Nagasaki Castella
Easy-to-Make Nagasaki Castella in Muffin Size
Perfect for a delightful snack! Enjoy this soft and sweet Nagasaki Castella, a beloved dessert, conveniently made in your own kitchen. It’s perfect for afternoon tea or any special occasion.
Ingredients- 110g Cake Flour
- 50g Sugar
- 30g Honey
- 4 Eggs
- 30g Milk
- 30g Grapeseed Oil (or melted unsalted butter)
- A pinch of Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your wet ingredients: milk, grapeseed oil (or melted butter), salt, and your vanilla extract. Homemade vanilla extract is wonderful, but a store-bought one works just as well.
Step 2
Gently whisk the eggs to avoid creating too much foam. Then, strain them through a fine-mesh sieve at least twice to remove the chalazae (egg white strings). This step is crucial for achieving a wonderfully tender cake crumb.
Step 3
Create a double boiler by placing a bowl over a pot of warm water (around 40°C / 104°F). Add the strained eggs to the bowl and whisk in the sugar. Continue whisking gently over the warm water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, stir in the prepared milk and grapeseed oil (or butter) until well combined.
Step 4
Using a hand mixer or whisk, start incorporating air into the batter. Begin on a medium speed, then increase to high for a short period, and finally reduce to medium and then low speed to gently refine the bubbles. This process helps create a smooth texture.
Step 5
When the batter has developed a good volume of foam, add a few drops of vanilla extract. Continue to mix on the lowest speed to gently deflate any large bubbles, ensuring a fine and consistent texture throughout the batter.
Step 6
Sift the cake flour directly into the batter. Using a spatula, gently fold the flour in with a cutting and folding motion until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Add the pinch of salt at this stage.
Step 7
Since the batter will rise during baking, fill your prepared muffin cups only about 70-80% full. This prevents overflow and ensures an even bake.
Step 8
Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 5 minutes. Immediately reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for another 5 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 170°C (340°F) and bake for 10-15 minutes. (Tip: I baked at 160°C (320°F) for 10 minutes, then turned off the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to finish baking with residual heat.)
Step 9
The total baking time is around 18 minutes. Keep a close eye on the muffins during the final stages, as they can brown quickly. Your delicious and golden Nagasaki Castella muffins are ready to be enjoyed! Look forward to a wonderfully moist and sweet treat.
