Pastel de Tres Leches
Un Dulcito (Simple Sweet Endings)
Pastel de Tres Leches is the undisputed king of the Cuban dessert table. The secret to its greatness isn't some heavy butter cake, but the panetela—an airy, fat-free sponge that drinks up an unbelievable amount of sweet milk without turning to mush. For a busy home cook, this is the ultimate make-ahead dessert: bake the sponge and drown it on a Sunday night, then leave it in the fridge to cure. When Tuesday rolls around, you reap the rewards of a perfectly saturated, ice-cold cake that tastes exactly like a celebration in Havana.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour1 1/4 cup
- baking powder1 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- eggs5 large
- granulated sugar1 cup
- whole milk1/3 cup
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- sweetened condensed milk14 oz
- evaporated milk12 oz
- heavy cream1/2 cup
- dark rum1 tbsp
- ground cinnamon1 dash
- heavy whipping cream2 cup
- powdered sugar3 tbsp
- egg whites3 large
- granulated sugar1 cup
- water1/4 cup
- cream of tartar1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Avoid using dark non-stick pans if possible, as the edges will cook too quickly.
- 02
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- 03
Beat the egg yolks with three-quarters of a cup of the granulated sugar on high speed for four to five minutes.
Don't rush this step. The yolks must transform from dark orange to a very pale, thick, ribbony yellow to incorporate the air necessary to hold the milks later. Once pale, blend in the whole milk and vanilla extract.
- 04
In a separate, meticulously clean bowl, beat the 5 egg whites on medium-high speed until a soft foam forms, then add the remaining quarter cup of sugar.
Continue beating until they form stiff, glossy peaks.
- 05
Gently fold the dry flour mixture into the pale egg yolks using a rubber spatula.
- 06
Sacrifice a third of the whipped egg whites by folding them into the batter to loosen it up, then gently fold in the remaining whites with broad, sweeping motions.
Do not over-mix, or you will deflate the air you just worked so hard to whip into the eggs.
- 07
Pour the airy batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
The panetela is ready when golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out perfectly clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
- 08
Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and rum together in a large pitcher until completely combined.
- 09
Mercilessly poke holes all over the cooled panetela with a fork or a wooden skewer.
Do not be shy; poke deep into the corners to create capillary channels for the liquid to travel.
- 10
Slowly pour the three-milk mixture over the entire cake.
It will look like a flooded mess, and you may think there is too much liquid, but trust the panetela. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
- 11
Spread your topping of choice over the chilled, fully soaked cake and dust generously with ground cinnamon.
Use the back of a spoon to create rustic peaks and swirls. Cut generous squares and serve cold.
Notes
The Weeknight Shortcut
While a glossy Italian meringue is canonical, creating a boiling sugar syrup on a Tuesday night is highly prohibitive. Even native Cuban grandmothers occasionally bypass the meringue in favor of whipping 2 cups of heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar, or simply using a tub of commercial whipped topping.
The Authentic Merengue Cubano
For the traditional weekend project: Whip 3 room-temperature egg whites with a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Meanwhile, boil 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan without stirring until it reaches 240°F (soft-ball stage). With the mixer running, slowly pour the boiling syrup into the whites, then whip on high for 8 to 10 minutes until stiff, glossy, and cool to the touch.
From Cook Cuban in America.