Americas Test Kitchen Tres Leches Recipes

COOK'S COUNTRY TRES LECHES CAKE W/STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Please note I am listing what I used in this recipe as well as the baking time. The suggested time for baking was 35 minutes, but mine took 51 minutes before the center was no longer wiggly in the center. My oven is a Maytag. So baking times may vary. POSITION RACK TO CENTER OF OVEN AND PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES F.
• Pour can of condensed milk into a medium size microwaveable bowl, then cover tightly with saran wrap. Set microwave to low setting, I set mine on #4, then microwave for 3-5 minutes, remove saran wrap, stir, and cover tightly again with a new piece of wrap.(This prevents moisture from forming on the inside of the bowl. Return to oven on low for another 3 -5 minutes. Remove wrap, and stir, if need be ,add a third wrap of saran and continue to cook over low another 3 minutes or so until milk mixture becomes thick and caramel color, a total of 9 to 15 minutes. Mine took 9 minutes. Remove from microwave.
• Slowly whisk in evaporated milk, whipping cream and vanilla bean paste or extract into the thickened condensed milk, till blended. Set aside till needed.
• Spray a 13X9 inch baking dish with Bakers Joy (my choice, or grease dish with butter and dust with flour. Set aside till needed.
• Add flour, salt & cinnamon to a medium size bowl, & whisk to blend together. Set aside till needed. Heat the butter & milk in a small sauce pan over medium low heat until butter is melted; then set aside away from heat. Crack eggs into separate bowl, and gradually add sugar while beating the eggs till well blended and lemon colored, and mixture becomes glossy about 5-7 minutes.
• Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add the cooled milk and butter mixture, all the while beating to blend. Then add the vanilla bean paste, & butter extract, then blend together.
• Slowly add the flour mixture in 3 intervals, beating well after each addition, scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
• Now pour into prepared baking dish. I chose to use a glass dish. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean about 35 minutes, (mine took 51 minutes total before center was no longer giggly. I added additional time in 5 to 7 minutes intervals checking after each time lapse.
• Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Then poke holes into cake in half inch increments till the entire cake has been punched.
• Slowly pour the 3 milk mixture over cake allowing milk to seep into cake.
• Allow to sit out at Room temperature about 15 minutes. Then cover with saran wrap & refrigerate at least 3 hours or preferably over night.
• For the FROSTING: Remove cake about 1/2 hour before you are ready to serve. To a medium size bowl add the whipping cream corn syrup and vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and beat until soft peaks form, then spread over top of cake. Add fresh fruit if desired. I used fresh sliced strawberries.
• Cut serve and enjoy.

TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Turn the oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure to adjust the oven rack to the middle position. grease and flour a 13-by-9 inch pan and set aside. For a taller cake, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. Set it aside. If you check the pictures, this cake is not tall.
• Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together to mix.
• With an electric mixer, beat the eggs one by one on a medium speed, for about 45-60 seconds, and slowly add the sugar as in a light dusting, until all sugar is incorporated. The egg mix will be very fluffy and be turning a light yellow.
• Reduce speed of mixer, and slowly add the melted butter, little bit little, and then the vanilla. Keep the mixer running in low. (The butter HAS to be melted and cool if not, it will flatten your bubbles, meaning flat cake)
• Add the flour in batches (spoon by spoon) and gently fold with a spatula until well combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Transfer batter to your prepared pan using a rubber spatula to help you spread the evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake looks light golden or a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
• Remove the cake and transfer to a wired rack to cool completely. Poke the top of the cake using a toothpick, skewer or fork all over.

TRES LECHES CAKE WITH DULCE DE LECHE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in one large bowl and the yolks in another.
• Add the cream of tartar to the whites, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, and gradually add 1/3 cup of the sugar. When all the sugar is in, turn the speed back up to medium-high and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes.
• Add the remaining sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla to the bowl with the yolks, and beat with the electric mixer until the mixture is pale yellow and very thick and a bit of the batter dropped on top of the rest sits there for a few seconds before sinking in, about 5 minutes. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the mixture, and fold until blended. Fold in about 1/3 of the whites until the batter has lightened in texture. Fold in the remaining whites in two additions until smooth and no streaks of white remain. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake until the cake is browned and the top springs back to the touch, about 35 minutes. Immediately turn the pan over onto a cooling rack, and let the cake cool completely in the pan. Run a thin spatula around the outside edge and the inside ring; gently working around the cake, pull with a spatula until it releases from the pan. Scrape out the crumbs from the bottom and sides of the pan (it doesn't have to be totally clean, but you don't want the crumbs to absorb the soaking milks), then put the cake back in the pan.
• Using a long skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cake (around 60 is good), going all the way to the bottom of the pan. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the mixture over the cake, letting it run down the sides of the cake, making sure the cake is well coated. (It may seem like a lot of liquid, but be sure to use it all so the cake is moist throughout.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• One hour before serving, remove the cake from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature to warm slightly.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Set a large stainless-steel bowl over it (do not let the bowl touch the water); add the sugar, egg whites, 1/4 cup cold water, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt, and whisk until the ingredients are combined. Then, with the bowl still over the simmering water, beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until thick, glossy, stiff peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, and let stand a few minutes.
• To assemble: Run a thin spatula around the outer edge and the inside rim of the pan, gently pulling to release the cake. Turn it out onto a rimmed serving plate. Generously frost the top, the sides and the inside ring, using a small offset spatula or spoon. Microwave the dulce de leche in a small microwave-safe dish until it's loose enough to drizzle, about 8 seconds. Drizzle the cake with the dulce de leche, letting it gently drip down the sides.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN TRES LECHES

Steps:

• For the milk mixture: Pour condensed milk into large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on low power, stirring and replacing plastic every 3 to 5 minutes, until slightly darkened and thickened, 9 to 15 minutes. Remove from microwave and slowly whisk in evaporated milk, 1 cup heavy cream, and 1 tsp vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
• For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in bowl. Heat butter and milk in small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted; set aside off heat.
• With electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs in large bowl for about 30 seconds, then slowly add sugar until incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until egg mixture is very thick and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly mix in melted butter mixture and 2 tsp vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, scraping down bowl as necessary, then mix on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.
• Using skewer, poke holes at 1/2-inch intervals in top of cake. Slowly pour milk mixture over cake until completely absorbed. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
• For the frosting: Remove cake from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1 cup heavy cream, corn syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla to soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Frost cake and slice into 3-inch squares. Serve. (The assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)