Buko-Pandan Angel Food Cake

Eureka! I have invented a recipe!


On the other hand, there might already be one out there, but I have to admit I didn't 
intend to create a Buko-Pandan flavored Angel Food Cake. I had to do something with the 
eggs whites that were left over from making the traditional Polish cream cake, Kremewka Papieska ( Kreh-MOOV-kah Pah-Pyess-Kah). It turned out delicious and uniquely pinoy in 
lasa that it has earned a spot --at least in my blog-- as a Philippine style merienda. Most local groceries carry angel food cake in their bakery department, but I was surprised at how easy it was to make this dessert from scratch, considering that I've never made it before! This cake has a pastel green color from the pandan which I think made it rather pretty to look at. It has that light airy texture the cake is known for with the gratifying flavor of coconut and pandan.

I am serving this at the tureen supper along with the Kremewka Papieska and Sauerkraut Periogi at Fr. David Poulson's Induction Ceremony at St. Anthony's in Cambridge Springs, PA, tomorrow (May 14, 2011). Majority of the parishioners are Polish and I can't wait to see if they will also like the Buko-Pandan Angel Cake.

Buko-Pandan Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

6 Large room temperature egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon Buko-Pandan flavoring (McCormick brand is what I used)

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Whipped cream and sweetened flaked coconut for topping

Gawin mo 'to:

 Heat oven to 325 degrees. 

Whip egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Whip until soft peaks form.
Add sugar in tablespoonful increments until stiff peaks form.

Sprinkle flour over egg whites in thirds, and carefully fold after each addition. 

Add Buko-Pandan and continue folding until flavor is well mixed in.

Line mini muffin pan with baking cups and transfer a teaspoonful of the batter into the ungreased baking cup and bake for approximately 20 minutes. You'll know when it's done when the top layer develops a nice golden brown color or if toothpick comes out clean when poked in center of cake. It bakes pretty fast in a mini muffin pan so be careful you don't burn the cake. When cake has cooled down, top with whip cream, and a pinch of  sweetened flaked coconut.

Isang hirit pa: Lightly sweet and airy, Angel Food Cake, was said to have originated in North America. What gives this a Philippine flare is the Buko (coconut) and Pandan (a tropical plant) flavoring. Angel Food Cake is supposedly the counterpart of Devil's Food Cake which incorporates butter (venial sin) and chocolate (mortal sin) in its recipe. Venial/mortal *giggle*

Learn a few Tagalog words....

Lasa (Lah-sah) means "Taste"
Gawin mo 'to (GAH-win Moh 'toh) means "Do this"

Isang hirit pa (E-Sang Hee-reet Pah) is street slang for "Here's another one"....or something like that.

Puto-Pao

I haven't lived in the Philippines in so long that I don't recall this delicacy ever existing but then again, (and sadly at that!) I haven't really given Philippine cuisine much thought nor personal interest as I do now. And what else would prove to be a great introduction to Philippine baking than to steam-bake a combination of traditional party favorites, Puto and Siopao---that's two-in-one! Talk about making up for lost time! The mild sweet taste of  steamed cake dressed with a dollop of  robust adobo filling in the center is absolutely masarap!

Puto-Pao

For the puto, you will need:

3 cups all purpose flour, sifted 
¾ cup sugar  
2 tablespoons baking powder
1½ cups milk 
7 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
8 tablespoons sugar

Adobo Filling
The Adobo filling will need to be prepared a day ahead.

You will need 2 cups flaked and cooked Adobo (scroll down further for recipe)

• Line ramekins with disposable cupcake liner in steamer. The ramekins help the liners from caving in when the mixture is poured. Although, if a circular shape isn't a big issue for you then a sturdy cupcake liner will do which is what I used, and it gave my Puto-Pao a triangular shape.
• In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Slowly stir in milk, and mix with a spatula until smooth. Set aside. 
• Using a hand mixer, beat on low speed egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add sugar and beat on high until stiff but not dry. 
• Fold the flour mixture into the beaten egg whites. 
• Fill molds half full with batter, spoon 2 tablespoons adobo filling, and further top with puto mixture enough to cover the rest of the filling. Do not over fill as Puto-Pao will rise when steamed.
• Steam in boiling water for 20 minutes or until done.

Adobo Recipe

For Filipinos,  Adobo is technically a method of cooking that involves stewing with vinegar.  Adobo can also be cooked in a crock pot on low setting. For my Puto-Pao recipe, I used chicken adobo.  Pork, Beef, or any combination of meat for your adobo filling will work just as well.  I gather there are those who are particular to the Asado style, which is the barbeque method, and that will do too.  Please be aware that this recipe approximately serves 6 to 8 and is typically served with steamed rice. For Puto-Pao, you will only need two cups of the adobo mixture.  If there is extra....well, you'll know what to do.

2 1/2 lbs. chicken (can use wings)

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. vinegar
1 1/2 c. water
Pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. soy sauce
2 bay leaves

Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer for an hour or until chicken is tender. Let it cool, and flake the meat off the bones. Saute in its own juice until it's almost dry in consistency. The goal is to not make it soupy so you can scoop a teaspoonful into the puto mixture. When this is done then follow procedure for Puto-Pao listed above.


Eto na muna sa ngayon! And hope you enjoy your day!
~Daphne Creel