TRES LECHES CHEESECAKE
This Tres Leches Cheesecake is a delicious fusion of two iconic desserts: the classic Latin American Tres Leches Cake and a super simple no-bake cheesecake. Think ultra-moist, rich, smooth and creamy, with a decadent melt in your mouth consistency! A beautiful balance of tang and sweetness makes this a truly unique dessert!
Equipment
- 1 Springform Bake Pan
Ingredients
For The MILK SOAK MIXTURE
- 300 ml evaporated milk
- 200 ml condensed milk
- 200 ml milk
For The SPONGE CAKE BASE
- 3 eggs separated room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar (divided in half) 50g each for egg whites & yolks
- 40 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
- 80 g all purpose plain flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
For The NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE TOPPING
- 360 ml heavy cream / whipping cream aka thickened cream in Australia (COLD)
- 500 g cream cheese Philadelphia block cheese softened to room temperature
- 70 g powdered/icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
For the WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING (NO CHEESECAKE)
- 300 ml heavy cream / whipping cream aka thickened cream in Australia (COLD)
- 15 g powdered/icing sugar OR 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
Instructions
To Make The MILK SOAK MIXTURE
- In a large mug or bowl, combine whole milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk, and stir until well combined. Set aside in the refrigerator.
For Make The SPONGE CAKE BASE
- Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F and line the base only of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
- Separate three eggs. Then using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the egg whites on low-med speed until foamy. Gradually sprinkle in caster sugar (50g) and continue whipping, slowly increasing the speed until soft peaks form. Soft peaks look light and glossy; when you lift the beaters, the peaks should gently fold over and not stand straight. There’s no need to wash the beaters - simply set the whipped egg whites aside and move on to the yolks.
- Add caster sugar (50g), to the egg yolks and beat on high until thick and pale yellow. Add the milk and vanilla, then whisk or beat on low until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, add salt, and gently mix with a spatula or whisk until just combined and no flour clumps remain.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture in 3 batches using a spatula, until no white streaks remain. The first batch can be folded in a bit more vigorously to loosen the mixture, but fold the remaining batches more gently to avoid deflating the batter.
- Pour the batter into a 9″ springform pan, lined with parchment paper on the base only. Tap on the bench top a couple of times to break any large air bubbles.
- Bake at 175°C/350°F for 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Use conventional baking (top and bottom heat), NOT fan-forced.
- While the cake is still warm/hot, carefully release it from the springform pan, remove the parchment paper, and flip it upside down back into the pan. Work gently to avoid burns. It's important to do this while the cake is hot, as pouring the cold milk soak over a hot cake helps it absorb better.
- Pour the milk soak mixture over the cake and allow to soak. Set aside in the refrigerator.
For Make The CHEESECAKE LAYER
- In a large bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until it’s thick and spreadable. Be careful not to overwhip, or it may turn into butter. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whip softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue whipping until well combined.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in batches until smooth and fully combined — your cheesecake layer is ready!
To Make The VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING (NO CHEESECAKE)
- For a classic tres leches topping (instead of cheesecake) whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until thick and spreadable.
ASSEMBLY
- Spread the cheesecake layer over the soaked cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Cover and chill for at least 6–8 hours or up to 2 days. Overnight (12 hours) is best for a nicely set cheesecake and well soaked sponge cake. Optional: set aside some of the cheesecake mixture to pipe decorations on top later.Going Classic? Spread the whipped cream layer over the cake using an offset spatula to smooth it out.
Notes
To bring fridge cold eggs to room temp, place them in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for 3 minutes. Remove them right away, or they’ll cool down as the water does;
It's important to bake using conventional (top and bottom heat) rather than fan-forced, as the fan can dry out the cake.
Not into cheesecake on top? No worries! Go classic – with a basic, sweet vanilla whipped cream topping instead! Instructions above!