Boba Chiffon Bubble Milk Tea Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 48 minutes
Serves 8-10
Tea Chiffon Cake
- 6 egg whites (around 240g/8.8ozs)
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup/210g/7.4ozs caster or superfine sugar
- 6 egg yolks (around 110g/3.9ozs)
- 3 teaspoons finely ground tea
- 1/2 cup/105g/3.7ozs. caster or superfine sugar
- 180ml/6flozs. milk
- 120ml/4flozs. oil
- 1.5 cups/225g/8ozs. cake flour, sifted twice
Cheese Foam Frosting
- 1 cup/250ml/8.8flozs cream
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 60g/2ozs./1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
- Pinch salt
- 120g/4ozs. instant boba pearls
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup or brown sugar
Note: to make cake flour, replace 2 tablespoons of flour of the total flour measurement with cornflour/fine cornstarch and whisk to combine
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 170C/340F and have a 21cm/8.2inch chiffon cake tin ready (must not be a non stick tin). Also it's important that the whisk and bowl are very clean and have no traces of fat on them.
Step 2 - Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until you get soft peaks. Add the first measure of sugar in a stream and whisk until firm peaks form and you can tip it upside down without it moving. Scoop out and set aside in another bowl. Using the same bowl (mainly because I hate washing up) whisk the egg yolks, tea and second lot of sugar for 3 minutes. Add the oil and milk and whisk until combined. Sift in the already sifted cake flour in in four lots and fold gently until smooth and there are no lumps.
Step 3 - Add in a third of the reserved meringue folding it in gently and then adding the remainder of meringue in two lots. Make sure that the egg whites are incorporated well and there are no streaks. Spoon into the baking tin leaving about 2cm or 3/4 an inch gap from the top. Bake for 50 minutes. Turn this cake upside down onto a plate immediately and allow to cool completely.
Step 4 - When cool, using a palette knife gently ease the cake from the tin. Place on a serving plate.
Step 5 - To make the cream cheese foam whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add vanilla, cream cheese and salt and whip until fluffy. Spoon into the centre of the cold cake and on top and let a bit drip down the side.
Step 6 - Place the boba pearls into a large measuring cup and cover with boiling water. Cover and allow to expand for 2 minutes, stirring them once during this time to prevent them from sticking. Once 2 minutes is up, strain these and run them under cold water and drain. Mix with golden syrup or brown sugar and then spoon over the cheese foam and cake.