Matcha Azuki Layered Chiffon with Azuki Cream

Matcha (green tea) and Azuki (red bean) flavors are a pair that go so well together that I decided to make a cake that is bursting with these two flavors. And to give the cake an extra oomph of flavor and texture, I added red bean cream. So here's my first attempt at making a layered chiffon cake with  cream sandwiched in between the layers.

My neighbors who had this loved the combination very much! I had some leftovers of cake and cream so I made some Swiss rolls. I was pleasantly surprised at how soft and bendy the cakes were. No cracks when rolled cold! I was fully expecting the cakes to crack after sitting out in the open for a couple of hours. Please excuse the messy green tea roll as I did not roll the cakes with care, thinking that they were going to crack anyway.

 My family enjoyed the rolls very much too! Moist and full of flavor.... Mmm-mmm! Here's the recipe for the cake:

Matcha chiffon:
Egg yolk batter
2egg yolks
28g cake flour
4g Matcha powder (try to go for good ones)
8g caster sugar
28g water
24g canola oil
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Meringue
3 egg whites
36g caster sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Azuki bean chiffon:
Egg yolk batter
2 egg yolks
10g sugar
20g canola oil
30g Azuki bean puree (I pressed the undrained canned beans through a sieve)
5g water
33g cake flour
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Red food coloring (I used 2-3 drops of liquid coloring)

Meringue
3 egg whites
32g sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Red bean cream:
200ml whipping cream
2 tbs icing sugar
5 tbs drained canned azuki beans

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Line a 10x10" tin with baking sheet
2. Prepare egg yolk batter by first whisking sugar and egg yolk together, followed by oil, water (and puree for Azuki flavor) and vanilla essence.
3. Add in sifted flour bit by bit (Matcha powder as well for the Matcha flavor). Continue whisking until no trace of flour is seen.
4. Add red coloring until desired shade for Azuki batter.
5. Prepare meringue by beating egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks are formed.
6. Add 1/3 of meringue into egg yolk batter and mix well. Gently but quickly fold in rest of meringue in 2 batches.
7. Pour batter into tin. Bang the tin on table to release air bubbles
8. Bake for 15-16min. Leave to cool completely with a baking sheet over the cake
9. Cut and assemble the cake layers and add the cream.

10. When the cake is baking/ cooling, you can prepare the cream by whipping cold whipping cream with icing sugar until firm peaks form. be careful not to over-beat the cream or it will separate. Gradually add in the Azuki beans and fold them in.

11. You may wish to dust some icing sugar on top of the cake with a stencil to make some pretty patterns on it.

Like Swiss rolls, these cakes have to be refrigerated and best served the next day.

Enjoy!

With love,

Phay Shing