The Far Eastern culinary school sometimes shock us with absolutely incredible taste combinations and its original aesthetics. A Malaysian-style cake is an excellent example of the incredible pastry traditions of southeast Asia. Making desserts in a mass of lush naturalistic colors began in Malaysia, from where this fashion quickly spread to China, Korea, Japan, Singapore and other eastern countries. Today, cooks from Indochina are considered the best confectioners in the world working in this technique. But the most amazing thing is that you can repeat many masterpieces with your own hands. Of course, for this you need to have some theoretical knowledge and practice as much as possible.
Color spectrum
One of the main distinguishing features is the use of a natural palette. In fact, most modern confectioners widely use powder and gel dyes. But true professionals do this in such a way that for the first time the average person who looks at the cake is full of confidence that the cream is colored with juices of berries and vegetables. Muted colors with many natural shades are an indispensable sign that every cake in Malaysian style should have.
Traditional Cream - Swiss Meringue
Even for those who are very far from confectionery, it immediately becomes clear: Malaysian cakes are decorated with butter cream. Recently, many have been biased towards it, preferring some lighter alternatives to heavy and fatty oils. But cakes in the Malaysian style, the photos of which are amazing, are cooked with the use of oil. Cream Swiss meringue is one of the most common options for decorating such desserts.
To prepare it, 3 proteins and 95 g of sugar are heated in a water bath, stirring continuously. When the sugar has completely dissolved, and the mass has thickened, remove the pan from the heat and beat the cream with a mixer until the peaks are stable. This will take at least 10 minutes. Then, oil softened at room temperature is gradually added. It will take 155 g. It is better to switch the mixer to low revs and continue whipping until the cream becomes absolutely smooth and shiny. Flowers are planted on pieces of baking paper using a pastry bag, then sent to the freezer for about 15 minutes. After that, they will be easy to transfer to the cake.
Cream cheese
This delicate cream that holds its shape well has less fat content than many other oily ones. It’s easy to cook: you need to beat 200 g of butter, 200 g of mascarpone and 100 g of powdered sugar. If desired, you can add a pinch of grated lemon peel and a few drops of brandy to the cream. The cream is beautifully stained with gel dyes. You need to freeze the flowers for about 10-15 minutes, after which you can easily transfer the decorations to the cake in the Malaysian style.
Asian Bean Paste
Surprisingly, in the Far East, sweets are even prepared from beans. Such a paste is also great for decorating a cake in the Malaysian style. It is especially good for those who have just begun to study and “get their hands on”. For cooking, ordinary white beans are suitable. Soak the beans overnight in cold water. In the morning, drain the water, add a new one, set to boil. 5 minutes after boiling, rinse the beans, peel them and put them on the fire again. Boil the beans for about an hour. After this, the mass should be rubbed three times through a sieve, then squeezed through the fabric all the water and begin to boil the paste. Add 320 g of sugar, mix and cook until the paste stops draining from the spoon, but still remains quite liquid. When cooling, it thickens. Flowers are formed according to the same technique as from butter cream, but in the freezer they need to be held longer, at least half an hour.
What is hidden under the cream?
Malaysian-style cake can be prepared according to various recipes. Usually, a plain biscuit is hidden under a layer of delicious colors. The main condition is a cylindrical shape. If you decide to master the decoration of cakes in the Malaysian style, use simple, proven recipes for cakes.