Pandan kaya cake

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 165°C and line the bottom of a 20 cm round springform pan with parchment paper, leaving the sides ungreased. Dry sides let the sponge cling and rise tall and even. The oven is ready once it has been preheating for about fifteen minutes.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Whisk 72 g egg yolks with 20 g granulated sugar, add 50 g coconut milk, 30 g pandan juice and 35 g vegetable oil, then sift in 70 g cake flour, 2 g baking powder and a pinch salt and whisk until smooth. A smooth yolk batter is the base that lets the meringue fold in easily. The mixture is ready when it is pale green, silky and free of flour lumps.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Put 130 g egg whites and 1 g cream of tartar in a clean bowl, whisk until large bubbles form, then gradually add 50 g superfine sugar over about six minutes. A stable meringue is what keeps the sponge light and airy. The meringue is ready when it is glossy and smooth and the peaks curl slightly when you lift the whisk.

   Suggested time: about 6 minutes.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Stir one third of the meringue into the yolk batter to loosen it, then pour the mixture back into the meringue bowl and fold gently from the bottom up until the color is even; pour it into the pan. Folding keeps the whipped-in air bubbles. The batter is ready when it is evenly green, with no white streaks, and still light and fluffy.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Tap the pan gently on the counter to burst any large air bubbles and bake at 165°C for 30 to 35 minutes. A moderate temperature lets the cake rise evenly without the top cracking badly. The sponge is done when the top springs back when pressed and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

   Bake at 165°C for about 30 to 35 minutes.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Let the sponge cool completely, slice off the top crust to level it, set the cake back on the clean base of the pan and wrap a strip of parchment or acetate about 10 cm tall around the sides. Removing the top crust helps the kaya cling firmly to the sponge. The pan is ready when the sponge sits flat against the sides and the collar stands straight with no gaps.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Whisk 30 g cornstarch, 15 g custard powder, 4 g agar powder, 100 g granulated sugar and a pinch salt into 150 g pandan juice, add 300 g coconut milk and 100 g beaten eggs, strain through a sieve, then stir constantly over low heat for about ten minutes. Low heat cooks the eggs gently into a smooth custard without lumps. The kaya is ready when it is thick and glossy and a spoon drawn across the bottom of the pot leaves a clear trail.

   Suggested time: about 10 minutes. Low heat.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Pour the hot kaya over the sponge right away, tap the pan gently to level the top and pop any rising air bubbles with a toothpick. The kaya must go on while hot, because the agar begins to set as it cools. The layer is right when it covers the cake evenly, about two to three centimeters thick, with a smooth, glossy surface.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Let the cake cool at room temperature for about twenty minutes, then refrigerate for at least four hours. A long enough chill lets the kaya set firm so it cuts into neat pieces. The cake is ready when the kaya feels firm and springy to a light touch and does not stick to your finger.

   Suggested time: about 240 minutes.

   Mark step 9 as done

10. Step 10

    Remove the ring of the pan, peel off the collar and cut the cake into pieces with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry. A warm knife glides through the kaya without tearing the sponge. The pieces are right when the cut side shows two clean, level layers of deep green and pale green.

    Mark step 10 as done