It is indeed everybody's favourite. Amongst the young and the old - The Almighty Pandan Chiffon Cake can be found and bought in almost all corners of Malaysia in all variations. In supermarkets, hawker stalls, 'pasar malam' (night market in Malay language) and even road side stalls, not to mention at parties, festive gatherings and birthdays. One can always find Pandan Chiffon Cake which has always been "the" favorite local cake of Malaysians. The Asians love consuming anything sweet, especially cakes that are soft, rich in santan (coconut milk), filled with pandan flavour, moist and has the so called "melt in your month" effect. It is is a completely enjoyable past time for almost all Malaysians.
I remember many years ago, while residing in Denmark, bringing back countless boxes of Premixed Pandan Chiffon Cake from Singapore. How I have missed the smell and the taste of the Almighty Green Chiffon Cake. It was all very good that I have baked and have enjoyed several Pandan Chiffon Premixed cakes....and what a treat when every time I stuffed myself with softness, fragrant and hummmm..
But, must confessed, I was not going to rely on premixed..Have to learn how to bake a real, home baked Pandan Chiffon Cake, erh.??, Not stuffing myself with the premixed..
But, must confessed, I was not going to rely on premixed..Have to learn how to bake a real, home baked Pandan Chiffon Cake, erh.??, Not stuffing myself with the premixed..
What am I going to do, where was I to find the ingredients and how could you explain that to the Scandinavian about the Almighty Pandan Chiffon Cake..?? Moreover, what is a pandan leave or worst till, what is the screw plant plant anyway.. how it smells and looks like.??. It seemed so hopeless.. Have no offence and to be honest, the Danish did not even know what a chiffon cake was then..???!!!! The Danes are strictly famous as we all know for their Danish Pastry. Come to think about it, baking the cake was not a problem. The most important core ingredient for this recipe is the pandan paste even though I had the recipe some where..
In this little suburb where we lived called Aarhus, which is the second largest small city in Denmark. The problem to explain to the local shopkeeper that you wanted pandan paste for caking a chiffon cake?? Err...?? Oh well, let's come to the point. Should I take them to the local Botanic Garden...?? I do not think so.. hello.. for the Scandinavian to know something about a tropical fragrant leave plant..??? ..I was desperate. and meantime I was very sceptical = zero hope..about the possibility of obtaining this paste.
You see, during the early 80's, after the Vietnam War, there were the Vietnamese Boat People arrived in Denmark sent by the goodness of UNHCR..Through these people, as entrepreneur as they always have been , they have opened the first Asian Shop. Well done, I remembered, that was THE Biggest historical event for this little township.especially for the new immigrant, where they can be self support. Well done..hurray..
But what has the Vietnamese got to do with pandan paste?? The few things about their culinary I know of were their deep fried spring rolls (we have our fresh poh piah), fish sauce, beef noodle soup and mint.. without denying, I know very little about them, not until I stepped into their shop..
The shop was a typical Chinese Asian. With in the short seconds, I could not believe what has caught my eyes, which was tucked at the first right corner on the second self as you walked in from the main entrance..!!
Lucky me..I was jumping with joy...Quickly I look a few bottles,(you see, I love to have stock!) just in case I ran out of ..not to mention, the coconut milk..I have found both.. How lucky could I get??There was no need to communicate both in their mother tongue (even though we look alike), or even in Danish (as I presume that that was their new language)..I didn't even try..(It was all about the body language). I paid and left..
It was not until when I saw this book in a book store in Sydney. This authentic, colourful and well written with delicious Asian recipes, called "Schiok!", Exciting Tropical Asian Flavours. Written by Terry Tan and Christopher Tan.. Simply wonderful..When I saw the pandan cake recipe, this is it, definitely, I am going to try to this..
The pandan paste is made from the pandan leaf / Pandanus amaryllifolius / Pandanus or screwpine leaves
Picture taken fromWikipedia
into this
from the orientalshop.com
With slight modifications, pardon me..
