Tres Leches Cake

I came across tres leches cake when I was looking for a dessert to serve after mole poblano. However, I decided against it and made a passionfruit cheesecake instead. Because it is a cake, I thought it wouldn’t be puddingy enough. But I was wrong, it’s incredibly sweet, creamy and rich, the best way I feel I can describe it is that it is like condensed milk in cake form. With cream on top. So yeah, pretty pudding-like. I’m glad I did make it in the end, even if it wasn’t for any particular occasion.

It’s an interesting recipe. You make a cake, similar to a chiffon cake, as it is lightened by beaten egg whites. The cake also doesn’t contain any butter or oil, which was a  new thing to me. Once it is cool, you pour over a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream, in stages, so it gets a chance to fully sink in, then leave to absorb. Top with softly whipped, sweetened cream and maraschino cherries, and there you have it.  It definitely tasted better after a night in the fridge, it had firmed up somewhat- although it was still good right away.  It also kind of reminds me of Indian desserts- very sweet and milky. Which has lead me to think a version with rosewater and cardamom as flavourings would be delicious, if inauthentic.

There are loads of recipes for this, I used this one (scroll to the bottom for the recipe). I also added the optional splash of rum to the milks, which I liked- I think it stopped it from being too much like nursery food. Some other recipes suggested Triple Sec instead, which might be nice, although I think I would prefer the deeper taste of a spirit. I was a bit concerned about the quantities of evaporated and condensed milk- this recipe just refers to ‘a can’ of each, and as it is an American site, sizes of can could well vary. Doing a bit of research, the quantities of these should be about the same, so I used a 410g tin of evaporated milk, a 397g of condensed milk, and the specified ¼ cup of cream. It made slightly more than my cake would absorb, but it tasted great. 

Chongqing Hot and Sour Noodles

I've been continuing on my exploration of Asian cookery. Recently I have been cooking a lot more noodle soups, being inspired by reading about David Chang’s ramen restaurant in his Momafuku cookbook. I think I have been put off in the past of making them- even though I order them a lot when I eat out- because of the stock making process. I have a small freezer which limits me from making huge batches of stock which I can use when I need. But as of late, I have managed to get into a happy rhythm of buy chicken, debone, cook meat, make stock from bones, soup... which basically makes up meals for most of a week. I have yet to make David Chang’s ramen, but I have had fun improvising and making dishes I like without a recipe, and trying out other recipes such as this hot and sour noodle soup. (Recipe from, yet again- Sunflower Food Galore)

This recipe has several different elements you make, and assemble at the last minute, but it isn’t difficult. I really like the noodles for it, made from sweet potato starch. They don’t taste of sweet potato, but they have a really satisfying texture- very soft and slippery, but not at all mushy. I was pleased to find them in my local Asian grocers, as well as this dish, I have seen them used in various Korean recipes that I have been meaning to try. The chilli sauce that goes with it is pretty great too, I would consider making it up in a large batch and so I  can get a quick spicy/sour hit on food when I want it. I didn't make my own chilli oil for the base of the sauce, as suggested in the recipe, but I had a lot of chilli oil at home that I really like so it seemed a bit much to make another kind for this.  

This dish is a really satisfying, sinus-clearing bowl of deliciousness. I think better for winter perhaps, but I wouldn't turn it down anytime of year.