I saw Alton Brown make Tres Leches Cake and also Dulce de Leche (Caramel) last night and was surprised to hear that he said that Tres Leches Cake is as as popular in the US as Apple Pie. I didn't know that it was so popular here.

He was talking about milk and how it is processed and then went on to make the tres leches cake and the Dulce de Leche which is bascially milk, sugar, and vanilla and cornstarch.

Pretty good show.

mmmmm.. sounds good to me. I love Alton Brown..

I love alton and was pleased he did that particular show. I personaly (?) do not like the tres leches cake but I have a brother who goes crazy for it. I have tried making it from scratch and box and have never been pleased with the results. I always thought I was doing something wrong cause I couldn't get it to rise nice and tall. Well after seeing alton's (so funny he icied right in pan!) guess mine were ok and they are supposed to look like that.

pretty good but I don't know about Tres Leches being as popular as apple pie here in the US,

I don't like all recipes of Tres Leches. I found one that I myself like.

One the recipe I have I don't use half and half, like in Alton's recipe, but whole milk and of course the other two leches, condensed and evaporated.

I was really suprised at how fast the milk absorbed in the cake, but still not sure rather or not would I like it.

Well, Alton is based here in Georgia, and here, they are VERY popular. During my tenure at Publix, we had people asking for them ALL the time! (We carried one, but it was pre-made and a single serving). I've never had one, though. They didn't sound/look good to me.

I got my recipe from a book Virginia Slims put out a couple of years ago called THE LADY HAD SECONDS. Before someone gave me this book I had never heard of it. I started reading the recipes and thought the tres leches sounded interesting. I made the original recipe and chocolate, they were a hit at work. I missed that show, maybe they will air it again. I'd like to see how Alton Brown does it.

These are some of the tres leches cakes that I did,

I LOVE to watch Good Eats!
I've never heard of a tres leches cake....what is it like?

Yes actually really good. Then again, it depends who makes it.

Some people soak it so much, that not all the liquid is absorbed and there is too much milk in it.

But it tastes very good because it is chilled and topped with whipped cream. Yum!

Okay, this is too funny... I have one in the oven as we speak... so glad to see you can take it out of the pan and decorate it...

Used Alton'e recipe I'll let you know how it turns out.

tweety, you ever had a piece of cake n put milk on it? And ate it that way? That sorta what a three milks or tres leches cake tastes like. And yeah, they are very popular, especially with the latino crowd.
Afraid to say though, that they probably shouldn't be stacked because once soaked with the three milks mix they are very delicate. I use whipped icing (non-dairy or the real thing) exclusively on mine. The cake isn't sturdy enough for buttercream and then again it's way way WAY to sweet if ya did it that way. That's just my opinion though.
They are very good if you put fresh fruit in them like strawberries or bananas n kiwis or canned peaches (I mix the juice from the can with the three milks, o man is THAT good!!)
These CANNOT be left out, they must be refrigerated (best eaten chilled anyway) because of the milk in em. They are also best eaten fresh too, the milk has a tendency to follow the laws of physics n leak out of the bottom even if it was soaked correctly (not soggy, but deliciously moist). Just a coupla pointers I have learned.
There is a great recipe for the cake and the milk mix here on the site. I will post it as soon as I can find it. LOL

Lilytexas, your cakes are really pretty decorated. I didn't know you could decorate the whole cake like that. The only pictures I ever saw, they just decorated the top with whipped cream and fruit.

I would love the decorate the whole cake like that, very beautiful.

As far as it being wet, the Latinas I work with told me I should be that way, they said it was what they are used to. I prefer it not be so wet, I assume if you want to decorate the whole thing, being too wet would make it kind of difficult.

tyty, is not dificult, I put the milk in the cake and then I let the cake stay overnigth in the fridge, and in the morning I flip it over to another tray and with the spatula I take off some of the excess milk from the bottom, then I put the cake in a cake board and start decorating with crema chantilly. I sell from 20 to 26 cakes per week.(hope you understand my english )

lily your tres leches cakes are beautiful...and your decorations are awesome!

I had never heard of tres leche cake,until I did a search when looking for a Cinco de Mayo dessert. I made one, it was amazing. I made a sheet cake size. Took it to a party, there were 25 people and they ate almost the entire thing. I loved it. I will make one again.

Wow thats alot of cake, they are really pretty.what is crema chantilly and do you have a recipie you would be willing to share? My brother loves tres leches and I would love to make him a really nice one with something other than whipped cream on top.

Crema de chantilly is not a recipe I buy it at bakemark wharehause in dallas.

Thank you, hopefully I can find that in California.

so is the crema de chantilly just like a whipped topping? I have made a few tres leches cakes, and everybody loved them, I even decorated but I used whip-n-top (non-dairy whipped topping, purchased from a bakery supply in Houston) which I use for my whipped icing.

The tres leches I made was from a box (ok I cheated) - I think it was Duncan Hines...but noone could tell, everyone thought it was scratch - I didn't tell them differently...

The main problem I had was milk leaking out the bottom and trying to find something to put it on so that the milk wouldn't breakt the cardboard! It was for an 11X15, so it took about 5 or 6 of the boxed mixes (smaller than standard mixes) and I still didn't use all the amount of milk called for and still had too much! Next time I'll remember to soak overnight, flip, then transfer to cardboard - is that the best method?

It reminds me of Better Than Sex cake where you make a chocolate cake, poke it, pour evaporated condensed milk & caramel over the top. Then top with whipped cream and Heath bar bits. I'm not a huge fan of it but my aunt loves it and makes it often.

lilytexas, your tres leche cakes are beautiful.

I can't imagine decorating the one I made, as it was quite wet from all the milks even after chilling overnight...

Don't want to put you on the spot, but it would be GREAT if you could do a little tutorial for the tres leche challenged.

P.S. For those interested in the BakeMark, Westco or Trigal
Dorado products:

http://www.bakemarkusa.com/

Jan you are so my hero

I'm so glad I found this forum!!! I need to make a wedding cake in September and the bride wants tres leches cake. Are you guys saying that it is IMPOSSIBLE to stack them or has anybody tried to? I need to make a 3 tier cake! HELP!!!!!

You could get one of those floating tier stands or one of the cascade stands but I wouldn't stack them myself. The cake with the milk is way way too delicate and will just mush n run. It would be like trying to stack jello.

I put the milk in the cake and then I let the cake stay overnigth in the fridge, and in the morning I flip it over to another tray and with the spatula I take off some of the excess milk from the bottom, then I put the cake in a cake board and start decorating with crema chantilly. I sell from 20 to 26 cakes per week.
this are the steps just scrooll down
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-4018063-.html#4018063

VERY GOOD SHOW! I HAVE A RECIPE THAT IS VERY SIMILAR OF THE ONE IN THE SHOW AND IT IS GREAT. YOU CAN ALSO DO CHOCOLATE TRES LECHE IIT IS DELICIOSO....

LilyTexas,
Which recipe do you use for Tres Leches?

i, too, can't fathom decorating.....
mine are milky, moist and drippy....

i've never had a tres leches, but i made one for someone.....
she loved it.....

but...it was IN a disposeable pan, no way to decorate as far i could tell....

sally