Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Durian Poppy Seed Cake (Warning- Resulting in Toxic Gases)


Durian, the king of fruits, seems to be back in season after a hiatus of a few months. Usually, the initial crop probably ain't the cream of the crop, but with this cake, you do not need to use premium grade D24 breeds, but for the durian cream, yeah, it'll help to use top notch stuff. Same principle applies to chocolate cakes I guess. The liquid parts, frosting, glazing etc, should be from yummy chocolate.

If you are not a durian fan, you might as well close this window right now and go back and watch season 2 of Desperate Housewives.

The main hassle of making this cake is deseeding the durian. Especially if the flesh is too ripe, and mushy. I don't think your guests want to imagine your fingers running through the mushy flesh. Best way is to chill it a bit so that the flesh is firmer, and peels off from the seed more easily.

The Cake:

400gms of durian flesh (ie, no seeds), pureed, with a dash of milk

250gms butter
1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1½ cups flour
½ cup custard powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3rd cup poppy seeds

1. preheat oven to 175C. that's no 5 on an electrolux. I can't understand WHY they just can't put the temperature readings on the dial.

2. use a cake mixer, cheap one will do, to beat the slightly thawed butter (in our equatorial heat, leaving the butter out for 5 minutes from the fridge will do the trick...those sydney readers, depends which season you're in), together with the sugar, until nice and creamy. (by the way, I've already reduced the sugar by half, so further reduction at your own peril).

3. when the butter and sugar is nice and creamy, let your kids have a taste. nothing like butter and sugar. yummmy.

4. adds eggs gradually, (ie one by one is not a bad idea), continue mixing until the whole mixture looks like ......eggs, butter and sugar mixed.

5. in a dignified manner, plonk in the durian puree, while resisting tempation to wallop any along the way. give it a good churn with the cake mixer again, until it's all mixed, and you can see some durian fibre stuck on your beaters.

6. stir in the poppy seeds. Contrary to popular belief, although opium comes from poppy, the only high you'll get from this is by inhaling the durian.

7. add the flour in in two batches, stirring it in until mixed. The batter should be more viscous than when before you added the flour. Obviously.

8. transfer batter to 8"round tin, and bake for 50 minutes.

9. serve with fresh durian cream, or where durian is scarce, then thick pure cream would do.

10. in about 4 hours or so, you should be emitting noxious gases, either by burping or by farting. stay away from the flame.

Durian Cream:
400gm of durian
whipping cream - half cup
Blitz together in blender.

Alternatively, whip cream separately. blend durian. mix together. This is really your call.

9 comments:

boo_licious said...

Wow! Durian cake plus cream sounds wonderfully decadent. I haven't eaten durian cake for a long time - last time it was at BonBon.

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fatboybakes said...

sounds like a spam if you ask me, quodlibet.

fatboybakes said...

oh, boolicious, the bon bon cake is different i think. that one is basically a sponge interspersed with durian cream. this one is a more dense cake.

boo_licious said...

fatboy - this one is more like the version you get at celicakes minus the poppy seeds.

Anonymous said...

The instructions for the cake left out the custard powder. When and how do you add this?

fatboybakes said...

custard powder is to be sifted together with the flour and baking soda & baking powder.

Anh said...

Fatboybakes, I am going to try this cake really soon. My flatmates are mad over durian, and we love durian cake!