Pandan Chiffon Cupcakes

Today is my favorite time of year for watching shows on the Food Network. It's the holiday episodes! Yes! I've been waiting all year for this. Is it just me or does all the food just look exceptionally delicious this time of year? I just want to make everything they make and then some. Boy, would that be a lot of food or what?! One day, one day it will happen... Here's to hoping! ha. Until then, I'll just stick to "Christmas-y" type desserts like this Pandan Chiffon Cake.

Have you ever used pandan before? Me neither! Using this ingredient was something extremely new to me. At first, I thought I never heard of it before. However, when I got to thinking, Filipino's have a dessert called buko pandan. I couldn't believe how I forgot about it. So, I got my pandan and got to making these little chiffon cupcakes. Look at that green color, just in time for Christmas! Can you believe all that color came from just one teaspoon of pandan paste? I was in shock! No food coloring here, just the natural pandan extract color.

Tips
-Before whipping your egg whites, wipe your bowl with a teaspoon of vinegar. It simply makes sure that your bowl is extra clean

-Fold in all the egg whites until white steaks are no more

Results
Taste: The cake as a slight coconut flavor with hints of pandan flavor which is similar in taste to a vanilla, hazelnut and coconut combo. 

Texture: The cake was light and fluffy, what a chiffon should be like.

Pandan Chiffon Cake (Makes 1 10-inch tube cake)
Recipe from Kirbie's Cravings
Ingredients
(A)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 Tbp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar

(B)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. pandan paste

(C)
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350'F (175'C).

Combine (A) in a bowl. Stir well to blend. Add (B). Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Beat (C) (egg whites and cream of tartar) in a separate bowl until moist peaks formed. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff and shiny peaks are formed. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks mixture, fold to mix and then add the rest of the egg whites. Fold gently but thoroughly, so no white streaks remain. Turn batter into ungreased 10" tube pan.

Bake for 60 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert cake and cool completely in pan. Make sure oven has reached 350 F before putting cake in oven. When cool, loosen the edges and shake pan to remove

-Aaron John

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