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Powder Puffs

Powder Puffs

Powder PuffsI first tried these luscious little cakes at afternoon tea many years ago and begged the hostess for the recipe.  Powder Puffs are lovely and soft and a little bit like a mini sponge cake with a generous fresh cream filling.  Also called Sponge Kisses, they look just like a powder puff but fortunately, they don’t taste like one! They are at their best if made the day before serving as they need time to soften up in the refrigerator or they will be crisp and not very powder puffy at all!  At the very least, 6 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

The following recipe will make around 25 powder puffs.

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cornflour
1 teaspoon baking powder
three eggs, separated
3/4 cup caster sugar
whipped cream for filling

Pre-heat oven to 200 celsius (390 fahrenheit).  Line oven trays with baking paper.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, gradually beat in the caster sugar and then the yolks, one at a time. Sift the flours and baking powder together in a separate bowl and add the mixed flours all at once to the beaten whites, folding through gently.

powder puffs

Place in heaped teaspoons onto the lined oven trays, spacing them well apart as they will spread.  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they just change color.  Remove the trays and allow to cool for a minute and then carefully remove from the baking paper using a spatula (they will still be soft at this stage) and place on cooling rack.  Cook in batches.

They will be quite crisp when cold, pair them and join with whipped cream and be very generous with the whipped cream.  Place, loosely covered in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.  They will then become lovely and soft.  Dust generously with icing sugar before serving.

powder puffs