Pandan and Mango Sponge Sandwich Cake

Ingredients

Toasted coconut cream:

60 g flaked or dessicated coconut
600 g cream
4 g sea salt
20 g icing sugar

Pandan chiffon cake:

240 g egg whites
4 g cream of tartar
200 g caster sugar
70 g fresh or frozen pandan leaves, sliced into 5 mm strips
140 g water
6 g full cream milk powder
150 g plain flour
30 g cornflour
5 g baking powder
3 g sea salt
160 g egg yolks
120 g vegetable oil
6 drops green food colouring

Method

Toasted coconut cream:

In a saucepan, toast the coconut over a medium to low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden. Remove from heat and leave to cool for about 6 minutes.

Add the cream and salt to the saucepan, place over medium and bring to gentle simmer. Remove from heat when bubbles form. Pour into a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Leave to steep and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 140 C.

Place egg whites in a mixer with cream of tartar and half the sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes or the freezer for 10.

Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Place pandan leaves and water in a blender and blitz until pulverised. Strain mixture into bowl, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Measure out 140 g of the pandan extract into a bowl, add milk powder and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whip egg whites in a mixer on a low speed, then increase to medium for about 2 minutes, then medium-high for another 2-3 minutes until medium peaks form.

Place remaining caster sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture turns pale and the sugar has dissolved. Add pandan extract and food colouring and whisk until incorporated. Sif the dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture in three additions.

Fold in meringue in thirds and combine.

Bake cake in two tins for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden and spring back when you gently press them in the centre.\

Leave cakes to cool in tins for 45 minutes.

Strain infused coconut cream into a mixer bowl and sift in icing sugar. Whip on medium for 1 minute, increase to medium-high and whip for another 1-2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.

Peel mangoes and slice into pieces.

Spread cream mixture over one cake, arrange mange on top, top with rest of cream mixture and place second cake on top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before slicing.

Credits: Mali Bakes by Patti Chimkire, published by Smith Street Books, AUD$59.99, available October 28.

Photo Credits: Mali Bakes by Patti Chimkire, published by Smith Street Books, AUD$59.99, available October 28.