Tres Leches Cake

I just described myself as a heath nut, but I realize that posting this recipes of all recipes destroys any credibility. However, the cake is so worth it - and I just made it today!

I had tres leches cake - "three milks cake" in English - most memorably just under a year and a half ago while celebrating my birthday in Santiago, Chile. I loved the milky flavor, but I found that the cake batter itself had too much sugar, making the texture gritty. Upon returning to the US, I finally found a recipe that effectively blends the sugar with half a dozen eggs, creating a fluffy batter, and I made it for a family celebration. It's now not only a staple at all Latin American fiestas, but since last July, it's also a staple at all of my uncle's birthday parties. Luckily, I was home this year to whip it up. I recommend serving it Chilean style, that is, served right after a crusty piece of bread topped with avocado, fresh cheese, and tomatoes and followed by sweetened hot tea.


Tres Leches Cake*
from Emeril Lagasse on Food Network

Ingredients

Cake Batter
6 large eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla, preferably Mexican

Milk Sauce
1 14-oz. can evaporated milk
1 14-oz. can condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream

Meringue Frosting
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
summer fruit, for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish.** Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs whites on a high speed until they form soft peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add the two cups of sugar, and continue to beat the eggs on a high speed until they form stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, and add it to the eggs while alternating with the half cup of milk. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish, and bake for approximately 25 minutes until golden brown and soft but springy to the touch.

Meanwhile, whisk together the three milks to create the sauce.

After the cake has been removed from the oven, allow it to cool for approximately ten minutes. It should still quite warm to the touch. Then, using a thin knife, pierce the surface of the cake all over, forming a porous top. The holes should cut all the way through the cake. Pour the milk mixture all over the cake, allowing it to soak into the bread. Let the cake sit until it is at room temperature, and then chill it thoroughly in the refridgerator, preferably overnight.

Up to three hours before you serve the cake, prepare the meringue. Beat the eggs whites on a high speed until they form soft peaks. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continually until it reaches 235 to 250 degrees. Then remove it from the heat. Add this syrup to the eggs in a slow stream while beating the eggs on a high speed. Do not stop beating the eggs while you are adding the hot syrup. Continue beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks and becomes glossy.

In order to construct the cake, remove it from the refridgerator afer it has been completely chilled, and frost it with the meringue. The meringue should be spread just after it is made. Immediately before serving the cake, garnish it decorately with any summer fruit you have on hand. I used mango and blueberries. Make sure to pat the fruit dry before topping the cake in order to prevent it from bleeding into the meringue.

*Unfortunately, I have forgotten to take photos every single time I've made this cake. This photo is from my birthday in Chile. The baker apparently torched the meringue.
**Feel free to use other baking dishes, but do not use a deep dish because the milk sauce will not soak entirely into the cake.