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Lapis legit
Thousand-layer spice cake
Lapis legit (spekkoek): the Dutch-Indonesian thousand-layer spice cake
Indonesian Chinese and Dutch-descended families bake lapis legit for Christmas, Imlek and Lebaran, and in Jakarta a whole cake is a prized gift that can cost a small fortune. Rich batter of butter and a great many egg yolks, scented with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and cardamom, is grilled one thin layer at a time, giving perfect tree-ring stripes when sliced. It takes an afternoon, but it is mostly patience. Slice it thinly; it is very rich. Chef's tip: press each layer gently with a flat spoon to burst air bubbles before adding the next; skipping it leaves holes and the layers separate when cut.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 14 oz unsalted buttersoft, plus extra for the tin and brushing
- 1 ¾ oz sweetened condensed milk
- 20 egg yolks
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp lapis spice mixor 2 tsp cinnamon, 0.5 tsp each clove, nutmeg and cardamom
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Line the base of a 20 cm square tin with baking paper and butter the sides. Heat the oven grill to medium-high, with the shelf about 15 cm below it, and put the oven itself on 350°F if it allows both at once.
Step 2: Beat 14 oz unsalted butter and 1 ¾ oz sweetened condensed milk until very pale and fluffy.
6 minStep 3: In another bowl, whisk 20 egg yolks, 4 egg whites, 7 oz caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract with an electric mixer until thick, pale and the beaters leave a ribbon trail.
8 minStep 4: Fold the butter into the egg mixture in three goes, then sift in 3 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp lapis spice mix and ¼ tsp salt and fold gently until just smooth.
Step 5: Spread 3 heaped tablespoons of batter thinly over the base of the tin and bake on the lower shelf at 350°F until set, to make a firm first layer.
8 minStep 6: Switch to the grill. Spread another 2–3 tablespoons evenly over the top, then grill until the layer is golden brown and set, turning the tin if it browns unevenly.
4 minStep 7: Take out, press the surface lightly with a flat-bottomed spoon to pop air bubbles and smooth it, then add the next layer. Repeat until the batter is used up, usually 16–20 layers; brush every few layers with a little melted butter.
120 minStep 8: Finish by baking at 350°F (grill off) until a skewer comes out clean.
10 minStep 9: Cool completely in the tin before turning out and slicing thinly. Wrapped, it keeps a week at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lapis legit take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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