Recipe - Los Ranchos Tres Leches

1 cup Sugar; divided
5 lg Eggs; separated
1/3 cup Milk
One half teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 cup Allpurpose flour
1 One half teaspoon Baking powder
One half teaspoon Cream of tartar

MILK SYRUP
1 cn (12ounce) evaporated milk
1 cup Each: sweetened condensed
milk and whipping cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Light rum

MERINGUE
1 cup Sugar; divided
One fourth cup Water
3 Egg whites
One half teaspoon Cream of tartar

From Miami Spice by Steven Raichlen (Workman, $12.95). The recipe is from
Los Ranchos Restaurant in Miami, which was founded by a nephew of the late
Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 13by9by2inch baking
dish. Beat Three fourths cup sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 5
minutes. Fold in milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Beat egg whites to
stiff peaks, adding cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Gradually add
remaining One fourth cup sugar, and continue beating until whites are glossy and
firm but not dry. Gently fold whites into yolk mixture. Pour batter into
prepared pan. Bake cake until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes
out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Unmold cake onto a deep, large platter. Pierce cake all over with a fork.
Pour Milk Syrup over cake. Spoon the overflow back on top until all is
absorbed. Using a wet spatula, spread top and sides of cake with a thick
layer of Meringue. Refrigerate the cake covered at least 2 hours before
serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Milk Syrup: Combine evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream,
vanilla and rum in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well mixed.

Meringue: Place Three fourths cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in heavy saucepan with
water. Cover and cook over high heat 2 minutes. Uncover pan and cook the
sugar to the softball stage, 239 degrees on a candy thermometer, 6 to 8
minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg whites to soft peaks with cream of tartar in
electric mixer. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar gradually, continuing
beating to stiff peaks. Pour boiling sugar syrup in a thin stream into the
whites and continue beating until mixture is cool to the touch. The hot
syrup "cooks" the whites.

Posted to TNT Recipes Digest by Lou Parris lbparris@earthlink.net on May
01, 1998