Chocolate Sponge Cake (cooked dough method) (6″ cake)

Chocolate Sponge Cake (cooked dough method)
Ingredients:
3 eggs yolks – I used grade B eggs which is about 60g
40g corn oil
35g plain flour
15g cocoa powder (I used a mixture of dark cocoa powder and valrhona cocoa powder for the extra dark look)
Pinch of salt
60g milk

3 eggs whites
40g sugar

Line the base of an 6″ round pan. Do not grease the sides.

Method:

1. Put oil in a saucepan and heat on low fire until just simmering. If you have a thermometer it should read 70C. Remove and immediately add the flour and cocoa powder (sift both together before adding) and stir with a whisk until smooth.
2. Add in the milk and stir to combine. At this stage the batter will becomes thick and lumpy.
3. Add in egg yolks and whisk with hand whisk until batter is smooth and runny again. Set aside.
4. Beat the egg whites until foamy then gradually add sugar to beat until firm peaks form.
5. Add 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter and using the hand whisk to mix until combined. Add the next 1/3 portion and whisk again. Finally, add the last portion, whisk briefly before switching to spatula to scoop the batter from bottom and fold up on to the batter to make sure all are combined and no more yolk batter can be seen.
6. Pour into prepared pan and bake in water bath at 160C for 80-90 mins or until the cake bounces back when you lightly press the top.
7. Remove from oven and leave it for a couple of minutes before unmoulding.

Orange chiffon (slitted top)

Orange Chiffon (slitted top)

Ingredients:
5 yolks (average size: 58g)
65g corn oil
20g sugar
75g freshly squeezed orange juice
90g cake flour
1/4 tsp salt

5 whites
60g castor sugar (reduce this if your orange juice is sweet)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

17cm tube pan

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C.

1. In a large bowl, mix together yolks, oil, juice, 20g sugar and salt until combined. Add in sifted flour, mix until smooth and set aside.
2. In a clean dry bowl, add the egg whites and whip until foamy before adding the cream of tartar. Continue to beat while gradually adding 60g sugar until very firm, almost stiff but not dry.
3. Add a third of the meringue into the yolk batter and mix with a hand whisk to lighten the batter before adding the next third portion. FOr the final portion, switch to a spatula and fold gently from bottom to the top using cutting motion to minimize deflation. Mix until no streaks can be seen.
4. Transfer into tube pan and run a skewer around the batter to remove big bubbles and even the top.
5. Place the tube pan into another slightly bigger pan and stand this into a another pan holding a shallow water bath.
6. Bake with top heat only for 20-25 mins or until to crust is slightly brown. Carefully take the cake out and cut the slits with a sharp knife. Place the cake back and continue to bake with top/bottom heat at 160C for 60-70 mins or until cooked. Remove the water pan at the last 20 mins of baking. Oven temperature and timing is a guide only, please know your oven and adjust accordingly.
7. Once done, remove cake from oven and immediately invert to cool completely before unmoulding.

Pandan Sponge Cake

Pandan Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs yolks
30g oil
20g coconut milk
35g concentrated pandan juice (blend pandan leaves with some water and let it sit for an hour or two and pour away the clear part on the top. Use the residue dark liquid)
1/8 tsp salt
60g cake flour

3 egg whites
40-50g caster sugar (depends how sweet you want it)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar or a tsp of lemon juice

invert on to a non stick surface to prevent the crust sticking

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C. I am using a removal bottom pan here so I did not grease or line the pan.

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together first 5 ingredients until well combined. Add in the flour and mix until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a separate clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy before adding the cream of tartar (or lemon juice) and continue to whisk while gradually adding the sugar, until firm peaks.

3. Add the meringue into the yolk batter in 3 portions using the handwhisk to fold it in. After the final portion is added in, switch to a spatula to fold from bottom to the top until no streaks of yolk batter can be seen.

4. Pour into pan and shake gently to even out the top. Place this into a water proofed pan and place these into another larger pan. Pour hot water into the largest pan to about 1/2 cm height and bake with upper heat at 170C for 40 mins. Switch to top and bottom heat, reduce temperature to 150C and continue to bake another 40-50 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the water pan for the last 10 minutes of baking to dry the sides of the cake.

