Mia Castro's Milkiest Tres Leches
The "Cocina Puerto Rico" author shares a sweet recipe
Tres leches (three milks) is a beloved Latin American dessert: sponge cake soaked with a sweetened milky mixture topped with silky meringue or whipped cream. This is Papa’s favorite. In essence, it’s a sheet cake, which means you bake, assemble, and serve it from the same pan. This makes it portable and convenient to bring to parties or get togethers. But, if you want a more elegant/formal presentation, I’ve also included directions on how to unmold and frost it.
—Mia Castro
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Ingredients
Makes 12 to 16 servings
Nonstick cooking spray
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
8 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
1 (13½-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 recipe Silkiest Meringue or Fluffy Coconut Cloud Whip (recipes follow)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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Method
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. If you plan to unmold the cake, lightly coat the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line them with parchment paper cut to fit. Don’t spray or line the sides. If you don’t plan on unmolding it, don’t spray or line the baking dish or pans at all.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of the salt until well combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer), combine the egg yolks, ½ cup of the sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla and whip on medium-high speed until the yolks are pale yellow in color, tripled in size, and glossy-looking, 2 to 5 minutes, stopping and scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through. Reduce the speed to low and whisk in ⅔ cup of the coconut milk until just incorporated. Gently transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Using a sifter or fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour mixture evenly over the yolk mixture and fold it in gently by hand until just incorporated.
Wash and dry the bowl of the stand mixer and the whisk attachment (or large bowl and beaters) thoroughly. Place
the egg whites in the clean bowl and whip on medium-high speed until they start getting foamy and begin to turn white, about 1 minute, then begin adding the remaining ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Whip until the egg whites hold medium-stiff peaks (when you lift the whisk or beaters out, the tip of the egg whites should just hold its peak) and look glossy, 4 to 7 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk-flour mixture in three additions until just incorporated (some streaks are fine); do not overmix.
Using the spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s), holding the bowl close to the pan(s) to avoid deflating the egg whites. Bake on the center rack for 24 to 29 minutes, until the cake looks light golden and fluffy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and the remaining coconut milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Blend on medium speed until the ingredients are just combined and the condensed milk has dissolved, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Don’t overblend; you don’t want it to become frothy. Set aside while the cake cools.
When the bottom of the cake pan is cool to the touch, poke the cake all over with a fork or skewer, leaving no more than about ½ inch between each poke. Pour about one-third of the milk mixture from the blender over the cake. Be intentional when you pour, making sure to especially get it in the corner edges, which can sometimes end up dry. Allow the cake to drink up the milk, rotating the pan or tapping it gently, if necessary, to distribute the milk mixture evenly. Repeat until you’ve used up all the milk mixture, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
If you’re not unmolding the cake, you can skip to frosting it with the meringue. To unmold the cake, find a large plate (with a lip) that’s 2 to 3 inches wider than the cake. Run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. Place the plate upside down over the pan, then, holding the pan and plate together, flip them in one smooth motion to release the cake onto the plate. If the cake doesn’t plop down right away, lift one side of the pan and use the butter knife or offset spatula to try to guide the cake out. Remove the parchment from the cake.
Use a spatula or offset spatula to spread the meringue evenly over the top and sides (if unmolded) of the cake. Try to work with thick layers of meringue to avoid lifting crumbs off the cake. Feel free to be creative with the pattern or design of the meringue frosting (I like to go around the top and sides of the cake in a circular motion to create a spiral pattern). Sprinkle the cinnamon on top.
Slice and serve cold. The cake will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
NOTE: The Silkiest Meringue holds its structure for days—ideal if you’re unmolding the cake or making it ahead. The Fluffy Coconut Cloud Whip is much looser and is best served immediately as a topping (not for unmolding), so it stays put and doesn’t run off the cake.
Merengue Sedoso (Silkiest Meringue)
Makes about 12 cups
⅔ cup egg whites (about 6 large), at room temperature
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar or lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Place the egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer). Have 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla ready to go right next to the mixer.
Place the remaining 2 cups sugar in a small pot and pour ⅔ cup water around the sugar without splashing. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sugar syrup reaches soft-ball stage, or 230°F (if you don’t have a thermometer, drop a little syrup into a cup of cold water; if it forms a soft, malleable ball, it’s ready), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In the meantime, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed. Add the 1 tablespoon sugar, the cream of tartar, and the salt. Whip until the egg whites get foamy and start looking white and meringue-y, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and carefully, in a slow, steady stream, pour in the sugar syrup. If it splashes up the sides of the mixer, reduce the speed. Avoid pouring too much too fast or you’ll scramble your egg whites. Continue until you’ve poured in all the syrup, 1 to 2 minutes.
Raise the speed to high and beat until the sides of the bowl are completely cool to the touch, about 10 minutes; the meringue should look creamy and shiny and feel almost tacky. Use immediately.
Fluffy Coconut Cloud Whip
Makes about 4 cups
2 cups cold heavy cream
½ (14-ounce) can cold cream of coconut, well shaken
½ teaspoon salt
Chill a large bowl or stand mixer bowl until cold, at least 20 minutes. Combine the heavy cream and salt in the chilled bowl and, using a handheld mixer or the stand mixer whisk attachment, beat on medium-low speed until it holds soft peaks, 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly add the cream of coconut and beat until the whip holds medium peaks (if you lift out the whisk or beaters, the peaks should hold their tip), 2 to 4 minutes.
Serve immediately, while cold, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If necessary, rewhip to medium peaks before using. Use leftovers for sundaes or hot or iced lattes, or as a topping for cakes or pies.
From Cocina Puerto Rico by Mia Castro. Reprinted by permission of Square Union & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group.
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Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! Question, I am probably missing something, but for unmolding the cake, we bake in two pans but I’m a little unclear on what to do with the second cake when frosting. Thanks in advance and can’t wait to bake this!!