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Postre Massini
Custard sponge with burnt sugar top
Postre Massini: Montevideo's cream and custard sponge with a burnt-sugar top
Montevideo's birthday cake of choice since the early twentieth century, the Massini is two thin layers of sponge sandwiching a thick filling of whipped cream folded with egg-yolk custard, crowned with a thin glassy crust of torched yolk and sugar. Bakeries across Uruguay sell it on Sundays. Traditional versions sometimes add a sweet fortified wine to the custard; this one is alcohol-free. The custard is cooked to a safe 71 °C. The common mistake is assembling with warm custard, which melts the cream into a puddle. Chef's tip: if you don't have a blowtorch, put the sugared top under a very hot grill for a minute and watch it closely.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 4 eggsat room temperature
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 4 oz plain floursifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the custard and cream
- 4 oz caster sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups double creamwell chilled
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
For the burnt top
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F and line two 22 cm round tins with baking paper. Whisk 4 eggs, 4 oz caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract with an electric mixer until pale and thick enough to leave a ribbon trail, 8 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Fold in 4 oz plain flour gently in three goes, keeping in as much air as possible. Divide between the tins and bake until springy and pale gold, 12–14 minutes. Cool completely.
20 minStep 3: For the custard, whisk 5 egg yolks in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Boil 4 oz caster sugar with ¼ cup water until it reaches a thick syrup (250°F), then pour it slowly onto the yolks, whisking.
10 minStep 4: Keep whisking over the hot water until the mixture is thick, pale and reaches 160°F. Take off the heat and whisk until completely cold.
10 minStep 5: Whip 2 cups double cream with 2 tbsp icing sugar to soft peaks. Fold one-third into the cold custard, then fold that back into the rest of the cream.
5 minStep 6: Set one sponge in a 22 cm springform ring or tin lined with acetate. Spread over the filling evenly and top with the second sponge. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm.
5 minStep 7: Just before serving, beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of 1 tbsp caster sugar and brush a thin layer over the top. Sprinkle over the rest of 3 tbsp caster sugar and torch until it bubbles and turns a deep amber, glassy crust.
5 minStep 8: Remove the ring and slice with a hot knife.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does postre Massini take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 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 eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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