5. Once cooked, immediately remove the cake from oven and invert it to cool completely before unmoulding.

Pandan Butter Chiffon

Pandan Butter Chiffon (cooked dough method)

Ingredients:

100g plain flour
10g corn flour
20g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 egg yolks
70g unsalted butter
50g full cream milk
40g pandan paste (blend some pandan leaves with water and let it sit until there’s a clear layer on the top. Pour away the clear water and use the thick pandan liquid at the bottom)

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
60g caster sugar

Method:-

1. Sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
2. Microwave the butter and milk together until butter has melted. Pour into the sifted flour/salt and use a spatula to mix into a paste. Add the pandan juice and mix till combined before adding the egg yolks. Continue to mix until silky smooth. Cover with a clean towel and set aside.
3. Beat egg whites until frothy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar and beat to firm peaks.
4. Lightly incorporate the meringue into the yolk batter in 3 portions.
5. Pour in the final batter into an 8″ tube pan and use a skewer to run lightly around the top to smoothen the surface. Reserved a tablespoon of batter and mix with a drop of green and draw the design if you wish.
6. Place the cake pan into a shallow non leaking pan and place these into a bigger pan. Pour hot water into the largest pan to about 1 cm in height.
7. Bake the cake on the lowest rack at 160C for 90 minutes or until cake is done. Tent the cake if it gets too brown. After removing cake from the oven, immediately invert to cool completely before unfolding.

Limoncello Chiffon

Limoncello Chiffon

Ingredients:

100g plain flour
10g corn flour
20g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 egg yolks
60g Corn oil
25g Limoncello Liqueur
75g Water or milk
Optional: zest from 1 lemon

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
60g caster sugar

Method:-

1. Sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
2. Mix together oil, yolks, Limoncello and water until well blended. Mix well before sifting in flour mixture and mix until combined. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites until frothy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar and beat to firm peaks.
4. Lightly incorporate the meringue into the batters using a hand whisk and for the final part,switch to a spatula to scoop from bottom and fold on to the batter to ensure even mixing.
5. Pour in the batter into an 8″ (20cm) tube pan. Use a skewer to run lightly around the top to smoothen the surface.
6. Place the cake pan into a shallow non leaking pan and place these into a bigger pan. Pour hot water into the largest pan to about 1 cm or less in height.
7. Bake the cake on the lowest rack at 160C for 88-90 minutes or until cake is done. Tent the cake if it gets too brown. After removing cake from the oven, immediately invert to cool completely before unfolding.

Bandung Ombre Chiffon

 

Bandung (rose flavour fruit tea) Chiffon Cake

Ingredients:

100g plain flour
10g corn flour
20g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 egg yolks
60g Corn oil
100g rose fruit tea
1 drop of tutti frutti oil

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
60g caster sugar

 

Method:-

1. Sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
2. Mix together oil, yolks, tutti frutti oil and rose fruit tea until well blended. Mix well before sifting in flour mixture and mix until combined.  Divide into 3 portions and add some rose red color for the ombre effect. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites until frothy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar and beat to firm peaks. Divide into 3 equal portions for the 3 divided yolk batter.
4. Lightly incorporate the meringue into all the batters.
5. Pour in the lightest batter first into an 8″ tube pan. Even out the sides before gently scoop in the second bowl of batter. Repeat with the last bowl and use a skewer to run lightly around the top to smoothen the surface.
6. Place the cake pan into a shallow non leaking pan and place these into a bigger pan. Pour hot water into the largest pan to about 1 cm in height.
7. Bake the cake on the lowest rack at 160C for 90 minutes or until cake is done. Tent the cake if it gets too brown. After removing cake from the oven, immediately invert to cool completely before unfolding.

Cheddar Cheese Chiffon Cake

Cheddar Cheese Chiffon Cake

Ingredients for Egg Yolk Mixture:
80 gm superfine flour – sifted
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg yolks
60 ml melted butter (omit the salt if using salted butter)
3 slices of cheddar cheese
20g sugar
60 ml milk

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
60 gm castor sugar