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1
Line a baking pan with parchment paper, and sprinkle raw cane sugar.
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2
You can omit the raw cane sugar, but if you want a rough and crunchy texture on the surface like the store bought type, add it.
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3
Heat eggs and sugar in a double boiler or in a bowl suspended over a pan of hot water.
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4
Combine the ingredients in a cup.
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5
Beat the eggs and sugar over hot water at high speed with a handheld mixer until the mixture is a bit warmer than body temperature (about 110F/43C if you have a thermometer).
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6
When the egg-sugar mixture is about 110F/43C, take it off the hot water and keep on beating at high speed.
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7
Heat the combined over the hot water in the meantime.
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8
Keep beating for a total of 10 minutes at high speed, until the batter forms ribbons when lifted.
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9
Mix at low speed to even out the texture.
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10
Add the warmed ingredients, and beat at low speed for about a minute.
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11
Add 1/3 of the bread flour while sifting, mixing at low speed.
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12
Sift in the remaining 2/3 of the flour.
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13
Beat at low speed for a total of a bit less than a minute.
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14
Don't overbeat the batter, just beat for about a minute noted in step 7.
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15
If beating the batter creates lines on the surface, as shown in the picture, and there are no lumps, it's done.
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16
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
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17
Pour the batter into the lined and sugar scattered baking pan.
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18
Hit the pan lightly on the countertop, and draw lines through the batter up, down, left and right to eliminate air pockets.
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19
When the oven has reached the right temperature, lower the temperature to 340F/170C and bake the cake for 10 minutes.
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20
Lower the heat again to 285F/140C for 45 minutes.
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21
If you cool the cake out in the open, it will have a light texture like the type of castella sold at an old fashioned sweet shop.
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22
For a moist texture, take the cake out of the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven and wrap it completely with plastic wrap.
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23
Put the wrapped cake in a plastic bag or container large enough to hold the whole cake.
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24
Leave at room temperature for more than a day.
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25
If you leave it for 2 days without unwrapping, the top may peel off as shown here.
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26
But the texture will be dense and moist, like a high end castella from a traditional Japanese confectionery.
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27
To slice the castella, use a warmed knife and move it in small strokes for a nice cut surface.
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28
Whether you want a light sweet shop-style castella, or to let it rest for 2 days for a moist high-end confectionery style castella is up to you.
