Ingredients
Method
Sponge Cake
- Separate the egg whites and egg yolks in clean separate bowls. To prevent a yolk from accidentally breaking into the whites, separate the whites into a separate small bowl each time and then transfer it to the one you will beat them in. Make sure the bowl you add the egg whites in is very clean and has no grease marks.
- Add about two-thirds of the sugar into the yolks (about 7 tbsp - 88g) and whisk well until pale and light. Whisk in the milk. Then add in the flour, salt and baking powder. Fold or whisk gently until all mixed together.
- Now beat the egg whites in the separate clean bowl, until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the rest of the sugar (3.5 tbsp - 45g) while beating and continue until you get stiff peaks.
- Add a dollop of the egg whites into the yolk mixture and whisk it in to loosen the batter and make it easier to fold in the whites. Add the rest of the whites and fold gently with a spatula by scraping from the sides of the bowl, inwards. Cut down the middle with the spatula and fold the sides towards the middle until mostly combined. Don’t mix too much or aggressively to prevent deflating the whites.
- In a 8x8 pan, with ONLY the bottom lined with parchment paper, pour the batter and bake at 350F° for about 40 minutes. Don’t open the oven door until the last 10 minutes. Gently poke the cake with your finger and if it springs back, it’s done. If it leaves an indent, then bake for another 5 ish minutes.
- Take the cake out of oven and place upside down on a cooling rack to let cool. This helps prevent it from deflating. Take the cake out of the pan and take off the parchment paper. Put the cake back in.
Rasmalai Milk
- Combine the milk, cardamom and saffron in a pot and heat it up just to a boil. Turn down the heat to a low simmer and cook while stirring occasionally until slightly thickened and reduced to 1 ⅓ cup.
- Add in the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of salt. Taste to adjust the sweetness.
- Poke holes into the cake with a fork and slowly pour the milk mixture in 2-3 intervals, letting it absorb before adding more. You can reserve some of the milk for serving if you'd like. I do about ½ cup. Cover and soak in the fridge for a few hours or overnight .
Decorate
- In a chilled bowl, pour in your whipping cream and beat it until you get soft peaks. Now add in the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat just until you reach stiff peaks. Don't over-mix it or it will start to curdle.
- Transfer cream to piping bag and pipe onto the cake. You can also just do a straight, smooth layer. Garnish with some crushed pistachios and dried rose petals
