I'd heard about Tres Leches Cake
and have always wanted to make one.
Never got around to it until today
and I really shouldn't have waited so long.
is a sponge-type cake which is perforated
after baking and doused in a mixture of
evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk,
and heavy cream -
the tres leches -
resulting in a rich cake
with just the right amount of sweetness.
The Tres Leches cake is a sponge cake -
very light with lots of air bubbles.
This distinct texture is why
the cake is not mushy or soggy,
despite being sopped in the milk mixture.
After soaking up the creamy syrup,
the Tres Leches cake
is extremely dense and moist,
almost like a custard.
The history of this cake is disputed.
It is thought to have originated in Nicaragua
and is quite popular there as well as in
Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guatemala.
Some say the origin of this recipe came from the
back of a condensed milk or evaporated milk can
in Latin America to promote the use of the product.
Sweetened condensed milk
came into use in the mid-1850's
as a way to preserve milk in cans without refrigeration.
Evaporated milk became available during the 1870's
when the milk companies were able to heat the milk
so it would not spoil in cans,
making the sugar unnecessary.
Both became successful in areas
where fresh milk was difficult to store and distribute.
Both condensed and evaporated milk were
sold throughout Central and South American
and the Caribbean.
This cake became popular in the early 1900's
and even today, the use of condensed and evaporated
milk is part of Latin American culture.
The Nestle company also claims
to have been behind the evolution
of the Tres Leches recipe during World War II.
Nestle established manufacturing plants
in Mexico right around World War II
and routinely published recipes on the can labels.
The Tres Leches was indeed one of those recipes.
The idea for creating a cake soaked in liquid
is probably of European origin,
as similar cakes - rum cake, trifle,
zuppa inglese, bread pudding, tiramisu,
and even French toast,
use this method.
Now, in case you're wondering
what exactly is evaporated milk
and what is condensed milk,
I'll tell you.
Evaporated milk is fresh milk from which
60% of the water is removed before the milk
is homogenized, fortified, canned, and sterilized.
Condensed milk is a mixture of 55-60% whole milk
and 40-45% sugar, heated until 60% of the water evaporates,
resulting in a sweet, viscous milk syrup.
Both products were developed in the 19th century as a means
to deliver milk nutrients without refrigeration,
and, like many now-common convenience foods,
they were first adopted by the US military.
Tres Leches Cake
Cake:
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 - 2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Milk Syrup
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp vanilla extract (to taste)
1/4 - 1/2 cup rum (to taste)
Heat oven to 350 degrees
and generously butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
CAKE:
Beat egg yolks and gradually add in 3/4 cup sugar.
Increase speed and beat for about 5 minutes,
until the yolks are light and fluffy
and have changed color to a light yellow.
Gently fold in the cream,
vanilla, flour, and baking powder.
Beat egg whites to soft peaks,
adding the cream of tartar to after about 30 seconds.
Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar
and continue beating on high
until the whites are glossy and firm,
not dry.
Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
Pour batter into buttered baking dish.
Bake about 40 minutes
until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely on wire rack.
Unmold onto a large platter.
Pierce cake all over with a fork.
Milk Syrup:
Combine tres leches, vanilla, and rum,
whisking until well blended.
Pour syrup over the cake,
spooning the overflow back on top,
until it's all absorbed.
My mise en place for the cake:
5 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cream
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
5 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
While I was working on the egg yolk mixture,
I started on the egg whites so they'd be ready
when the dry ingredients were completely folded
into the egg yolks.
Beat the 5 whites.
After about 30 seconds,
add in the cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is a stabilizer for egg whites,
increasing heat tolerance and volume.
FYI, cream of tartar, or potassium bitartrate,
is a byproduct of winemaking.
Cream of tartar is obtained when tartaric acid
is half neutralized with potassium hydroxide,
transforming it into a salt.
Grapes are the only significant natural source
of tartaric acid and cream of tartar
is obtained from sediment produced
in the process of making wine.
Potassium bitartrate crystallizes in
wine casks during fermentation.
The crystals are collected, filtered,
and purified to produce the acidic salt,
cream of tartar,
we use in baking.
It has been reported that traces of calcium tartrate
found in a pottery jar in the ruins of a village
in Northern Iran are evidence
that wine was being made more than 7000 years ago.
Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes
or until a toothpick inserted
comes out clean.
Let cool completely
before pouring the syrup.
I cut it in half so you can see the texture,
plus I didn't have a platter big enough
to put the whole cake in.
I lined my platters with wax paper,
then placed the cake on top.
Makes for a cleaner work area.
This piece of cake
pulls right out.
Easily.
After the syrup is all absorbed,
you can pull the wax sheets out.
Mise en place:
1 12-oz can of evaporated milk
1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
vanilla extract, to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup rum, to taste
Whisk all ingredients until well blended.
... which is what you'll be doing anyway
upon the first mouthful.
When you bite into it
for the very first time.
Moaning may be involved also,
just to let you know.
In my researching (i.e. googling) recipes for Tres Leches cake,
I found numerous variations on the basic theme.
Some instructed me to make a stove top meringue
and spread the top and sides with the meringue.
Others suggested a whipped cream topping.
Still others proposed drizzling a Dulce de Leche
over top, essentially making this a Cuatro Leches Cake.
I opted out of all those recommendations,
because this cake was perfectly fine on its own.
This is another one where you
just need to trust Rosie.
Perfectly executed as usual. Ain't it grand?
ReplyDelete'twas, Zzzadig.
ReplyDeleteHow would I make this for a 11x15 sheet cake ? This looks delicious^_^
ReplyDeletepartyforevermore, I don't know if this would work for a sheet cake. I would feel more comfortable using the baking pan since it's deeper.
ReplyDelete