Pandan Cake 23cm round chiffon cake pan
8 egg yolks
180gm castor sugar
190 ml coconut milk
125 ml vegetable oil (no odour n no smell)
225gm cake flour
11/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
8 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoon castor sugar
a few drops of pandan paste (up to your liking)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 165 degree C (325 F). Do not grease the 23cm round chiffon cake pan.
2. In a big bowl, add coconut milk, egg yolk, and vegetable oil; whisk until smooth.
3. In the same bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Whisk all well and blend until smooth without lumps.
5. In another clean grease-free bowl, beat egg whites with cream tartar at high speed until soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, beating just until stiff peaks..
6. Fold egg whites into batter, in three additions, folding just until incorporated(a few white streaks are okay).
7. Pour the batter into the pan, level surface with spatula. Bang the cake pan a few times on the table to get rid off the bubbles, so that less bubble holds can be found in the cake.
8. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when an inserted thin skewer comes out clean.
9. Invert cake onto a rack and leave to cool upside down in the pan for about an hour. Cut around edge and base with a thin-bladed knife to release cake from pan.
To avoid troublesome releasing of the pandan cake, better still, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Slice to serve..emmmmmm, just simply heavenly...
The shop was a typical Chinese Asian. With in the short seconds, I could not believe what has caught my eyes, which was tucked at the first right corner on the second self as you walked in from the main entrance..!!
Lucky me..I was jumping with joy...Quickly I look a few bottles,(you see, I love to have stock!) just in case I ran out of ..not to mention, the coconut milk..I have found both.. How lucky could I get??There was no need to communicate both in their mother tongue (even though we look alike), or even in Danish (as I presume that that was their new language)..I didn't even try..(It was all about the body language). I paid and left..
That have 'saved' me...That was the first accomplishment..That was the best day so far..just think, here in Denmark, near the Nordic, so called one of the Scandinavian countries, I was able to get both the pandan paste and the coconut milk.....
Mind you, pandan leaves can be bought in many sundry shops here locally. Living in Seremban 2 is not a problem. I even have a pot of pandan leaves growing in my garden which I have picked up from the road side while walking with my lab, Bailey . But for convenient sake, I use the pandan paste for just a teaspoon..as shown above..I have bought a few while I was Sydney 2012..(Cannot do without it)!!
Picture taken fromWikipedia
into this
With slight modifications, pardon me..
Pandan Cake 23cm round chiffon cake pan
8 egg yolks
180gm castor sugar
190 ml coconut milk
125 ml vegetable oil (no odour n no smell)
225gm cake flour
11/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
8 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoon castor sugar
a few drops of pandan paste (up to your liking)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 165 degree C (325 F). Do not grease the 23cm round chiffon cake pan.
2. In a big bowl, add coconut milk, egg yolk, and vegetable oil; whisk until smooth.
3. In the same bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Whisk all well and blend until smooth without lumps.
5. In another clean grease-free bowl, beat egg whites with cream tartar at high speed until soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, beating just until stiff peaks..
6. Fold egg whites into batter, in three additions, folding just until incorporated(a few white streaks are okay).
7. Pour the batter into the pan, level surface with spatula. Bang the cake pan a few times on the table to get rid off the bubbles, so that less bubble holds can be found in the cake.
8. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when an inserted thin skewer comes out clean.
9. Invert cake onto a rack and leave to cool upside down in the pan for about an hour. Cut around edge and base with a thin-bladed knife to release cake from pan.
To avoid troublesome releasing of the pandan cake, better still, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Slice to serve..emmmmmm, just simply heavenly...
Just came out from the oven, ready to be turn upside down for about an hour or two before slicing
I do not know about you..at least once a month, (Never knew I have missed it so much!!!) I need The Pandan Chiffon Cake fix..or some other chiffon. It is always cotton soft, not so sweet and taste Malaysia..Malaysia Boleh..
No comments:
Post a Comment