Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake

A wonderfully light sponge drenched in a coffee milk mix with layers of luscious mascarpone cream

COFFEE TRES LECHES CAKE

• 120g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 large eggs at room temperature, yolks and whites separated
• 200g castor sugar
• 100ml milk
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 40g butter, melted

• 180ml full cream milk
• 180ml evaporated milk
• 180ml condensed milk
• 3 teaspoons instant coffee granules

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line, with baking paper, a 33cm by 22cm baking tin.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the vanilla, three quarters of the sugar ( 165g ) and egg yolks to a bowl and whip until the mixture is pale, thickened and doubled in volume.
4. Combine the melted butter, two teaspoons of coffee and the milk.
5. Then alternating, add the milk mixture and the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture and gently fold in.
6. In another bowl, with clean beater attachments, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add in the remaining sugar ( 55g ) and continue to beat until you have a stiff glossy meringue.
7. A third at a time, fold this meringue into the batter. Be gentle as you do not want to knock out the air in the whipped egg whites.
   7. Spoon this batter into the prepared dish and bake for 35 min, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Whilst the cake is baking, combine the remaining milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk with the remaining coffee and set aside.
9. Allow the cake to cool for 30 min, then with the back of a skewer, poke many holes in the cake. You want to use the back so that the holes are big enough for the mixture to seep in.
10. Pour the coffee soak (which has now been mixed with the evaporated milk and condensed milk) over the entire cake so that it is easily absorbed.
11. This step is important! You want the cake to sit in the fridge, cling-wrapped, for at least 4 hours to allow the chai mixture to really soak through.

MASCARPONE CREAM FILLING

• 4 large egg yolks
• 60ml rum
• 100g caster sugar
• 240ml whipping cream
• 500g mascarpone cheese

METHOD

1. In a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and rum together until thick, pale and doubled in volume. Let the mixture come to room temperature.
2. Beat the mascarpone until it is pliable and smooth, then fold into the egg mixture.
3. Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks, then fold into the mascarpone mixture.

TO FINISH

• 15g cocoa powder
• 200ml whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons icing sugar

1. Slice the tres leches cake into three equal pieces, slicing across the length of the cake.
2. Begin by adding half the mascarpone cream to the first cake layer, followed by a second cake layer. Repeat with the remaining mascarpone cream and cake layer.
3. Whip the cream to soft peaks, then add in the icing sugar and continue to whip until you have stiff peaks.
4. Pipe the cream onto the top of the cake and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.