Many of us are lucky to have food that quickly brings up memories of family parties, sharing and laughter. Certain family dishes continue to be savored for generations.
When Craig Chong was about 12 years old, his uncle Gilman Hu would often make chiffon cake. It was a recipe that Hu had learned to make from another relative, Patricia Au. Chong loved it so much that he would eat half the cake by himself, so his uncle decided to teach him how to bake this delightful dessert. Now, at age 43, he’s been making the cake for 31 years.
Chong, a management consultant, now makes this family recipe with his daughters Sophie, 8, and SaraAnne, 6, and wife, Sandy, in their Manoa home. It seems the cake has captured the hearts of another generation. SaraAnne requested it for her last birthday, and Sophie simply says, “I like the cake because it’s sweet.”
A far cry from store-bought versions that bear an artificial taste, the quality of Chong’s chiffon reflects its top-quality ingredients.
The magic of the dessert is a perfectly airy yet moist cake that doesn’t require frosting to bolster its flavor. While most any flavoring can be added to the batter, the Chongs stick to vanilla, lemon or orange. It’s a cake that was highly popular in the ’50s and ’60s, and a rarity today, given its simplicity — consider today’s trendy over-the-top desserts decked out with chocolate and frosting.
The success of the recipe is rooted in tips Hu passed on to Chong:
>> Cake flour and sugar must be sifted before being measured out. After adding baking powder and salt, sift again three times to totally integrate the ingredients.
>> Separate egg yolks and whites in your hands instead of in eggshells. To ensure yolks will not contaminate whites, Chong uses places each white in a third bowl before adding it to the larger batch of whites.
“One drop of yolk will prevent the whites from beating up correctly,” Chong says.
>> Inspect the bowl of the standing mixer — it needs to be absolutely clean, free of soap residue or anything else that will hinder the whites from forming stiff peaks.
When Chong first learned to make the cake, the whipping was done by hand in a cold copper bowl, requiring the addition of cream of tartar. But with the convenience of a standing mixer, that ingredient is optional rather than absolutely necessary.
After firm peaks are formed, sugar is added to the bowl and combined until the mixture is shiny and satiny.
>> In folding in the airy whites to the yolk mixture, Chong uses the technique of “cut, scoop and swish — gently.”
>> After baking, cool the cake for at least two hours upside down, balancing the tubular pan on a wine bottle. This keeps the cake from collapsing.
>> Removing the cake from the tube springform pan can be a tricky maneuver, and since the cake is served as-is, imperfections can’t be disguised with a layer of frosting. Chong uses a thin, flexible knife to cut along the walls, center and bottom.
Both Sophie and SaraAnne are already pros at making the cake with their father, performing each task with ease.
“Let’s make the orange flavor next time, Dad,” one of them said.
Another generation continues the sweet family tradition.
Craig Chong’s Old-Fashioned Chiffon Cake
>> Flour mixture:
- 1-1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
>> Yolk mixture:
- 9 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, lemon or orange extract (or extract of your choice)
- Zest of 1 lemon or orange (optional)
>> Egg white mixture:
- 9 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
- 1/2 cup sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift cake flour, then measure. Do the same with sugar. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, 3 times. Set aside.
Separate yolks and whites, being careful not to have even a trace of yolk in the whites.
For yolk mixture: Using whisk or hand mixer, whisk yolks, water, oil and extract until blended. Mix in zest if using. Add flour mixture and combine until just mixed. Set aside.
For egg white mixture: In standing mixer, beat whites until bubbles form. Add cream of tartar, if using. Beat until firm peaks form. Add sugar; beat until glossy. Gently fold whites into yolk mixture and pour into ungreased 12-inch tube pan.
Bake 50 minutes. Test for doneness with a wooden skewer or cake tester. When skewer comes out clean, cake is done.
Cool upside down on a filled wine bottle for at least two hours. Carefully use a thin, sharp knife to loosen the cake around the sides and the middle. Cut from bottom and serve upside down. Slice and serve plain or with whipped cream, ice cream and fruit. Serves 12 to 20.
Note: Keeps up to 3 days refrigerated. To freeze (up to 1 month), wrap first in plastic wrap, then foil.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per slice (based on 12 slices): 300 calories, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 25 g sugar, 6 g protein
Lynette Lo Tom, author of “The Chinese Kitchen,” is fascinated by old-fashioned foods. Contact her at 275-3004 or via instagram at brightlightcookery. Nutritonal analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
