Recipe(tried): Finally made the 1000 layer cake

I finally made the Steamed Chinese 1000 Layer Cake. Ok, here's what happened.

First, I decided to omit that second shortening. The only use I could figure was to coat the top of the cake so the papaya would stick.. I'm not sure it would since it's steamed and not baked. So I threw it out.

Second, I did not like just the coconut so I made a filling with about 1 1/2 cups sweetened ginger (just cooked in cane sugar but not with the sugar coating) which I found at whole foods. I put it through the food processor and then added 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut and 1 cup, more or less, powdered sugar. I melted the 1/4 cup butter and tossed it by hand because I did not want the pieces any smaller.

I made the dough as per the directions without any minor adjustments. I probably could have kneaded it a bit more. I hand kneaded it for about 10 minutes by dividing it in two and alternating the kneading. When on ball started getting to stiff I let it rest a minute and worked on the other one. I realized I was running out of time (got a late start because they don't carry shortening at Whole Foods). So I put it in the food processor in thirds.

I turned my oven on FOR ONLY 1 MINUTE (more is not better. Too hot and the yeast will die before it raises). Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, covered it lightly with plastic wrap and let it sit in the oven for 2 hours. It really needed the full two hours even with the "quick rise" yeast.

I divided it and rolled it out per the instructions. It says to divide the filling into something like 16 portions (for two cakes) but I thought that was a bit much. I just eyed it. I like a decent amount of filling so I put as much as I liked and folded until I ran out of the allocated filling. I let it rise in the preheated over for about 35 minutes. I forgot to put the papaya on the first one but went back later and put it on (I believe that was a mistake)

I cooked the cake for 30 minutes and it looked done. I did not test it.

I did not have time to steam the other one so I just left it in the oven while I was getting dressed for my dinner party.

When packing my stuff I looked at the second one and it was huge so I wrapped it lightly in plastic all the way around and took it with me.

By the time I got to the dinner party the first one I made had fallen in the middle. It was pasty, under proofed and under cooked. I believe that leaving the lid off trying to put the papaya on was part of the problem but after that it was just under proofed and under cooked.

By the time I got to the party the second one was about 1 1/2 hours over proofed. I had no faith in it but decided to steam it any way. I let it steam for an hour (because I was having such a good time I forgot it). When I pulled it out it filled out the entire basket. Oh, Yeah.. I forgot to mention that I cooked the first one in a glass dish and the second one in a bamboo steamer. I believe that made a difference too. Anyway... the second one was big and beautiful. I still had no faith... over proofed, over cooked.. this was not going to bode well.

Surprise, surprise, surprise. I cut into it as serving time (it was still slightly warm) and it was cooked and many layered with a lovely yeasty flavor. The ginger and coconut worked well though I think the papaya needed to be chopped much more. I just sliced the strips into thin slices but they did not stay on. Finely ground or paste like would have been better, I believe.

Everyone enjoyed it. Emille who travels the world and has been to china told me that it was exactly the correct texture. He told me that I was amazing (blush) but then he likes my cooking. So, even with all the mishaps it turned out very good. I think I would make it again. I would be a lovely brunch item.