Friday 6 March 2009

RECIPE: AMBON STYLE STEAMED CAKE (APAM AMBON)


Another recipe from SIS UMMI’S blog. So easy to make and the results will be perfect if you follow the easy steps. I unfortunately dropped some water from the lid onto the cake, which depressed the middle slightly (not that you can actually see it). Excellent for afternoon tea with an Asian twist!


Ingredients

4 xl eggs – at room temperature
100 g castor sugar
2 tsp ovalette (cake emulsifier) – you can get this from Asian grocers in Sydney or Melbourne. Unfortunately I have never seen it in Canberra. I have to thank Shafidah Shamen for posting this to me from Sydney…thank you dear) (see my GLOSSARY post on OVALETT)
100 soft flour (I used Anchor brand cake and biscuits flour)
2 tsp baking powder
40 ml fresh milk
40 ml cooking oil (I used extra virgin oil)
2 tsp rose essence (see my GLOSSARY post on ROSE WATER and ESSENCE)
Red food colouring
8 inch round tin and steamer

Method


Lightly grease your tin with cooking oil and assemble your steamer. Cover the lid with a thin cloth.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Beat the sugar, eggs and ovalette until very thick and fluffy. Add in the essence, beat for a minute and then add in the flour mix. Continue beating until well blended. Turn off your cake mixer. At this stage get your steamer boiling.

Using a spoon, blend in the milk and oil. Mix well.

Separate the mixture into two portion, but one portion slightly more than the other (eg 2/3 and 1/3) and add the red colouring to the lesser portion. Now pour a layer of the plain mixture into the prepared tin, then dollop some of the red portion onto the plain portion. Using your finger or a skewer, make zigzags with the red portion to get a marbled effect. Continue this step until all the mixture is used.

Steam the cake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not open the lid of the steamer except at the last 2 to 3 mins of steaming, whilst carefully avoiding any water from the lid falling onto the cake. In other words, do not tilt the lid when you remove it from the steamer until it is well away from the cake.

Cool in the tin for ten minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Serve warm or cool with tea or coffee.

8 comments:

AnuSriram said...

Wow... Yummy steamed cake.. Never know this!

VG said...

Thank you Anu. This is so delicious. Try it if you can.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful VG. And what dent??? Can you please put some pix up on the ovalette. Would like to check it out.

Grace

Dora said...

I'm lazy...will just grab one piece from here. ;p

Ummi said...

Vin - At last..hehe!!! Your cake looks perfect and soft too..Feel like eating and want some from you..hehe..Hope you like it!! I just love your tea set..so nice!! :D Luv ya..

VG said...

Hi Grace

Thank you for your kind words. I have just put up a post on ovalett just for you. Hope it helps.

Dora, please do help yourself...and have two pieces, don't be shy...LOL!

Kak Ummi...yes, at last. It turned out really gebu but for a small dent in the middle cos some water fell on it. Yes, I loved it. I am going to make a pandan version next, to eat with some kelapa parut.

You like my tea set? I like it too, he!he! I am mad over collecting china, especially vintage china.

ICook4Fun said...

What a beautiful cake. I bought some ovalette when I went home but guess what. I forgot to bring it back with me :( Anyway, will write to you soon.

VG said...

Thank you my dearest Gert. Hope you are feeling better. I know being crook isn't much fun.

Pity about the ovalette. Can you get someone to post it to you? Or would you like me to? The next time I am in Melbourne, I'll buy some.

Really looking forward to your e-mail. Please tell me all the exciting things you did on your hols.