Green Tea Tiramisu Cake - by Julie

By popular demand, here's how to make my 2010 birthday cake. (Check out the photo I took of our cool cake, below.) This recipe comes from a Malaysian-Canadian friend, Chin-Wei Eow. She has a wonderful Malaysian cookbook that is “fusion” baking at its best, blending Western baking methods & cake types with Asian ingredients & tastes. Disclaimer: Those unfamiliar with Asian desserts and flavours may not find this cake to be to their taste.

 

The Utensils Needed:

Springform cake pan (20-25 cm / 8-10 inches in diameter works best)

Two round cake tins the same diameter as the springform pan

Time Needed:

2 – 2 ½ hours from start to finish

The Cake:

Ingredients:

1 whole egg

6 egg yolks (reserve the whites)

100 g / ½ cup flour

5 ml / 1 tsp baking powder

1 ml / 1/8 tsp salt

80 g / 1/3 cup cooking oil

15 g / 2 Tbsp green tea powder (available in Chinese grocery stores)

50 ml / ¼ cup water

25 ml / 1/8 cup milk

6 egg whites

2 ml / ½ tsp cream of tartar

140 g / 2/3 cup superfine (berry) or caster sugar

Instructions:

1.      Grease the two cake tins with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F. In a large bowl, place whole egg, yolks, flour, baking powder, salt, oil, green tea powder dissolved in water, and milk. Whisk by hand until combined and smooth. Set aside.

2.      In a small-medium mixing bowl, mix egg whites on high speed until stiff and glossy. Add cream of tartar and sugar gradually, in small increments, while still mixing on high. When mixture is once again stiff and glossy, fold it into the other mixture in the large bowl.

3.      Pour well-mixed batter into the two round cake tins and bake approximately 30 minutes. (Cakes may need a little less or a little more time, but they are done when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.)

4.      While cake is baking, start preparing filling according to instructions below. (You can finish it while the cake cools.)

5.      Remove cake from oven and invert onto metal rack immediately.

The Filling:

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks (reserve the whites)

80 g / 1/3 cup superfine (berry) or caster sugar

500 g / 1 lb mascarpone cheese at room temperature (or substitute: blend 250 g / 8 oz low-fat cream cheese with 250 ml / 1 cup fat-free sour cream until smooth)

5 egg whites

50 g / ¼ cup superfine (berry) or caster sugar

30 ml / 1/8 cup water

30 ml / 2 Tbsp unflavoured gelatine

60 ml / 4 Tbsp hot water

500 ml / 2 cups prepared whipped cream (lower-fat version: prepare 1 envelope of dry whipped topping powder)

Optional – 160 ml / 2/3 cup cooked red beans (used in Chinese desserts; if using these beans, soak them overnight and then cook on stove or in slow cooker, 1 part beans to 3 parts water, for 2 hours.)

Instructions:

1.      Tip: It is best to prepare the filling so that it can be used immediately on the cooled cakes. If filling is refrigerated, it will gel and not spread well on cakes.

2.      Mascarpone custard: Place egg yolks and first amount of sugar in a double-boiler and stir over simmering water until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool, then stir in mascarpone or substitute.

3.      Meringue: While waiting for egg mixture to cool, whisk egg whites on high in a small-medium bowl until stiff. Meanwhile, bring second amount of sugar and water to a boil. Gradually, add this mixture to the stiff eggs. Beat another 2 minutes on medium.

4.      Gelatine: Dissolve the gelatine into the water.

5.      In another, large mixing bowl, prepare whipped cream or topping according to package directions. Fold into this the mascarpone custard, meringue and gelatine mixtures.

The Assembly and Decoration:

Ingredients:

Cooled cakes

Prepared filling

Green tea powder to sprinkle

Optional – more whipped cream

Optional – cooked red beans

Instructions:

1.      Place one cake into springform pan. Spread half of the filling evenly on top of cake. If using red beans, spread them on evenly as well.

2.      Place second cake on top of filling. Spread the rest of the filling on top of cake.

3.      Chill for a few hours or overnight, until set.

4.      Just before serving, top with whipped cream if desired. (Tip: if cake is not going to be eaten all at once, leave whipped cream off whole cake and instead add it by the piece as it is cut.) Sprinkle green tea powder over cake or by the piece to decorate.

Serving Suggestion:

Try this tea cake with green tea  or green chai. The American Stash company’s green chai pairs very well with the cake, picking up on the green tea flavour and enhancing it by adding a flavourful blend of spices.

Recipe modified from the original found in Delicious Cakes, by Amy Heng. Published by Y Three K Publisher, www.y3k.com.my.