Bird's Milk Cake with Agar-Agar - Classic Recipe

Bird's Milk cake made with agar-agar is that same nostalgic childhood flavor, made the old proper way: a thin sponge, an airy soufflé built on egg whites, boiled agar-agar syrup, and lemon-butter cream, all finished with a chocolate glaze. I recommend making it at home to treat your family - enjoy!

Bird's Milk Cake with Agar-Agar

Classic Bird's Milk cake made the old way: thin sponge, delicate agar-agar soufflé with lemon-butter cream, and chocolate glaze.

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Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Chilling 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the sponge

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp water

For the soufflé

• 250 g sugar
• 90 g egg whites about 3
• 100 g butter room temperature
• 60 g sweetened condensed milk
• 20 g lemon zest and pulp
• 7 g agar-agar
• 80 ml water
• 1 pinch vanillin
• 0.5 tsp lemon juice

For decorating

• 100 g dark chocolate
• 80 g white chocolate
• vegetable oil

Method

 

1. Separate the yolks from the whites. Measure out 90 g of whites (about 3) and set aside in the bowl you'll use to whip the soufflé.
2. Beat 3 yolks with one whole egg into a light foam, gradually adding the sugar. Turn off the mixer, sift in the flour, fold gently, then pour in the water at the end and mix quickly.
3. Pour the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 15 minutes at 180-200°C on the top rack. Cool the sponge and, while still slightly warm, cut out two 16 cm circles.
   
4. Soak the agar-agar in cold water right in the saucepan you'll use to cook the syrup.
   
5. Beat the soft butter with the condensed milk and the lemon pulp and zest into a light cream, and set aside at room temperature.
   
6. Line a springform pan with parchment and place one sponge circle on the bottom.
   
7. Set the saucepan with the soaked agar-agar on the stove and bring to a first boil until it thickens. Add the sugar, bring to a boil, and cook for 6-8 minutes to 120°C - the syrup should drip from a spoon in a thin, setting thread.
   
8. The syrup will bubble up a lot - that's normal.
   
9. At the same time, whip the egg whites into a light foam, adding the lemon juice as you go. Continuing to whip, slowly pour in the hot syrup in a thin stream - the mixture will quickly increase in volume and become springy.
   
10. Lower the mixer speed and add the butter cream in stages.
    
11. As soon as the cream is combined with the egg-white mixture, turn off the mixer right away and assemble the cake: sponge, soufflé, sponge, soufflé. Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes until set.
    
12. Remove the set cake from the pan. Melt the chocolate over a water bath, stir in a little vegetable oil, and decorate the top of the cake.
    

Tips

• If you don't have a thermometer, check the syrup by letting it drip from a teaspoon - it should form a thin thread that sets in the air.
• The syrup will bubble up a lot - that's normal.
• Don't overwhip the soufflé: it sets quickly and becomes hard to work with. A slight settling is normal.
• Add a little vegetable oil to the melted chocolate for the glaze - it makes it easier to work with.