Ingredients
| 2 tablespoons demerara sugar with large crystals | |
| 4 eggs | |
| 95g white (granulated) sugar | |
| 2 tablespoons honey | |
| 2 tablespoons mirin | |
| 110g bread flour (T65 or Type 1) | |
| 4 tablespoons matcha powder |
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Instructions
| 1. | Line a square cake tin with baking paper and sprinkle the base with demerara sugar. |
| 2. | Mix the eggs and white sugar in a large bowl. |
| 3. | Place the bowl in a container of hot 60°C (140°F) water and beat with a mixer at low speed. |
| 4. | When the mixture is warm (40–42°C), remove the bowl from the hot water. |
| 5. | Whip at high speed until the mixture becomes white and firm. |
| 6. | When you remove the whisk, the peaks should hold and then fall back like ribbons. |
| 7. | In a bowl sitting in warm water, dissolve the honey and mirin completely. |
| 8. | Pour into the egg-sugar mixture and beat for 1 minute at high speed. |
| 9. | Sift the flour and the matcha into the batter, then beat for 1 minute at low speed. |
| 10. | Preheat the oven to 170°C. |
| 11. | Pour the batter into the cake tin and tap it several times on the work surface to remove any air bubbles. |
| 12. | Smooth the batter with a spatula to remove the air. |
| 13. | Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 140°C and cook for a further 40 to 45 minutes. |
| 14. | When you remove it from the oven, tap the tin several times on the work surface to prevent the castella from sinking in the middle. |
| 15. | Place plastic wrap over the cake, then a plate or tray on top. |
| 16. | Turn over to turn out the cake and immediately wrap the cake in the plastic wrap. |
| 17. | Leave to rest for 1 day at room temperature and then 1 day in the refrigerator to give the castella its moist and spongy texture. |
| 18. | To serve, cut in half, then into 3cm (1¼ inch) slices. |
Recipes and images extracted
from Japanese Home
Cooking by Maori Murota.
Photography by Akiko Ida.
RRP $55. Out now.