I found this great article by the by the New York Times 36 Hours in Honolulu and this beautiful photo of Kanoe MIller by Cory Lum for the New York Times...
HALEKULANI COCONUT CAKE
with Chocolate Sauce
8 Servings
INGREDIENTS AND METHOD FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:
3/4 cup Cake flour
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tsp Baking powder
1 pinch Salt
2 Tbsp Salad oil
1 each Egg, large, whole
2 Tbsp Water
4 each Egg whites
1/4 cup Sugar
1 pinch Cream of tartar
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, sift together the cake flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Reserve.
- In a separate bowl, combine salad oil, whole egg and water. Add to sifted ingredients to form a batter, and mix until a smooth consistency is obtained.
- In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and continue to whip until a stiff meringue is formed.
- Fold meringue into the batter and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased 9" spring form pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan, cool upside down on a cooling rack.
INGREDIENTS AND METHOD FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 each Vanilla bean, split in half
1/3 cup Sugar
3 tbsp Flour
4 each Egg yolks
1 1/4 cups Coconut flakes
Method:
- Bring the milk and the split vanilla bean to a boil. Reserve and let cool.
- In a mixing bowl combine the sugar, flour and egg yolks, whip together.
- Remove the vanilla bean from the cooled milk and add 1/3 of the milk to the egg mixture, mix well.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pan of remaining milk. Over medium heat, continue stirring until mixture begins to bubble and thicken.
- Remove from heat, cover with aluminum foil and stir occasionally to prevent crusting. When completely cool, add coconut flakes.
INGREDIENTS AND METHOD FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
1 ½ cups Whipped cream
3 tbsp Sugar
1 ½ cups Coconut flakes
- In a mixing bowl, combine the whipped cream, sugar and 1/2 of the coconut flakes.
Half of this mixture is to be folded into the pastry cream and the remainder is to be used to frost the cake. The remaining half of the coconut flakes is to be used for coating the frosted cake.
INGREDIENTS AND METHOD FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
1 cup Milk
3/4 lb Chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Heavy cream
1 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Sugar
- In a sauce pan, combine the milk and chocolate, bring to a boil. Add the cream, butter and sugar and again bring to a boil. Remove from heat and keep warm.
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TO ASSEMBLE & SERVE:
- Cut the cooled cake into 3 layers.
- Spread pastry cream atop the bottom two layers, assemble the cake.
- Frost with the whipped cream and sprinkle with coconut flakes to finish.
- Slice the cake into desired portions and serve with warm chocolate sauce.
