Tomato, Cheese and Herb Cakelets

I have made a savoury chiffon years ago in the form of tomato chiffon cake "tomatoes". You can read about it in this blog post. I decided to revisit it again but adding another savoury element between layers of the savoury chiffon sponge this time round in the form of tomato aspic (tomato gelatin)!

I have to admit that you need to be mentally prepared that you are eating a savoury cake because if you are expecting something sweet, this may come as a shock 🤣. Think of this as a savoury cold dish, like an appetizer, and as hubby said, it is yummy because he was prepared for the flavours! 

I modified the recipe I used years ago slightly by adding in more sugar in the meringue for more stability and I used canned tomato paste (no salt or seasoning added) so some dilution was needed. You may refer to my original recipe and post over here. 

I will share the updated recipe for the chiffon sponge and the tomato aspic in this post. I baked the sponge as a flat sheet cake which can be cut into circles to assemble as cakelets in moulds or in cupcake cases as a savoury cupcake. 

Tomato, cheese and herb chiffon recipe

Ingredients (makes one 10x12" sheet cake):

Egg yolk batter

2 egg yolks

11g canned tomato paste  (mine is not seasoned) 

24g water

22g olive oil

10g finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4-1/2 tsp salt (according to taste. I used 1/2 tsp but a recipient said it could do with less salt) 

1/16tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

40g cake flour

Meringue

3 egg whites 

1/5 tsp cream of tartar

20g caster sugar

1/2 tsp cornflour (optional, mix with caster sugar) 

Steps:

1. Line baking tray with parchment paper or teflon sheet. Preheat oven to 170°C. Position oven rack in the middle. 

2. Make egg yolk batter. Whisk egg yolks until thick and pale. Add olive oil and whisk until well combined. Add tomato paste, water, salt and seasoning and whisk until well combined. Gradually sift in flour and whisk until no trace of flour is seen. 

3. Prepare meringue. In a clean metal bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, gradually adding in sugar once egg whites are foamy. 

4. Quickly but gently fold meringue into egg yolk batter in three additions. Pour batter into prepared tray. 

5. Bake for 12-14 min or until skewer comes out clean. Immediately flip the cake onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper and cool completely with another parchment paper over it. 

6. Use round cookie cutter to cut out pieces of cake for assembly with tomato aspic according to size of your cupcake cases/moulds. Store cutouts in airtight container. 

Freshly baked and cut chiffon sponges! 

Recipe for tomato aspic
Ingredients:

100g canned tomato paste

350g hot water (doesn't have to be roiling boil) 

10 gelatin sheets bloomed in ice water 

1/4 - 3/4 tsp himalayan pink salt (or salt of your choice. Adjust according to taste) 

1 tsp honey (or to taste) 

1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional) 

Steps:

1. Squeeze excess ice water out of bloomed gelatin. Place bloomed gelatin in a microwave safe bowl (or heatproof bowl if you don't have a microwave). Melt the gelatin in using low power in 10 second bursts, or place heatproof bowl in a pot of hot water to gently melt the gelatin. 

2. Mix tomato paste, hot water, salt honey and tabasco sauce until well combined. 

3. Add melted gelatin to tomato mixture and whisk until gelatin is dissolved. 

4. Strain the mixture if you prefer to remove the tomato fibres out. You may use the tomato mixture as it is if you prefer to leave the fibres in. 

To assemble, alternate layering sponge and tomato aspic. Chill in fridge overnight or at least 2h before unmoulding if you are using silicone moulds. 

This is the cupcake version. 

If you are adventurous enough to try making a savoury cupcake, give this a try 😊! 

With love, 

Phay Shing