Daring Bakers' Challenge - September 2013: Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake

I can't believe it's been a year since my last post! So much had happened, I didn’t even have any time to pause and notice the world was passing me by. I am set to live in Hong Kong for another year, and I'm not complaining. I'm still head over heels with Hong Kong, and sometimes still feel like a newbie, exploring what this city has to offer. I recently just moved to my own place; it's a small studio but for a petite-sized me, I'm feeling super cosy and homey. I've set-up my kitchen to be functional and hopefully get back into baking.

I feel like I have such a struggle finding the intense passion in baking I once had in 2010. A part of me feels like it’s never coming back. Maybe that’s the way to go… Instead of searching or brainstorming ideas with myself on how to ‘recover’, maybe I should just accept my present and move forward. No more pressure in getting my blog going as when I first started this page; no more pressure of baking regularly. My aim is to bake because it’s my sweet escape and blog when I feel like sharing.

Enough rambling about my semi-personal issues, and on with the true essence of this post! Last time I participated in Daring Bakers' was January of 2011. It’s been a while, but I’m glad I am still welcomed to join the baking fun this month.

Blog-checking line: Imma of la Galletika was our Sept. 2013 Daring Bakers’ hostess and WOW did she bring us something decadent and delicious! Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake, creamy yet airy, super moist but not soggy.. just plain delish!

This month I was introduced to a cake that I’ve never heard of before. While I was reading through the challenge, my taste buds were slowly escalating into a state of salivation. I love dairy, I always have. So the idea of soaking a cake in a mixture made of three kinds of milk just sounded completely divine! I’m not quite sure of the origin of this cake; all I know is, it is quite well-known around Central and South America. Essentially, it is made out of a sponge cake, sometimes butter cake, that has been soaked in a milk syrup consisting of condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream, then served with fruits and whipped cream. The milk syrup may be infused with different flavours, but I followed the recipe from the challenge to a T, having the milk soaking liquid spiced with cinnamon and spiked with rum.

The flavour expectation I had for this cake did not disappoint! I chose mangoes to go with my Pastel de Tres Leches, and it was a perfect marriage. Even just by the smell of the cake, you would know it was an amazing piece of edible goodness. The richness and power of the dairy immensely flavoured in this cake would take you to a quick retreat to the Latin world. The only thing I would improve on next time is to not soak the cake with all the milk syrup; I think there was too much of the soaking liquid, and as a result some of the syrup was oozing out even after decorating the cake. Regardless of this minor thing, this is a cake definitely worth baking again.

‘Til my next baking episode!

Bisou bisou,

Charlotte