Torta de Tres Leches

The story

Torta de Tres Leches is a Colombian dessert with a clear sense of place. Tres leches is shared across Latin America rather than belonging to one country alone, but it is firmly established in Colombian bakeries and family celebrations. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 5 piece eggsseparated
• 180 g caster sugar
• 170 g plain flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 80 ml whole milkfor batter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 350 ml evaporated milk
• 390 g sweetened condensed milk
• 250 ml whole milkfor soak
• 350 ml double cream
• 30 g icing sugar
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C and line

   Heat the oven to 175°C and line a 23 x 33 cm tin. Whisk egg yolks with 120 g sugar until pale and thick, then mix in milk and vanilla.

   Look for: pale and thick, then mix in milk and vanilla Tip: Add the milk in stages and wait for each pour to disappear into the sponge before adding more. Avoid: Dense sponge cannot absorb evenly; pouring all milk at once can flood the base; overwhipped cream makes the finish heavy.

2. Sift flour and baking powder over the

   Sift flour and baking powder over the yolk mixture and fold until barely combined. In a separate bowl whisk egg whites to soft peaks, add remaining sugar gradually and whisk to glossy medium peaks.

   Look for: barely combined

3. Fold the whites into the batter in

   Fold the whites into the batter in three additions, preserving as much air as possible. Bake 25–30 minutes until springy and a skewer comes out clean.

   Look for: springy and a skewer comes out clean

4. Cool 10 minutes, then prick the sponge

   Cool 10 minutes, then prick the sponge all over with a skewer. Whisk evaporated milk, condensed milk and 250 ml whole milk and pour it slowly over the warm cake in several passes.

5. Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight,

   Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the milk disperses rather than collecting only at the base.

6. Whip cream with icing sugar to soft

   Whip cream with icing sugar to soft peaks, spread over the cake and dust lightly with cinnamon before cutting into chilled squares.

   Look for: The cake is soaked through with no dry centre yet still cuts without collapsing into liquid.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.