Tres Leches_three milk cake_with pictures

milk cake 

When my wife and I first saw this three milk cake (Tres Leches) recipe, we thought it may have originated in Iran because of it using pomegranate and the rich three milk mix. But, oh no; flick left, right across the globe – all the way to Mexico - with not a chilli in sight.

Here is the recipe with pictures...

For the cake

225g flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

5 large eggs, separated

225g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup full-cream milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Butter a 21cmx12cm loaf or cake tin and line with baking paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Place egg whites in a large bowl and beat ‘til stiff (to firm peaks) with a cake mixer or your old and trusted electric beater.

While still whisking/beating, gradually add the caster sugar.

Turn the motor to the lowest speed and whisk/mix in the egg yolks,

followed by the vanilla extract,

and then the lemon juice.

Fold in the flour mix and the milk.

Spoon into the tin

and bake for 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

For the three milks

200ml condensed milk

150ml cream

150ml full-cream milk

Combine all the ingredients in a jug. Our ‘fancy’ blue one holds exactly 500mls, so I measured the cream and milk into it first, then topped up with condensed milk.

Turn the baked cake on to a wire rack and cool for about 10 minutes.

Cut off the dark sides and feed to the birds – they’ll love you for it – assuming there are no kids in the house at the time of course...

Place the cake in a dish slightly bigger than the cake and poke holes in the top with a skewer.

Pour half the milk mix over, reserving the remainder.

Cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight so the cake can nicely soak up the milks.

For the marshmallow topping

2 egg whites,

125g caster sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon rose water

2 sheets leaf gelatine (or 1,5 teaspoons powdered)

125ml boiling water

Whisk the egg whites to firm peaks then gradually whisk in the sugar and finally the lemon juice and rose water.

Soak the leaf gelatine in a dish of cold water for 2 minutes.

Squeeze out the excess moisture then dissolve the gelatine (or add powdered here) in the boiling water.

Slowly pour the gelatine into the egg mixture while whisking.

Continue whisking until the mix is cool and firm (about 8 minutes).

Pile the marshmallow mixture on top of the cake. It doesn't matter if the sides are uneven as you can tidy these up after it has set. 

Chill for at least 1 hour or for up to a day.

Our marshmallow topping didn't quite turn out like the picture in the original recipe but tasty nonetheless. Next time we might double the quantity for the marshmallow...

To serve

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds,

1/2 cup (70g) pistachios, lightly roasted and chopped.

Remove the cake from fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Using a knife dipped in hot water, tidy up the sides of the marshmallow if desired then cut the cake into 6-8 pieces.

Place each in a bowl (or deep side plate) and pour in a little extra three-milk mix.

Sprinkle with pomegranate and pistachios.

Then enjoy.

If you don’t have pomegranate and pistachios, then try a topping of whatever suits you. I’ve seen this cake’s marshmallow topping decorated with (what looked like) edible shaved gold leaf and silver balls, mango, pineapple and peaches, berries...

Special thanks to Fiona Smith and Cuisine Magazine (Issue 143, November 2010, p82) for the recipe

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three milk cake recipe with pictures