Osmanthus Chiffon Cake 桂花戚風蛋糕

Osmanthus flower has a light and refreshing aroma that is reminiscent of sweet apricots. The flowers are often added to dessert and tea to enhance flavor. My childhood acquaintance with Osmanthus came from the Chinese legend about Mid Autumn Festival in which Wu Gang, a woodcutter, was made to chop down a magical, self healing osmanthus tree in the Moon Palace from the moon as a lifetime punishment by the Jade Emperor. My dried osmanthus flower didn’t come from the magical tree but from my local Chinese herb store. I spent CAD$5 for a palm-sized bag and the store owner taught me to transfer the dried flowers to an airtight glass container after opening in order to preserve the fragrance. Now I keep my flowers in a mason jar. it would probably last for some time as only a small amount of buds is required each time
桂花擁有清新的淡淡幽香，味道近似甜甜的杏桃，既可作花茶也可入餚做成甜品或糕點。EC小時候初次認識桂花就是中秋時聽見關於吳剛伐桂的神話傳說。傳說吳剛遭玉帝懲罰，要他在月亮上砍伐桂樹，但原來桂樹是棵神樹，被砍後破口會自然癒合，因此吳剛便要留在月宮中日復日，年復年永無休止的砍樹了。EC的桂花不是來自月亮上的桂樹，只是購自藥材鋪而已。像手掌般大的一小包乾桂花約加幣五元，藥材鋪老闆娘叮囑說袋子開封後最好把桂花移放到玻璃瓶密封保存，這樣香氣才會持久。EC現已把桂花放在瓶子內，每次只取少量，因此應可持續使用一段日子了。

Osmanthus Chiffon Cake
桂花戚風蛋糕

For 7” tube pan
7”中空模份量

Ingredients

80 g cake and pastry flour
4 tsp dried osmanthus flower
4 large eggs, separated
50 g grapeseed oil
70 g hot water
40 g granulated sugar
1 Tbsp osmanthus syrup
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Notes: The eggs I use are about 50 g each without shells.

材料

低筋麵粉 80克
乾桂花 4茶匙
大蛋(分開蛋白和蛋黃) 4個
葡萄籽油 50克
熱水 70克
細砂糖 40克
糖桂花 1湯匙
他他粉 1/2茶匙

註：EC用的大蛋每隻淨重約50克

Directions 做法

Separate the eggs and place the egg whites In a clean mixing bowl (I usually wipe the bowl and the wire beater with paper towel dampened with vinegar or lemon juice to remove traces of grease). Preheat oven to 325ºF/160ºC.
分開蛋白和蛋黃，放蛋白的鋼盆必需是清潔的(EC習慣把鋼盆及打蛋器配件預先用廚房紙沾檸檬汁或白醋抹一次去除殘餘油份)，焗爐預熱325ºF/160ºC。

Pick out the impurities from the osmanthus flower if there’s any. Pour hot water over the buds and steep for 5 minutes. Strain the buds and measure 55 g of the osmanthus liquid. Set aside to cool.
清除乾桂花中的雜質(如有)，加入熱水浸泡五分鐘後隔去桂花，取55克桂花水放涼備用。

Place sifted flour into another mixing bowl. Make a well in the center then pour in the oil, osmanthus liquid, osmanthus syrup and egg yolks. Whisk gently until incorporated. Set aside.
低筋麵粉過篩放入另一鋼盆中，中開一穴後倒入油、桂花水，糖桂花和蛋黃，輕手用蛋拂攪拌均勻成蛋黃糊備用。

With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar (to stabilize the meringue) and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar in batches and continue beating until glossy and firm peaks form. When you lift up the whisk, the peak will hold its shape but the tip will fall back slightly.
用電動打蛋器或座枱式攪拌器(使用打蛋器配件)將蛋白打至起粗泡，加入他他粉(可令蛋白霜更穩定)繼續打至蛋白組織變細密，分次加糖打至有光澤及企身，蛋白霜拉起時呈尖長而末端輕微下垂狀。

Scoop about one third of the meringue into the yolk batter and fold with a whisk to lighten. Then scrape this back into the bowl of meringue. Fold gently and thoroughly (so you don’t deflate the meringue) with a spatula until homogeneous.
將三分一蛋白霜混入蛋黃糊中用蛋拂以切拌方法充份拌勻，再倒回蛋白霜鋼盆中輕手用膠刮以切拌方法混合至麵糊成均一顔色，盡量輕手並快手完成混合以免蛋白霜消泡。

Pour batter into the ungreased tube pan. Tap pan against the kitchen countertop several times to get rid of any large air bubbles. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
將麵糊倒入戚風模中(模內不用抹油掃粉)，將烤模往枱上輕敲幾下敲出較大的氣泡後抹平表面。

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Every oven is different so adjust baking time accordingly. Drop cake pan on the kitchen countertop at a distance upon removal from the oven. This will release any gas trapped in the cake cells and minimize shrinkage. Invert pan on a wire rack to cool completely before unmolding.
放入焗爐焗30至35分鐘或至竹籤插入蛋糕中心取出後不沾麵糊，不同焗爐可能要不同時間，請自行調節，取出後將蛋糕連烤模從半空往枱上捽一下將困於蛋糕內的空氣震破避免蛋糕回縮，在鋼架上倒扣放涼後可脫模。

For neater cracks, bake for 8 to 10 minutes until a skin forms on the cake surface. Take the cake out and make four to six slits with a greased knife with thin blade. Continue baking until cake is done. **Picture taken from Black Sesame Chiffon Cake**
若要整齊的裂紋，可於入爐8至10分鐘待蛋糕表面結皮後取出蛋糕，用抹了油的薄刀在表面畫四至六條線，再放回爐中繼續焗至蛋糕熟透。**照片取自黑芝麻戚風蛋糕**