5/24/2012

Today you might have actually been able to call me a triathlete.  I did all three sports.  Of course I biked to campus, then to work and back home.  I also met up with Steph for a swim before class and went for a run after class.  My run was shorter than it was supposed to be but I was crunched for time.  Since it was Thursday I had a full day of class and then footy practice.  I also needed to bake for the full day confrence tomorrow.  I decided that Thai Tea Cake sounded delicious.  I went to 5 stores without being able to find tea and finally googled Thai tea leaves in Melbourne and found a shop 2 blocks from the footy oval.  The cake is very good but the tea flavor was quite as strong as I would have liked.  Here is the final recipe with my adjustments to increase the flavor:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup loose-leaf Thai tea(3 tea bags)
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2x 3oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar


1. Pre-heat the oven and grease a 8-9in pan of your choice.  Brew 2 tea bags in 3/4cups of boiling water, covered for 10 minutes.
2. Strain and discard tea bags add butter to tea and cover until melted.
3. Pour tea and butter mixture into a mixing bowl and combine with vanilla, 3oz of sweetened condensed milk, and eggs.  The mixture should now be a vibrant creamy orange.
4. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth.
5. Pour into pan and bake 35-45 minutes until the toothpick come out clean.
6. When you put the cake in the oven, begin brewing the last tea bag in 1/4 cup boiling water, cover and let steep until the cake has finished baking.
7.  Once the cake finished baking let stand until cool enough to handle but still relatively warm transfer to serving dish.
8. Pour the 1/4 cup of tea over the cake.  Then cover and allow it to cool completely.
9. Whisk together the remaining 3oz of sweetened condensed milk and confectioner's sugar.  Spread over the cake after it has completely cooled.
10. Sprinkle with sugar crystals