Japanese Steamed Cake (Mushi-Pan)

Method11 steps · about 32 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Measure the ingredients before mixing. Line five 8.5 cm ramekins with five cupcake liners and lightly grease the liners with a little vegetable oil. Have a clean grease-free tall bowl, electric whisk, sieve and silicone spatula ready. This recipe uses the yolk and white of one large cold egg.

   Uses A little vegetable oil, for lightly greasing five cupcake liners

2. 2

   Step 2: Put the 4 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp batter oil, 1 tbsp milk-mixture sugar and pinch of salt in a small pot. Warm gently over low heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, then remove from the heat.

   Uses 4 tbsp milk · 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for batter · 1 tbsp sugar, for warm milk · 1 pinch salt

3. 3

   Step 3: Separate the large cold egg into its yolk and white. Keep the yolk ready for the milk mixture. Put the white in the clean grease-free tall bowl and refrigerate it until step 6.

   Uses 1 large cold egg yolk, separated from the egg used for the white · 1 large cold egg white, from the same egg as the yolk

4. 4

   Step 4: Make sure the milk mixture from step 2 is warm rather than hot, then stir in the yolk from step 3. Sift in the 60 g cake flour and 1 tsp baking powder and mix just until combined. Pass the batter through the sieve for a smooth texture, pressing any small lumps through gently. Avoid overmixing.

   Uses Warm milk, oil, sugar and salt mixture · One separated large egg yolk; the white remains refrigerated · 60 g cake flour · 1 tsp baking powder

5. 5

   Step 5: Fill the water tank of the Panasonic Cubie steam convection oven according to its instructions. Select steam-medium and preheat for about 3 minutes while preparing the meringue. Keep the oven ready for immediate steaming once the batter is mixed.

   Uses Water, to fill the steam oven tank according to its instructions

6. 6

   Step 6: Take the cold egg white from step 3 out of the refrigerator and whisk until slightly frothy. Add the ¼ tsp cream of tartar, then add the separate 2 tbsp meringue sugar a little at a time, whisking between additions.

   Uses One cold separated large egg white; the yolk was used in the batter · ¼ tsp cream of tartar · 2 tbsp sugar, for meringue

7. 7

   Step 7: Continue whisking the sweetened egg white from step 6 until it forms stiff peaks. Lift the whisk to check that the tip of the foam stands upright. Use the meringue promptly once this texture is reached.

   Uses Sweetened egg-white foam

8. 8

   Step 8: Fold about 2 tbsp of the stiff meringue from step 7 into the smooth batter from step 4. Use a gentle figure-of-eight motion with the silicone spatula to lighten the batter, keeping the remaining meringue for step 9.

   Uses Smooth egg-yolk batter · About 2 tbsp stiff meringue, with the remainder reserved

9. 9

   Step 9: Gently fold the remaining stiff meringue from step 7 into the lightened batter from step 8, just until combined. Work gently and proceed straight to filling and steaming; do not leave the finished foam batter standing.

   Uses Lightened cake batter · Meringue left after the first approximately 2 tbsp draw

10. 10

    Step 10: Divide the batter from step 9 among the five prepared ramekins and place them on the oven steaming tray. For a loose cover, use only food-safe wrap specifically permitted for steam-oven use by the oven and wrap instructions. Steam immediately in the ready Cubie oven on steam-medium, checking from 10 minutes within the 10–12-minute guide. Test a cake at the center with a clean skewer; continue steaming if needed until the skewer comes out clean and the cake is fully set.

    First steamed-cake check · 10 minUses Finished folded cake batter · Water remaining in the ready steam-oven tank

11. 11

    Step 11: Carefully remove the hot ramekins. Gently tap each ramekin once on a protected heatproof surface to settle the cake, then serve the five cakes warm or at room temperature. Remove any loose cover before serving.

    Uses Five fully set steamed cakes, removed from the oven