Though I love cooking, I'm generally a pretty lazy cook. I like quick, uncomplicated recipes - anything that takes longer than an hour tops and I'll start to get angsty. However, now and then I feel the need to challenge myself by trying something new. I usually make some kind of
huge deluxe cake for Mr Meet-Cute's birthday, but seeing as we spent his birthday in New York this year I really missed not being able to make a cake for him. When I came across
this recipe for
Nook Eatery's Pastel Tres Leches cake, I decided that a belated birthday cake was exactly what was needed.
Things you need to know about this cake:
- It contains a whole tin of condensed milk. I have been obsessed with condensed milk since childhood when my best friend and I would buy tins and consume the whole thing a spoonful at a time. We also may have done this a few times as grown ups… you could call it a tradition.
- The cake itself wasn't really that complicated to make. I found the meringue topping to be more of a challenge.
- You use 3 egg whites to make the meringue topping, and then you can use the leftover egg yolks in this recipe for Nook's Perfect Hollandaise.
- The recipe is described as being "So rich that small portions are key", which sounded like a challenge if ever I heard one.
- They were right about it being rich. The cake needs to set for four hours, or overnight, so after all that waiting when I finally had a slice I cut myself the hugest piece ever, and ate it with cream… and it was amazing. But I did need to lie down and not move afterwards.
Above: Beci Orpin bear print, Dawn Tan for Douglas and Hope Happy Fries cups, Cecilia Fox potted succulent and bouquet.
