INTRODUCTION

For modified recipe for breakfast, please scroll towards the end.

I promised it will be  a short post as I have nothing much to say about this steamed sponge cake (kuey neng ko) – the fourth in my series of steamed sponge cake.

However, this is prepared with due respect to our elders who prepared it based on simple ratio and simple method. The recipe is just as simple 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of eggs. No artificial ingredient being used. No artificial ingredients being used means that there should be no:

1. Gassy drinks (ice cream soda, carbonated water, seven up etc.)
2. Ovalette or other types of emulsifier or sponge stabilizer
3. No leavening agents including self raising powder, baking powder, baking soda, double acting baking powder
4. No other emulsifiers alternatives such as condensed milk..
5. No flavour enhancer such as vanilla essence

Without using all this, It comes back to the traditional easy to remember recipe of Kuey neng Ko which yields a soft and full of egg aroma steamed sponge cake.

It take me about 2 days to decide whether or not to issue this report, therefore, I do not have any beautiful pictures to show you. I only took pictures when I am reheating/re-steaming these sponge cakes for today’s breakfast. As you can see from the picture, it is still soft and nice. I have decided to issue this  post to serve as a record of my steamed sponge cake adventures..For those readers who know Mandarin, you can read what I have written in my Facebook Timeline with regard to the my opinion on this simple traditional recipe.

鸡蛋糕的实验 (English – scroll down)
今天，我做了一个实验。 我根据传统的口诉食谱做了一个鸡蛋糕。要是问老人家她们以前是怎样做鸡蛋糕的，她们会说一碗粉，一碗蛋，一碗糖。。把蛋打到发白，加粉，就蒸。蒸的时候不可以闲言闲语，不可以偷看，出来一定笑哈哈。

我们阿嫲的年代，当然什么都是最基本的。。所用的面粉一定是基本的面粉，而非自发面粉等。当然没有其他偷工减料的现代产品如 ovalette ,蛋黄稳定剂， 汽水，发粉，苏打粉等等。为什么她们的年代可以做得到而我们不能呢？再问下去，老人家多数也讲不出一个虽然。。

就凭我70几岁丈母娘跟我讲的几个要点，我用了一杯蛋，一杯糖打到量至少增大两倍，把蛋液拿起来时，蛋液慢慢的滴下。然后就加进面粉， 搅拌至少心算50下到均匀。倒进已经预热的竹篮子，然后用白糖做个“十”字，下锅用大火蒸20分钟。

结论：一半成功。白糖十字架放的不够多所以列的不够大，竹篮偏大，火候不够大，所以不够高。。
老人家的口述食谱是有可靠性的只是他们的成功都是用他们的苦力和经验来完成的。。 还有一点，由于什么都没有加，鸡蛋味非常的浓，而且很软。。有空的话，我还是会再尝试的。。

Kuey Neng Ko Experiment

I swore I did not do any hanky panky things to this traditional recipe of steamed sponge cake though I have two posts on kuey neng ko prepared using gassy drinks. I used 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of eggs and 1 cup of sugar without the use of gassy drinks, ovalette, emulsifiers, condensed milk, baking powder, self-raising flour, baking soda etc. This is what my mother in law told me what she did when she was a girl. I experimented and come out this version of kuey neng ko, soft and full of egg aroma. It is not 100% successful because the crack is not that obvious as yet but the texture and taste is getting very close to what we used to have last time. Cracking can be improved with the use of more sugar in the sugar cross.

WHAT IS REQUIRED

• Servings: A 7-8 inch diameter steamed sponge cake

• 1 cup of egg (at room temperature)
• 1 cup of castor sugar
• 1 cup of plain flour
• Preferably a bamboo basket lined with Cellophane sheets.

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Beat the eggs using a stand mixer (under high speed) until light and pale. Add in sugar tablespoons by tablespoons. You will witness the beaten egg volume gradually increase and become even lighter in colour. Beat until the eggs volume increase at least 2-3 times, thick and glossy. Thick means when you take out the whisker, the eggs will drip down slowly from the whisker.

• Quickly sift in the plain flour and use a spatula to fold in the flour. I have this habit of self counting 50 times when I fold my flour. You have to ensure that the folding is fast (not to deflate the eggs) and the flour and eggs mixture are well combined.

• Transfer the batter to a PRE-HEATED bamboo basket lined with cellophane sheet. make a sugar cross on top of the batter, and steamed in a steamer at high heat for at least 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

CONCLUSION

This traditional recipe looks easy but it is quite a difficult cake to prepare. The water temperature, the degree of eggs being beaten, the folding method all have an implication on the texture of the cake prepared. If shouldn’t be rubbery if you eggs have been beaten to the right condition and whether it will crack or not will very much depends on your sugar cross and the heat used for the steaming. However, it will provide you with the traditional flavour or 古早味。

Do try and you may want to read the following post on steamed sponge cake for pointers that I may have forgotten to cover here.

• The Plights of Kuey Neng Ko…The Traditional Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake…(May 25, 2013)
• My Steamed Sponge Cake (Kuey Neng Ko) Is Full Of Gas。。。。 (汽水鸡蛋糕）(August 13, 2013)
• How About A Passion Fruit/Peach Flavoured Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake or Kueh Neng Ko (November 10, 2013)

Hope you like the post today, cheers and have a nice day.

UPDATED: ON  2-3-2014

MODIFIED TRADITIONAL RECIPES FOR BREAKFAST PURPOSES

As the above recipe is slightly dry for breakfast purposes, I have modified the recipe to include some oil and some mixed fruits. However, as the batter is very light, the mixed fruits sank to the bottom of the cake. Therefore, I would not advise readers to add mixed fruits. instead, it is advisable to use almond flakes or mixed nuts instead if you want some changes. Alternatively, you can just add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to transform it into a simple chocolate steamed cake.

WHAT IS REQUIRED

• 1 cup of egg (at room temperature) 鸡蛋·
• 1 cup of castor sugar 白糖
• 1 cup of plain flour 普通面粉
• 1/3 cup of cooking oil 食用油
• A square baking tin (8’x8”)
• Some almond flakes  （杏仁片）

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Beat the eggs using a stand mixer (under high speed) until light and pale. Add in sugar tablespoons by tablespoons. You will witness the beaten egg volume gradually increase and become even lighter in colour. Beat until the eggs volume increase at least 2-3 times, thick and glossy. Thick means when you take out the whisker, the eggs will drip down slowly from the whisker. Slowly add in the cooking oil and beat until well combined.

• Quickly sift in the plain flour and use a spatula to fold in the flour. Meanwhile add in almond flakes or other dry nuts (dry fruits is a bit dense, it will not support unless the flour is increased 1.5 cups, therefore, it is advise to use almond flakes instead.  I have this habit of self counting 50 times when I fold my flour. You have to ensure that the folding is fast (not to deflate the eggs) and the flour and eggs mixture are well combined. Steamed in the steamer for 25-30 minutes or when a skewer inserted comes out cleaned.

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