Three milk cake - pastel de tres leches

 
                  Three-Milk Cake (Pastel De Tres Leches)
 
 Recipe By     : Houston Chronicle, May, 1997 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Dessert                          Mexican/Tex-Mex
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         CAKE
    1 1/2  cups          all-purpose flour
    1      tablespoon    baking powder
    4                    eggs -- separated
    1 1/2  cups          sugar
      1/2  cup           milk
                         fresh strawberries and mint leaves for
                         -- garnish (optional)
                         TOPPING
    1      can           (12-ounce) evaporated milk
    1      can           (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk
    2      cups          milk
    1      carton        (16-ounce) sour cream
    1      cup           sugar
      1/2  cup           water -- heated
    3                    egg whites
 
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking
 pan. Sift flour with baking powder. In large bowl with clean beaters, beat
 egg whites until frothy. Add sugar gradually, beating to form stiff peaks.
 Add yolks, 1 at a time. Slowly add flour and milk. Pour batter into
 prepared pan and bake until edges are golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes,
 Remove from oven and let cool on a rack. Topping: Combine milks and sour
 cream (do not beat). Pour Topping over cake and let sit until all the
 mixture is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes.
 
 Prepare Meringue and refrigerate:   Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
 Let sit until sugar is dissolved. In clean electric mixer bowl with clean
 beaters, beat egg whites. Slowly pour sugar syrup over egg whites, beating
 constantly until meringue holds stiff peaks. Store in refrigerator. This
 can be served immediately but is best made 24 hours ahead and chilled. The
 meringue will keep, covered, 2 days in the refrigerator.
 
 Before serving, cut cake into squares and spread Meringue over each.
 Garnish as desired with fresh berries and mint leaves.
 
 "This dessert is a favorite on the menus at many Houston Mexican and South
 American restaurants. Arnaldo Richards of Pico's reworked a previously
 published recipe to fit a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan, which is more common to
 home cooking. " Houston Chronicle, May, 1997
 
 By Lou Parris  on May 13, 1997
 
 
 
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