Dutch Custard Cake

Filling:
YOU WILL NEED TWO BATCHES OF THIS IF YOU HAVE FOUR CAKE DISCs
40g corn flour
50ml + 450ml milk
4 egg yolks
50g + 50g sugar
5ml vanilla

Cake:
500ml flour
12,5ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
4 eggs, room temperature
375ml caster sugar
115g butter, cubed
250ml milk
15ml vanilla
15ml vegetable oil

125ml almond flakes

For the filling:
Add the corn flour to a large mixing bowl and pour in 50ml milk.
Add the egg yolks and 50g sugar and whisk together. Set aside.
Pour the 450ml milk and 50g sugar into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring the mixture to just before boiling point and take off the heat.
Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium-high heat. Stir until very thick and then cook for 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir through.
Pour the custard onto a dinner plate and cover with plastic wrap. Push the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard.
Allow to cool to room temperature.

Your should make TWO batches of filling, separately.

For the cake:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray two loose-bottom cake tins and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl and whisk to mix.
Add the eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for 30 seconds.
Slowly pour in the sugar while the mixer is running.
Now beat on high speed until the mixture is three times its original volume – about 7 minutes or so.
Scatter a third of the flour on the surface and mix on the lowest speed. Add another third, mix and then the remaining flour and mix again.
Add the butter and milk to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm when you put your finger in it. NB: YOU WANT THE BUTTER TO MELT, YOU DONT WANT TO BOIL THE MILK!
Pour the milk mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and vegetable oil and whisk through with a hand whisk.
Add about 250ml of the egg and flour mixture and vigorously whisk to combine. The batter must be smooth.
Turn the mixer on to a low speed and very slowly, pour in the milk.
Scrape down the sides and the base of the bowl. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake tins.
Lift each tin 5cm from the work surface and then drop it – repeat a few times to knock out the large air bubbles.
Place the cake tins in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool in the tins for 15 minutes before turning the cakes out on cooling racks and removing the baking paper.
Leave to cool completely.

Assembling the cake:
Slice the cake horizontally so that you have 4 cake discs.
Spread the custard evenly on to each cake layer and stack them on a serving platter.
Roast the flaked almonds in a dry pan, allow to cool and scatter over the cake to serve.

I like having this cake slightly warmed up….