Thursday 26 September 2013

Tres leches Cake-the Indian way

 


Daring Baker's challenge for this month was hosted by Inma from la Galletika who challenged us with a very popular Central and South American cake called Tres Leches (pronounced tres ley-chays) A Tres leches cake is a basic sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk- evaporated milkcondensed milk, and heavy cream/milk. It is a very light cake with air bubbles which comes from the beating of egg whites. This cake has no butter/oil and rises without the use of baking powder. This distinct texture is why it does not have a soggy consistency, despite being soaked in a mixture of three types of milk. Traditionally it is garnished with whipped cream and fresh fruits.
A Tres leces was on my list for a long time and I was really happy to see it as this month's challenge. The three milk concept sounded very Indian to me like the Rabri we use. I decided to make it myself and chose a fairly simple way to do so. I decided to opt the Indian way of garnishing it and did so with the use of edible silver sheets, chopped pista and rose petals, just as how we see it done on Indian sweets. The sponge cake was such a winner. The soaking part left me in doubts about the cake getting soggy but its surprising the way this cake holds it shape. 
The cake was declared a winner in terms of texture, taste and presentation by my family. A keeper recipe for sure and a must try for the coming festive season.


Ingredients : Serves 5-6. I halved the recipe and modified it

Sponge cake
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1/4 cup sugar, powdered
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
Three milk syrup (Tres leches)
  • 5 cups milk, divided 2+2+1
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 small stick cinnamon
  • 1 tsp rum (optional)
For Garnish :
  • Edible Silver sheets/Silver Warq
  • Red rose petals
  • Chopped Pistachio


    Procedure:

    Three milk syrup(Tres leches)-homemade
    Take milk in a thick bottomed pan and boil it. 
    Remove 1 cup and keep aside. This is the boiled milk.
    Let the remaining milk simmer on low heat for 20-25 mins till the quantity is reduced to half and water has evaporated from the milk. This is the evaporated milk.
    Remove half the quantity of this evaporated milk and keep aside.
    Add 2 tbsp sugar into the remaining milk and let it simmer for 10-15 mins till you see the colour changing to light brown. This is the condensed milk. 
    Now add the evaporated milk and boiled milk to the pan with cinnamon and let it simmer for 4-5 mins. 
    Allow to cool. Scoop out the cinnamon stick and add rum(optional)

    Sponge cake
    Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Grease and line a 6x6" square pan. 
    Take egg whites in a clean bowl and whip with an electrical beater for 3-5 mins till you get soft peaks. Now add sugar in batches and keep whipping till stiff peaks form(5 mins). 
    Take egg yolks in another clean bowl and whip for 5 mins till they are pale coloured. I used the same electrical beater. Stir in vanilla essence. 
    Pour egg yolks over the egg whites and very gently fold them in till just combined. Do not beat vigorously as that will remove all the air bubbles from the eggs.
    Fold in flour little by little in the form of rain and gently incorporate in the batter till just combined. 
    Pour batter in the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 mins or till a toothpick inserted in the middle come out clean.
    Allow the cake to cool.
    Poke all over the cake with a fork to make holes.
    Pour the prepared three milk syrup all over the cake. I put my cake back in the same pan and poured the syrup for the cake to absorb. Take care to pour on the sides too. 
    Refrigerate overnight (preferably) or for 2 hours. Do not worry the cake will not get soggy.
    Slice and serve.
    Traditionally garnished with a layer of whipped cream and fresh fruits, I did mine the Indian way and put a layer of edible silver sheet and sprinkled chopped pistachio and rose petals. 
    My Darling daughter at help

    Happy Tres leches cake eating
    Amrita

    37 comments:

    1. Hi Amrita, the cake must be definitely delicious no doubt with such lovely play of milk worked on at different stages. I loved the way you've garnished it and Indianised it. Varq and rose petals have added so much appeal to it.And little Vaanya doing the magic in decorating it is the best part of it!

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      1. Namita, this is surely a must try cake if you want to break from the regular ones. Vaanya had a whale of time decorating the cake :)

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    2. Amrita what a beautiful looking tres leches cake :0) really stunned and gorgeous looking Indian version and that last clicks with the little one is priceless :) wish I can do this one right away

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      1. Thank you Priya. It sounds amazing when a freak idea works so well :)

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    3. Beautiful and stunning piece of work. I can see how the cake turned out. As usual, I salute your skills in baking.

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    4. The edible silver makes it look even nicer!

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    5. It looks delicous!!! and your lil daughter looks so beautiful and cute!! :)

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    6. cakes with silver foil...definitely an Indian Way...love your ideas dear!!

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    7. So original with the silver foil, love it

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      1. Thank you, its an idea copied from the sweets we get in India

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    8. definitely on my "must try" list!

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      1. I will personally recommend this cake as it came out a winner

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    9. What a coincidence....I'm looking for a indianised tres leeches cake lately and urs sounds perfect...I already hav condensed and evaporated and heavy cream tins handy ,so I guess to make this is a breeze to me...btw,,ur daughter is such a beauty...she is very very very cute.....pretty like a doll....

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      1. Go ahead Niru, this is a winner recipe. The cake comes out amazingly soft and light. Just do not knock out the air bubbles from the egg whites by over mixing

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    10. Wow Amrita, that cake is a stunner!

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    11. your tre leches looks delicious!! somehow the combination of verk and rose petals remind me of pan :)

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      1. Thank you, may I ask you what did you mean by pan ?

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    12. Your Tres Les cake looks so delicious! I would love to have a few slices.

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    13. Very nice, and may I say very classy cake ;) Great job on the challenge

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    14. Your daughter could be a Daring Baker 'in-the-making' :)

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      1. Oh my Prerrna that is such a sweet thing said :)

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    15. Your Three Milk Cake looks perfect and your photos are incredibly gorgeous!

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    16. Your daughter is so cute! I love the look of this cake but am afraid to bake it for fear of drowning it too much:P

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      1. Thank you Jeannie, I was afraid of the same till I made it :)

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    17. Excellent and great piece of work. the above cake is delicious and yummy. i like these post. cake are looking so good and awesome.

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    18. Beautiful pictures especially your little one's expression is cute :)

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    19. This is one of my daughter's favorite cakes

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