A Milestone

I guess I have reached the first milestone of my baking journey...

Ever since I started baking "intensively" about a year ago, I have experimented with the various types of baking methods. The only method that I've stayed clear so far is anything that got to do with beating the egg whites. Somehow, I have developed this lingering phobia...just the thot of beating egg whites seems so intimidating to me. Thanks to vb for sharing her baking experience on chiffon cakes! Her enthusiasms and the beautiful cakes she came up with really got me interested! She makes it sounds so easy to whip up a chiffon cake, and with her little nudging, I finally break away from my comfort zone, and made my first chiffon cake this morning!

To mark "this occasion", I actually took the trouble to take a few photos during the cake making process. I stopped beating when the egg whites reached this stage...the signature look of the egg whites forming a nice hook when the paddle is lifted up. This photo was taken with some arm twisting...my left hand was actually holding up the mixer, while my right hand, holding the camera crossed over to snap a picture of it.


A nice whirlpool of foamy egg whites...


I was so excited when the batter started to expand and climbed up almost to the top of the pan...


but then, the cake sank significantly after it was cooled...is this normal?! By the way, this is a very small cake pan, it's only 16cm! I find the size just right for my small family.


I was very glad that I didn't "disfigure" the cake too much while trying to unmould it.


Don't get fooled by this photo...the cake looks quite tall and mighty, but in actual fact, it's only about 6cm in height.


There are a number of holes both on the surface and inside the cake...is it suppose to be like this?! After a glance at the cake, my little one stated flatly that I have made a donut cake today :'0


I kind of like the crinkly surface...especially on the sides...I followed a simple coffee chiffon cake recipe, but replaced the instant coffee with milo powder instead.


The cake texture is rather light and cottony...but taste wise, I could only taste and smell the eggs...I could hardly taste the milo at all.


Overall, it was a very good attempt...at least I've overcome my "fears", and from now on I could safely venture into making different types of chiffon cakes :)

Ingredients
(make one 16cm cake)

1 tablespoon milo powder
20ml hot water
2 egg yolks
20g caster sugar
20ml olive oil
40g self-raising flour

2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
50g caster sugar

Method:

1. Stir milo powder with hot water until dissolved. Let cool. Sieve flour and set aside.
2. Separate egg yolks/whites and bring to room temperature.
3. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl until sugar just dissolved. Add in milo mixture and oil. Whisk till combined. Sieve over the flour and fold gently with a spatula until flour is fully incorporated into the batter.
4. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Add in the sugar in 3 separate additions while beating at high speed till just before stiff peaks form* (after note: after several attempts at baking chiffon cakes, I learned that the whites should be beaten until just before stiff peaks form).
5. Add the egg white foam into the egg yolk batter in 3 separate additions, each time folding gently with a spatula until just blended.
6. Pour batter into a 16cm (6 inch) tube pan (do not grease the pan). Bake in pre-heated oven at 170 degC for 25 ~ 30mins or until the cake surface turns golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and invert the pan immediately. Let cool completely before unmould.

Recipe source: adapted from Chiffon Cake is Done by Kevin Chai