Nagasaki Kasutera

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 7 eggs
• 200 g sugar
• 30 g syrup (mizuame), replaceable with corn syrup, honey or sugar water
• 30 g honey
• 30 ml milk
• 20 ml mirin
• 200 g wheat flour, type 550, sifted
• some granulated sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 2 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 days 50 minutes

Japanese cake

Line a 20×20 cm baking pan with parchment paper and sprinkle the bottom with a little sugar. Warm the milk and mix with the honey, mirin, and mizuame (or its substitute). Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer over a double boiler on high speed until frothy, until a letter drawn on the foam briefly remains visible. This will take some time. Check the temperature of the mixture occasionally. When it is lukewarm, remove from the boiler. Add the milk mixture, mix, and beat again on high speed. Then add the flour and fold in. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and scrape it down a few times with a spatula to remove any large air bubbles. Drop the pan once or twice from a height of a few centimeters, also to remove air bubbles. Place in the oven preheated to 170°C and bake for about 30 minutes. The surface should be dark brown. If it gets too dark, cover with aluminum foil. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, then wrap it in aluminum foil or cling film and let it cool completely. The surface will be particularly smooth if you let the cake cool upside down. The cooled cake should be kept in the foil in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before slicing to allow it to set. Traditionally, the edges of the cake are removed and the cake is then sliced, leaving only the brown edges on the top and bottom. To ensure clean cuts, use a sharp knife and wipe it with a slightly damp cloth before each cut. When cutting, be careful to saw, not press.