Filipino Custard Chiffon Cake

DIRECTIONS

• Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup of water in a frying pan. This will form the latik (caramel topping) layer in the final product.
• Caramelize this mixture by stirring constantly over medium heat until it thickens to a thick syrup consistency and turns amber colored.
• Pour caramelized sugar syrup into baking pan, and set it aside to cool.
• Combine evaporated milk, condensed milk, 3 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla in a sauce pan and stir together. This will form the custard layer.
• Cook over low heat stirring continuously until it thickens to a yogurt-like consistency.
• Pour the custard over the cooled latik.
• At this point start preheating your oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit).
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of sugar together in a medium size mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the following in order: oil, 8 egg yolks, orange juice, and 1 tsp vanilla.
• Stir this mixture together until smooth.
• In another, larger, mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar,.
• Whisk the egg white mixture together until it combines and the mixture gets frothy.
• Using either a whisk, if you have lots of stamina in your arms, or a hand mixer, continue to rapidly mix the egg whites until peaks begin to form.
• Continuing to mix rapidly, slowly add the ½ cup of sugar, just a little at a time.
• After sugar is incorporated, continue to mix rapidly until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in the yolk mixture to the egg whites until well blended. This mixture will form the chiffon cake layer.
• Pour the batter of the chiffon on top of the custard mixture.
• Place your baking pan into a larger pan with water; this will allow the cake/custard to steam as it bakes. If your baking pan leaks (for example, if you used a spring-form pan as I did), then you could put it into an oven safe steamer.
• Bake and steam in the oven (at 350) for 50-70 minutes until golden brown. When it is done a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake should come out almost clean clean (slightly damp, but no batter or major crumbs).
• Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely before inverting.
• Invert after fully cooled; depending on the pan you use, you may notice a depression form in the center; this won't affect the taste, and hopefully someone will comment with a way to avoid it; My only idea is to try using a tube pan, so there is no center to fall.