Monday, June 4, 2012

Tres Leches Cake from Jonna



This is a great recipe and the cake is soooo moist!  I had this cake in Costa Rica so when my friend Jonna said she found a great recipe, I wanted to try it too.  However, I would change a couple of things.  I think I would only pour 2/3 of the milk mixture on top of the cake.  I had to extend the time of baking to longer (almost double) but it might just be a Singapore thing.  Also, in the frosting, I'd just skip the corn syrup, there's so much sweetness going on already.

Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided use)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
Frosting (recipe follows)
Directions
To prepare milk mixture, pour the condensed milk into a microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on Medium-Low, stirring often and replacing the plastic wrap several times, until condensed milk is slightly darkened and thickened, 9 to 15 minutes. Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk, cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
For the cake, adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 325 F. Grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Heat the milk, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter is melted. In a large bowl whip the eggs with an electric mixer on medium-high speed and gradually add the sugar; beat 1 minute. Increase speed and whip until the mixture is very thick and voluminous, 4 to 8 minutes longer.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add the melted butter mixture, beating until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the batter until it is fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Scrape batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and gently tap the pan on the work surface to settle it. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Using a skewer, poke about 50 holes in the warm cake (you do not need to poke all the way through). Slowly pour the cooled milk mixture over the cake. Let the cake cool about 15 minutes, then refrigerate until the milk is completely absorbed and the cake has cooled completely, about 3 hours.
Let the cake sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Prepare the frosting and spread it evenly over the top of the cake and serve. Makes 18 servings.
FROSTING: With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons corn syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl to soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes.

Martha's Blueberry Crisp



FOR THE FILLING

6 cups (3 pints) fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt

FOR THE TOPPING
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant or quick)
1/2 cup chopped nuts, e.g. almonds
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, make the filling; mix blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
Transfer to an 8 inch dish.  Make the topping; in a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, nuts, baking powder and salt.
With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir flour mixture into butter.  Using your hands, squeeze topping
pieces together to form clumps.  Sprinkle topping evenly over filling, bake until filling is bubbling in center and topping is golden brown,
about 1 hour.  Cool 30 min before serving.  It was AWESOME with HD vanilla ice cream!