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1
Beat the eggs at room temperature in a metal bowl with good heat conduction.
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2
Add sugar and whisk with a hand mixer over a bain-marie (heated to 110F/43C) at a high speed for 6 minutes.
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3
After 6 minutes the mixture should become pale and creamy and swell up to about 4 times its original volume.
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4
Add honey dissolved with hot water and whisk at medium speed for about 30 seconds.
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5
Sift in 1/3 of the strong flour and whisk quickly on medium speed so it mixes well.
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6
Add another 1/3 and mix quickly.
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7
Add the rest of the flour and whisk on medium speed for about 50 seconds.
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8
Pour the batter into a mould lined with baking paper.
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9
Stick a skewer 2 cm deep and move in a crisscross fashion quickly to remove the bubble inside the batter.
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10
Bake in an oven preheated to 355F/180C to brown the surface.
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11
Lightly cover the batter with aluminum foil and continue to bake at 340F/170C for about 55 minutes in total.
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12
Make a dome shape with aluminium foil beforehand.
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13
You can quickly cover the batter with it and the oven temperature won't drop.
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14
It is important to do this very quickly.
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15
After baking, take it out of the oven and rap the mold or baking tin against your working counter from height of 20 or so.
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16
Remove the castella from the mold quickly and tightly cover with cling wrap.
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17
Flip over onto a flat plate.
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18
Put the castella with the plate into a large plastic bag.
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19
Work through Steps 6 to 8 very quickly, otherwise the centre of the castella will sink.
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20
Leave to rest for at least 12 hours and you will have authentic castella.
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21
Trim off all the sides and give them away as gifts.
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22
It'll still be delicious with the uneven edges kept on, of course.
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23
After this point, if you leave the castella to rest for a further 1 to 2 days, it will be very moist and the flavour will be richer and tastier.
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24
At Step 8, after 12 hours, you will notice the built-up condensation inside the bag, so change the bag to a new one.
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25
I recommend leaving to rest for another day!
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26
If you want, use an iron brand to stamp patterns onto the bottom.
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27
The additional pattern will make it look like you bought it from the store!
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28
You have to be careful how you store it, but it keeps for 5 days in summer and for 7 days in winter at room temperature.
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29
You can freeze it too.
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30
[How to slice] Moisten a sharp knife with hot water and shake off the excess.
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31
After every slice, repeat this procedure to ensure clean slices.
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32
[Note] You can sprinkle brown sugar or sugar crystals on the bottom of the pan for even better flavor.
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33
It keeps well and will make a nice gift for anyone of any age.
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34
The trimmings can be baked into crispy rusks.will show you how to make castella rusks.
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35
You can use granulated sugar, but soft brown sugar or caster sugar will make your castella even more moist.
