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 Entertainment | Restaurants & Dining | August 2005 
Bake Great Cakes
 Vicky Cowal - The Herald Mexico
| | Pastel de tres leches, or "three milks" cake, is a dessert found in central america that many countries claim as their own, but most probably was just a promotional recipe on the back of a can of evaporated milk. |
Mexican cakes are not generally among the best in the world. Even at the top restaurants you don't often find mouthwatering cakes such as those you might eat in many other countries. They tend to be dry and not that flavorful. The one exception is pastel tres leches which is moist and really good.
But by digging around in cookbooks and consulting with local cooks, you will discover a host of Mexican recipes for very good cakes. You may have to do a bit of experimenting as many Mexican recipes are somewhat vague as to measurements, oven temperature and time in the oven (bake until done, for instance). I have had my fair share of disasters but with today's recipes, I have done the homework for you of coming up with excellent cakes.
In order to be a successful baker, there are some rules to follow. If you do so, I think you will find that making your own cakes is fun and the results will almost assuredly be superior to what you can usually buy.
PASSION FRUIT MOUSSE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE
If you can't find passion fruit (maracuya ), you can usually buy jugo de maracuya at places that sell fruit drinks. You can also make the mousse with lime or orange juice.
Crust
cups ground cookies (galletas Maria ) 4 tablespoons melted butter
Mousse
1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 1/2 cup cold water 7 eggs, separated 4 cup passion fruit juice 1 cup sugar Garnish with whole raspberries.
To prepare the crust, grind enough cookies in a blender to make 2 cups. Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press into a 12 inch springform pan. Set aside.
For the mousse, in a small bowl mix the gelatin and water together. Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, mix the egg yolks, passion fruit juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Cook over a medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Do not let boil or the eggs can scramble. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Beat the egg whites, adding the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar a tablespoon at a time and beating well after each addition until peaks form and the whites are hard and smooth. Fold them into the passion fruit mixture a little at a time. Fold gently until well mixed. Pour into the prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Release the catch on the springform pan and decorate the top of the cake with fresh raspberries. Makes 12 servings.
ORANGE CAKE
I got this recipe from a wonderful cook in Jalapa, Veracruz.
1 stick butter, softened 4 cup sugar 2 eggs, separated Grated rind of 2 oranges 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup orange juice Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and gradually add the sugar, beating until light. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and the orange rind. Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter alternately with the orange juice.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, unmold onto a rack and drizzle with the glaze while warm. Cool before serving. Makes 16 slices.
Orange glaze
1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup sugar Combine the juice and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a light syrup forms.
PASTEL DE NUEZ (Pecan cake)
A recipe from "Food From My Heart" by Zarela Martinez. She says it is very popular in the central region of Mexico. It is generally served with cajeta, a wonderful, rich caramel-like sauce made from boiled down goat's milk.
1 1/2 cups pecan halves 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla (try to find natural vanilla fromVeracruz) 2 large eggs, separated 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup half milk- half heavy cream Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
In a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet, toast the pecans at 350 F (175 C) until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperture and grind finely in a blender. Set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 350 F (175 C).
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer, or large wooden spoon, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat well. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a second bowl.
In another bowl, combine the ground pecans and milk/cream, stirring to moisten thoroughly. Add one third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat to incorporate well, then add one third of the pecan mixture and beat well. Repeat, alternating thirds of the remaining dry ingredients and nut mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until all has been added.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, gently fold about one third of the beaten whites into the batter, then fold in the rest until no streaks are visible.
Pour the batter into the bundt pan. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before unmolding. Cool completely on a rack. Serve with cajeta drizzled on top. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Vicky Cowal is a weekly contributor to The Herald. VickyCowal@prodigy.net.mx |
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