FILIPINO-STYLE CARAMEL CAKE

VANILLA CHIFFON CAKE (recipe suitable for an 8 round, 3 high pan) {A} 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour 1 teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons white sugar {B} cup corn/canola oil 4 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature 1/3 cup water teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract UPDATED: 19/2/2013 {C} 4 eggwhites teaspoon cream of tartar {D} 6 tablespoons white sugar Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. 2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended. 3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 8 round, 3 high pan. 4. Bake for about 55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely. 5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert cake onto a large serving plate. **Tip: For easier handling, wrap your cake very well in cling film, then refrigerate overnight before frosting. CARAMEL ICING (enough to frost and fill 8 round cake) 3 eggyolks (set aside eggwhites for the Swiss Meringue buttercream) 1 cup sugar, divided 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons full cream milk, divided 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 cup boiling water 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use 1/8 teaspoon maple oil flavour) Combine egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, cup of the full cream milk and 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl/jug. Mix well, then set aside. In a heavy saucepan, over low to medium heat, caramelize (melt) the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. When sugar is completely melted and a golden brown colour, add boiling water. Bring back to a boil, making sure all the caramel is incorporated into the water. Carefully add in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons full cream milk. Heat mixture just until it starts to boil. Pour a little of the caramel/milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Mix until smooth. Pour this back into the remaining caramel/milk mixture in the saucepan. Mix until icing reaches a thick and spreadable consistency. Off the fire, add in butter and vanilla extract. Strain mixture, if necessary. Let the icing cool down then spread it all over the cake surface. SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM - One recipe is more than enough. Use the eggwhites that you set aside from the caramel icing.

To decorate: Cut your cake horizontally in half. Invert top layer onto your cake board. Spread a thin layer of caramel icing over your cake half, then top with other cake layer, cut side down. Spread the rest of the caramel icing over the cake. Pipe out buttercream borders and decorate with buttercream roses/flowers as desired.

RECIPE

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH TAISAN WITH QUESO DE BOLA

by Dorothy MJ Ferreria, photographed by Ed Simon
TOTAL TIME 45 MINS PREP30 MINS COOK15 MINS YIELD

12
LEVEL

EASY

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour 1/2 cups sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 6 egg yolks 1/2 cups water 1/4 cups corn oil 1/4 cups melted unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 6 egg whites 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup grated queso de bola

For The Topping:

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter 1 cup white sugar Grated queso de bola

STEPS 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of 5 medium loaf pans (measuring 4 x 7 x 2 1/2 in) with baking parchment. Set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following: cake flour, sugar, baking powder, egg yolks, water, corn oil, melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix well with a wire whip until smooth. Set aside. 3. Using an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until frothy. Maintaining medium speed, gradually add sugar (a tablespoon at a time) and continue beating at the same speed until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. 4. Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Lastly, fold in the grated cheese. Divide the cake batter equally among the prepared molders. Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool upside-down on a wire rack for 10 minutes. 5. Remove from the molders. While still warm, brush the top surfaces with softened butter and dip in ranulated sugar. Dust with grated queso de bola. For the mamon:

1. To make mamon using this recipe, line 12 mamon molders (measuring 4-inches in diameter) with fluted mamon liners. 2. Divide the cake batter equally among the prepared molders. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 3. Remove from molders while hot and spread your favorite butter on the surface. Dip in sugar if desired.

TAISAN SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients 6 eggs, separated 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup oil 1 cup sugar (divide into 1/2 cups to use separately) 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 cups cake flour (if you don't have cake flour use: 1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch) 1 teaspoon lemon juice or cream of tartar 1/4 teaspoon salt melted butter and sugar for sprinkling on top

Set your oven to 350 degrees to preheat. Mix the egg yolks, water, oil, 1/2 cup of sugar, baking powder, and cake flour. After they're well combined set it off to the side and start the work on the egg whites.

Beating egg whites is best in a glass or stainless steel bowl, using anything else doesn't help the egg whites much. Also you can beat the egg whites by hand but you'd need some pretty big Popeye arms to do so with ease and speed. A mixer (stand or hand) works much better. Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice and salt until it forms soft white peaks. This looks like soft whipped cream. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until you get stiff peaks. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the into the egg whites. Try to do this gently because you don't want to deflate all the air you just put into the whites. When it's well incorporated, pour into your baking cups. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. When it cools you can brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.