Oman dining: Irresistible milk cake

T-Mag Wednesday 28/February/2018 14:38 PM
By: Times News Service
Oman dining: Irresistible milk cake

Our first tryst with this unique dessert took place a year ago. We were in Dubai at an event and a plate full of pure magic was placed before us. It was presented to us as the chef’s signature dessert, known as milk cake, which not only attracted eyeballs but also tasted irresistible. In short, it was love at first bite. This week, we are taking you on a sweet adventure to Oman’s latest food fascination. So, what on earth is a milk cake? It’s a dreamy treat that takes the form of a soft, ultra-moist sponge cake drenched in a mixture of three types of milk: evaporated milk, sweet condensed milk, and heavy cream. It is then frosted with whipped cream and sprinkled with a topping of your choice.

The concept seemed like quite a mystery and we decided to dig deeper to find out more about our new favourite treat. Some research later, we found out that milk cake is believed to have the influences of the medieval era, which also introduced us to the likes of the Italian tiramisu and British trifle. The milk cake, however, originated in Mexico and was called tres leches. With our limited knowledge of Spanish, we only managed to understand that tres leches means three types of milk.

Those who had the pleasure of indulging in this dessert would testify to its creamy, flaky taste, which is to die for. Now, some bakers love their cakes super soaked and perfectly moist, while others tend to leave the edges a bit dry. Some prefer it with a few drops of milk on the top, while others place it in a bath of milk. And the cherry on the top is that it remains moist for hours. The spongy cake retains moisture without falling apart or becoming soggy; it’s simply a dream for those with a sweet tooth.
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There are countless variations of the milk cake, but plain, rosewater, pistachio, and saffron are quite popular in town. Our absolute favourite was the rosewater cake. The subtle, floral fragrance of rose was just unbeatable.

At Richoux, they serve the three of the popular variations, as well as a new flavour for the chocoholics, made with Nutella.

At the cafe, we decided to have a milk cake party and ordered the four flavours. The desserts came in deep, round plate, bathed in a pool of flavoured milk, and topped with a frosting. The presentation was eye-catching. Of the four two stood out when it came to flavours. The rosewater was an obvious winner as the refreshing aroma of roses mingled well with the soft pastry. They were adorned with edible flowers that added a crunch to the cake. The runner up was the pistachio cake; it was soft and moist, but had a fantastic nutty flavour. The frosting was sprinkled with a bunch of nuts, serving that desired crunch.

Are you hungry or curious? Do you feel like taking a bite of these treats? Head over to Richoux Cafe (pictures), Cake Gallery, and Aches for Cakes to savour them in all their milky glory.

Cake Gallery
Qurum; Al Khuwair; Al Mawaleh
+968 2448 4432

Richoux
Opera Galleria, Qurum
+968 9310 0100

Aches for Cakes
Azaiba, Bousher
+968 9676 7284