia or Pacifico beer, taco stands (after you find the right ones), Huevos con migitas or chorizo (I’ll have to post on that one some other day), and let me not forget – MEXICAN PASTRIES! It seems like every foreign country has delicious desserts, but pastel de 3 leches has got to be one of my utmost favorites.
3 Milk Cake is a very light and airy cake, that is incredibly rich and sweet. It gets its name from using condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whipping milk. And you can make it pretty and formal enough for a wedding or literally make the cake, crumble it into a bowl, and serve it up almost like a bread pudding (great for keeping in the fridge for a midnight snack). I made mine somewhere in between.
I was inspired by Emiril’s recipe on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/tres-leches-three-milks-cake-latin-america-recipe/index.html with a few changes here and there, adding in what I was familiar with from my own abuelita and mum.
There’s 3 parts to this cake recipe – the cake, the milk soaking/topping, then of course, the frosting.
CAKE:
For the cake, I followed Emeril’s recipe almost to the tee. But here’s the kicker. I’m not the best at whipping up egg whites to soft peaks, without the help of some additives. So personally, I always add in about 1/8 tsp cream of tartar per egg white. Also, if you’re really trying to make an incredibly savory cake, I cannot stress the benefit of using really vanilla instead of the vanilla/water/alcohol concoction sold at most stores. Side benefit of traveling to see family in Mexico once a year, usually picking up a good vanilla extract stash, although it’s getting harder to find due to the cost to produce it.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar (added to original recipe)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions (Using Emeril’s directions)
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually with the mixer running and peak to stiff peaks. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after the addition of each.
Sift together the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk. (Do this quickly so the batter does not lose volume.) Add the vanilla. Bake until golden, 25 minutes.
MILK TOPPING
Next up on the recipe is the … AMAZING… milk topping, plus a little extra ingredient. Meet my friend, rum. This is what gives 3 leches cake its distinct flavor, almost like a liquored caramel/dulce the leche has soaked into the spongy cake. Due to its the cake’s airiness, the mixture really absorbs quite well from top to bottom.
Ingredients:
- 1 14-ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 oz or more however strong you’d like to be of rum (added to original recipe)
Directions:
To make the cream topping: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream and blend on high speed.
Remove the cake from the oven and while still warm, pour the cream mixture over it. Let sit and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Personally, I left my cake overnight at the fridge in this point.
Cake soaking in the milk topping, soaking it in like I like to soak in the sun on the beach.
ICING/FROSTING
Since I had to study for class and wake up early for work the next day (by early, I mean 4 am), I left my soaking cake in the fridge overnight. And somehow, the motivation of making soft peaks with egg whites and frosting my cake was my motivation to get up before the sun was eventhinking about peeking from the horizon. So at 4 AM, I was showered with my make-up on, and in my work clothes busy as a bee in the kitchen, donning my apron (very cute apron might I say, 50′s retro style from Anthropologie). http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/category/aprons+%26+potholders/home-kitchen-aprons.jsp I totally recommend their aprons, cute as a button. Might even look cute with just a pair of stilettos :-O
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- 3/8 tsp cream of tartar (added to original recipe)
1 ripe mango, peeled, seed removed, and thinly sliced(removed from original recipe)1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeds removed, and thinly sliced(removed from original recipe)- Handful of strawberries – chopped whichever way you think is prettier (added to original recipe)
- 2 Kiwis – sliced (added to original recipe)
Directions:
To make the icing: Once the cake is completely chilled, in a saucepan combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 to 240 degrees F. Remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. (And this is where the cream of tartar is added as an aid) While beating, add the hot syrup in a stream. Beat until all the syrup has been added, the mixture cools, and a glossy icing forms.
FINALLY…. THE ASSEMBLY!
To assemble: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread the icing evenly across the top. Arrange the mango and papaya slices over the top and serve. (Or in my case, add in the strawberries and kiwi)
NOW, SLICE & ENJOY!!! I will add, that due to the amount of milk in this cake, it should be refrigerated. Both the milk and egg toppings can spoil, plus the whipped topping has a tendency to melt and wither if left out for more than a few hours.
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