16 July 2009

Maybe that's the way it should be?

As mentioned in my last post, I suspect I could have over beaten my egg whites whenever I did my Chiffon cakes. I watched these videos from 周老師 yesterday. They are of great help.

Chiffon Cake Part 1
Chiffon Cake Part 2
Chiffon Cake Part 3

Last night I couldn't contain my excitement after watching the videos, so I had to bake the same Chiffon cake again early this morning. This time round, I used speed 3 (instead of 4) of my mixer. After I had achieved the curved tip (which is supposedly soft peak), I took care to check every 1-2 minutes. Once the tip could stand without falling when the beaters were turned upwards, I went on for another few seconds, then stopped. The resulting egg white was softer than what I usually had. With the softer egg white, mixing it into the yolk batter was easier. I did not see as many specks of white in the batter as I mixed. HHB, if you're reading this, maybe that could be the reason too for your specks of white.

The cake rose higher in the oven even though the amount of batter looked the same as my previous rounds.


It looked ok too straight out of the oven.


But after it had cooled completely, it looked very much the same as my previous trial,


although when released from the pan, it looked so deceivingly perfect. I wonder if it's due to my oven being too hot.


The big holes are still there. I reckon they could be due to the mango pieces added?


So, you be my judge. Can this be considered a successful Chiffon? Or am I just being too picky? I don't know, but I have this bad habit of wanting things to be as perfect as possible.

For those who wish to try, here's the recipe. It's an almost fat-free cake as there is no oil/butter in the recipe. Maybe that's why it's not behaving as it should? Should you have a chance to try, please let me know whether you can get a nice cake.

Mango Yogurt Chiffon Cake (Adapted from Rei's Blueberry Yogurt Chiffon Cake)

Ingredients
(A)
40g Castor sugar
4 egg yolks
100g mango yogurt
80g fresh mango, diced into small pieces

(B) Mix together and sieved 2 times
120g cake flour
1.5 tsp baking powder

(C)
5 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
40g sugar

Method
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar till the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the mango yogurt and mango. Stir to mix well.
3. Stir in sifted flour mixture and mix well.
4. Using electric mixer, beat egg white and cream of tartar in another clean bowl till soft peak.
5. Add sugar in 3 separate additions and beat till just initial stage of stiff peak.
6. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg white into the yolk batter. Mix well.
7. Pour the yolk batter into the remaining egg white and fold in/mix till blended.
8. Pour the batter into a 21cm tube pan and smooth the batter evenly with a spatula. Bang the pan once to get rid of any trapped bubbles.
9. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 45-50 mins till the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Note: The temperature and time is for my oven. Other ovens may need only 35-40 mins.
10. Remove from the oven and invert the pan immediately. Cool the cake completely before unmoulding.

14 comments:

WendyinKK said...

or maybe u can try my recipe..
http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2009/05/orange-chiffon-cake.html

wonder if it'll work for u

GoodyFood said...

I had the same problem as well, Until I try to bake it for a longer time. Went I see the color of ur cake I think it is the same problem that I face. Try to bake it another 5 to 10 more mins. It works for me!

KWF said...

Wendy, your Chiffon looks really gorgeous!

GoodyFood, thanks for the tip. Will try to brown it more next round.

Blessed Homemaker said...

I always overturn my mixing bowl to check for doneness.

http://blessedhomemaker.blogspot.com/2009/04/lemon-strawberry-yogurt-cranberries.html

I do get specks of white in my batter too but now I just continue to stir until no more whites. Of course, the whites get deflated slightly :P

I'm sure you can do it! Jia You!!

Blessed Homemaker said...

One more thing. To check for doneness of cake, I was told to do this:

Cake rises and form dome top while baking. When dome falls almost flat and parallel, give it another 5 - 7 mins for cake to brown further.

HTHs

WendyinKK said...

Tx for the compliment.
Hope u'll put the comment in my blog instead.. hehehehe.

The recipe I used has a higher sugar content, especially when it comes to beating the egg whites. The egg white is really stable and fine, therefore the bubbles in the cake are finer, and it doesn't deflate that easily when folded in.

WendyinKK said...

tx for the comment!

:)

Don't give up on chiffon cakes!!!
Ganbatae!

Kitchen Corner said...

Hi Pure Enjoyment!
I'm not a perfectionist, so for me your chiffon cake looks good! Different people has different view. As long as you feel it's good then it's good. The chiffon cake might shrink a little, if it shrink a lot it might be the egg whites splited during the folding process or over baked in high temperature. However, different recipe got different technique. I would love to try out yours recipe. Thanks!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi KWF, thanks for the information :) I have also suspected I may have over whipped the whites. My chiffon cake always rise beautifully during baking, however, it will start to shrink even before the baking time is up:(

KWF said...

Blessed Homemaker, it's always a dilema. Either to fold more to get rid of the specks of white or to fold less to reduce risk of deflating the batter.

Wendy, thanks for the great tip on the sugar.

Kitchen Corner, how I wish my Chiffon looks like yours too, so tall and nice!

HHB, maybe it's time for us to change our oven. (Blaming it on the tool again...lol...)

Gorgeous Mummy & Tots said...

hi, to cool the chiffon cake, u have the hold it upside down, so that it won't 'sink'...

as for the big holes, you have probably over beaten your egg whites... u can beat until soft peaks... not stiff peaks..

Yan said...

yumms.... congrats.... u have NAILED chiffon cake baking....

cheerios
yan

Blessed Homemaker said...

Check out these videos, hths.

http://mymedia.yam.com/m/1878566

http://mymedia.yam.com/m/1882179

After seeing the videos, I realised I didn't beat mine till stiff. And her folding in method is different. I stir quite vigorously :P May try her method next time I bake a chiffon.

Cookie said...

Hi KWF,
Your chiffon cake looks good! I think the big holes are due to the mango bits which has high water content - as it evaporates during baking, the enlarge the area surrounding it. You notice that those parts without the fruits are fine.

Well done!