Wednesday, September 5, 2012

All natural Blueberry chiffon

Another school term has ended. Although I welcome this short school break now, I too have mix feelings about the coming year end events. Year end exams, a family wedding, birthdays, oversea visitors and a trip away. It just spells busy busy busy. :P Nevertheless, some of these events are really much awaited for, so I'm really looking forward. Although we didn't plan for anything big this one week break, I really don't mind these "unplanned" days. Seating around sipping tea or just lazing on the sofa watching Food Network, haha!
Nevertheless, I am still baking away in the kitchen, and today's post is just one of them bakes which I did last month. ;) An all natural blueberry chiffon cake. Why all natural? Well I didn't use baking powder or cream of tartar, so it's "chemical" free!
I think many people out there believe that it is a must to add in baking powder or some levening agent in order to achieve a nice tall chiffon cake. Oh no, it's not necessarily true....I'm here to prove otherwise. ;) In fact I have not used any levening agent for my chiffons for quite awhile now. I am sure many bakers that bakes chiffons regularily will agree with me on this; it is really a matter of beating your whites to the right consistency and baking at the correct temperature. Of course many other details like using a trusty recipe, the folding of the batter and cooling the cake itself can also incur the quality of the end product. But I believe through practice and knowing your techniques well will naturally make baking a chiffon a real breeze.
Ingredients for Fresh Blueberry Chiffon Cake (21 to 23 cm diameter):
Egg Yolk Mixture:
5 egg yolks
100g of fresh blueberry compote (*see note)
60ml fresh milk
80 ml corn oil
70g sugar
130g Cake flour

3 g salt

*Note: Place 100g of fresh blueberry, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice and 2-3 tbsp caster suagr in a saucepan and cook mixture at low heat. Stir constantly and cook till the blueberries have burst and ozzed out it's juices. Once it thickens about 8 minutes, remove from fire and let cool for use later.

Egg White Mixture:
5 egg white
10g cornflour
70g sugar

Method:
  • In a large mixing bowl, add in all of the egg yolk ingredients and mix well till everything is well incorporated and smooth.
  • Preheat the oven to 175C.
  • In another mixing bowl, add in all the egg white and beat using a mixer at medium speed till foamy. Without stopping the mixer, gradually add in the sugar and beat till stiff peaks. Turn the mixer to lowest speed, add in corn flour and beat till combined.
  • Gently fold a quarter portion of the white mixture into the yolk mixture till well combined. Then add the yolk mixture to the white mixture and gently fold everything together till all is incorporated.
  • Pour the batter into a tube pan (no grease or non stick please) and place in the preheated oven to bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Tester comes out clean and it's ready.
  • Remove from oven and immediately invert it to cool. Do not invert/ remove cake from pan until completely cooled.
I am so glad my blueberry chiffon turned out purplish blue! I was kinda worried it'll be greyish and dull. I believe the lemon juice in the compote might have helped kept the colour. ;) And as you can see the texture of the chiffon, it is soft and fluff...yummy. ;) I believe you can use this same recipe with most of the summer berries, be it strawberries or rasphberries.
Perhaps it's time you bake an all nautral chiffon cake for your love ones too. And lately I've seen blueberries on sale in the supermarket too. So what are you waiting for? Try it and let me know how you like it. ;)
Have a great day you all! Cheers!


18 comments:

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

I still have some frozen blueberries, your recipe just come in the right time. Love the colour of your chiffon too.

Veronica's Kitchen said...

Bee Bee, Simply love your blueberry chiffon cake. It is so fluffy and soft. I hope mine could turn out to be as good as yours. Thanks for sharing.

Yummy Bakes said...

Wow so tall and nice color. Love it.

Elin said...

HI BeeBee, your chiffon cake came in just great. I have fresh blueberries and was thinking of using them in my ice cream but since I have just made Rum Raisin Ice Cream, this berries would be better used in the chiffon cake. I shall try this out. Thank you for the recipe and I hope my chiffon will turn out great like yours too. Making chiffon cake can be intimidating :)

Mich - Piece of Cake said...

I am so amazed at your skill! No cream of tar tar and you get such a lovely tall cake. This blueberry chiffon looks so beautiful, I really need to learn from you. When are you conducting lessons? :)

鲸鱼蓝蓝蓝 said...

日子是很忙碌
但是你也很充实,不是吗?
呵呵
天天是好天哟:)

我来吃好吃的7风了

The Experimental Cook said...

Chiffon is one type of cake that eludes me. I love your cake , esp with the clean edges. Lovely!

ann low said...

Your chiffon cake looks perfect and I love the blueberries in it. I still got some blueberries in my freezer, will try this soon.

Jessie-CookingMoments said...

Hi, girl, I love your all natural blueberry chiffon. When the blueberry season starts by end of the year, I also want to try this flavour. Thanks for sharing!

Veronica said...

Wow, good timing! I just bought a punnet of blueberries today and was still wondering what to make. Now I can make your lovely blueberry chiffon. Thanks for sharing.

Angie's Recipes said...

A perfectly baked chiffon. Love the idea of using the fruit compote in chiffon.

lena said...

tall! tall! tall! hey friend, dont show off your chiffon cakes , i'm so jealous!! haha!

Passionate About Baking said...

Yums! Looks so soft and au natural!

Kriss said...

The Blueberry Chiffon seems to be the perfect dessert to end up our Sunday dinner. Since I do not like to stuff my kids with candies and chocolate this chiffon is just what I am looking for. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us.

Anonymous said...

omygoshhhhhh! I love the colour of your chiffon and look at that tender crumbs! I cant believe how beautifully browned your crust is too:D

Edith said...

I have the same feeling as you. Started to have exam jittery very soon.

Lovely chiffon to go with a cuppa of tea.

Anonymous said...

Can you clarify the corn flour you are using? Is it corn flour made from corn meal or do you mean corn starch? And what is the purpose of that? Thanks.

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Anonymous, like you said in your own question. I am using corn flour, I am not using corn starch or cornmeal. Since you can identify the difference in these 3, then surely you know what I mean when I state it is corn flour and not corn starch or corn meal. I once learn from another baker that adding it will stabilise the meringue.