Mamon

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 165°C and line a muffin pan with paper cups, or brush each cavity with a very thin layer of butter. A moderate temperature helps the little cakes rise evenly without cracking on top. The oven is ready after about fifteen minutes, when the preheat light switches off.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Whisk 100 g egg yolks with 50 g granulated sugar and a pinch of salt, then add 80 g whole milk, 60 g vegetable oil and 5 g vanilla extract. Finally, sift in 120 g cake flour and 4 g baking powder and stir gently. The oil keeps the cakes soft for longer, and gentle stirring stops the batter from turning tough. The batter is ready when it's smooth, glossy and free of dry lumps.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Put 180 g egg whites and 1 g cream of tartar in a clean, dry bowl and beat until foamy, then gradually sprinkle in 80 g superfine sugar with the mixer still running. Cream of tartar stabilizes the bubbles so even small cakes stay tall and don't collapse. Stop beating when the meringue is smooth and glossy and the peak on the beater bends over slightly.

   Suggested time: about 6 minutes.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Stir one third of the meringue thoroughly into the yolk batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two additions with a spatula, scooping up from the bottom of the bowl. When the two mixtures have a similar consistency, they combine faster and lose fewer bubbles. The batter is done when it's an even pale yellow, light and falls in a thick ribbon.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Spoon the batter into each cup until about three-quarters full, then lift the pan and tap it once on the counter. Leaving some space lets the cakes rise into a dome without spilling over the edges. You're set when all the cups are evenly filled and there are no large bubbles on top.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Bake on the middle rack for about 18 to 22 minutes, without opening the oven door during the first ten minutes. Steady heat sets the crumb before the air bubbles can escape. The cakes are done when the tops are pale golden, spring back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   Bake at 165°C for about 18 to 22 minutes.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Let the cakes rest for about twenty minutes to cool slightly, then brush the tops with 30 g melted butter and sprinkle with 20 g granulated sugar, adding 30 g grated cheddar if you like. While the cakes are still warm, the butter soaks into the thin crust and keeps the tops from drying out. They're finished when the tops are shiny with butter and evenly covered in sugar.

   Suggested time: about 20 minutes.

   Mark step 7 as done