First time I had truffle ice cream was in Maison de la Truffle in Paris, the whole shop smells heavenly from the aroma of truffle and they serve a full range of truffle dishes from entree to dessert. I wanted to replicate that against something more substantial and thought tres leches cake will be the perfect companion. Tres leches is a dessert famous in South America and Mexico and literally means 3 milk as the cake is made from normal milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk.
Difficulty: Medium
Time: 2 hours
Serves: 4-8
Ingredients
Truffle and Honey Gelato
- 60g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Beechwood Honeydew honey
- 35g dextrose
- 5g carob bean powder
- 645g milk
- 165ml single cream
- 2 tbsp grated truffle
- 1 tsp truffle oil
Tres Leches Cake
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/6 cup whole milk
Tres Leches Syrup
- 170g evaporated milk
- 128g condensed milk
- 1/6 cup thick cream
Frosting
- 1 cup thick cream
Garnish
- Leaf tuille (optional)
- fresh grated truffle (optional)
Method
Truffle and Honey Gelato
1. Combine the sugar and dextrose in a bowl and mix well.
2. Place the carob bean powder and 2 tablespoon of the sugar mixture in a separate bowl and mix well.
3. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the carob bean powder mixture, fresh grated truffle, truffle oil, honey and continue to heat. Incorporate the remaining sugar mixture slowly until it reaches 85 degrees.
4. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before adding it to an ice cream machine and churn until it's ready. Transfer it to a container and put it in the freezer.
Tres Leches Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a baking tray and set aside.
2. Sift the flour, the baking power and the salt into a large mixing bowl.
3. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into 2 separate mixing bowls.
4. Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 of the sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until it turns pale yellow for about 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and vanilla.
5. Beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form for about 1 minute. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 sugar and beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff but not dry for another 1 minute.
6. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and combine gently with a spatula.
7. Gently fold in egg white mixture with the spatula until just combined. Pour batter into prepared baking tray and spread to even out the surface and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. In a large measuring cup, combine the cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk. When the cake is cool, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake. Cut out a 8cm circle.
9. Whisk the double cream on high speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until thick. Pipe it on top of the cake.
Assemble
1. Place the cake in the middle of a plate, top with a quenelle of the gelato and garnish with fresh grated truffle and leaf tuille. Enjoy!