Tres leches cake: Mastering the art of three milks indulgence

Tres leches, meaning "three milks," is a classic cake from Latin America, renowned for its remarkable texture and intensely milky flavour. The secret to its uniqueness is soaking the sponge cake in a mix of three types of milk: regular, condensed, and evaporated. This makes the tres leches cake moist, light, and yet creamy.

The recipe for tres leches is quite simple but requires care to ensure the cake absorbs all the milky ingredients well. Here's how to prepare this extraordinary cake step by step.

Ingredients for the sponge:

          
• All-purpose flour (1 cup or 250 mL)
• Baking powder (1 teaspoon or 5 mL)
• Eggs (5 pieces)
• Sugar (3/4 cup or 175 mL)
• Milk (1/4 cup or 60 mL)
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon or 5 mL)

Ingredients for soaking:

  
• Milk (1/2 cup or 125 mL)
• Condensed milk (830 mL)

Ingredients for whipped cream:

    
• Heavy cream (1 cup or 250 mL)
• Powdered sugar (1/3 cup or 80 mL)
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon or 5 mL)

Tres leches cake tastes best chilled. You can decorate it with fruits, such as strawberries or raspberries, or sprinkle it with cinnamon. Cut it into pieces and serve as a delicious, milky dessert that will delight everyone.

Preparation:

    
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a rectangular baking dish (about 8x12 inches or 20x30 cm), greasing it with butter and lining it with baking paper. In a bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Separately, beat egg whites until stiff, gradually adding sugar towards the end of beating. Then, add the yolks one at a time, mixing gently. Finally, add the flour, milk, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Pour the batter into the dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix regular milk, condensed milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Poke the cooled cake with a toothpick or fork to facilitate soaking. Then slowly pour the milky mixture over the cake, spreading evenly to soak every piece. Leave the cake in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight, to absorb all the milk well.
3. Whip the heavy cream until stiff, adding powdered sugar and vanilla extract at the end. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake.

Tres leches is a unique cake that wins over everyone who tries it with its delicate, moist texture and creamy flavour. Its sweetness is perfectly balanced, and the milky notes give it a velvety structure. Furthermore, tres leches is easy to prepare, and its final appearance is impressive.

Additional tips:

1. Alcoholic version: If you want to add a touch of sophistication to the cake, you can add a little rum or liqueur to the milk mixture, enriching the flavour and giving the dessert an elegant character.
2. Fruits as an addition: Tres leches pairs well with fruits. You can add fresh fruits on top of the cake, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or mango, which will add lightness and freshness.
3. Storage: Tres leches cake is best stored in the fridge. This way, its moisture and creamy texture will be maintained, and the flavour will become even more intense.