Bird's milk
10 servings
120 minutes
Bird's milk is one of the most delicate desserts of European cuisine, surrounded by legends. Its name symbolizes something rare and precious, and its history traces back to the Soviet past where it won the hearts of sweet lovers. This airy cake consists of a soft sponge base, light vanilla soufflé, and rich chocolate glaze. The unique texture is achieved thanks to agar-agar, which makes the soufflé dense yet melt-in-your-mouth. The delicate creamy flavor complemented by the aroma of vanilla and a hint of lemon juice makes this dessert a perfect ending to a festive dinner. It is served chilled to harmonize the textures while the chocolate glaze adds pleasant depth. Bird's milk is not just a cake but gastronomic poetry that delights from the very first bite.
1
Soak agar-agar in a small amount of cold water for a couple of hours.
- Agar-agar: 5 g
- Water: 200 ml
2
For the cake base, beat 100 g of warm butter and 100 g of sugar well, then gradually add eggs one by one, and finally add flour. Spread the dough in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a silicone mat. It’s best to mark the shape of the cake (rectangular or round) with a pencil on the paper beforehand and spread the dough within its boundaries. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees.
- Butter: 250 g
- Sugar: 320 g
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Wheat flour: 200 g
3
For the soufflé, whip 150 g of warm butter and condensed milk, adding seeds from a vanilla pod.
- Butter: 250 g
- Condensed milk: 100 g
- Vanilla pod: 1 piece
4
Make syrup from agar-agar: add 220 g of sugar to water, bring to a boil, pour in the water with agar-agar, bring to a boil again while stirring, and cook for a couple more minutes to reach a temperature of 110 degrees.
- Water: 200 ml
- Sugar: 320 g
- Agar-agar: 5 g
5
In a separate mixer, whip the egg whites, pouring in hot syrup from agar-agar in a thin stream, then also in a thin stream add lemon juice squeezed from half a lemon, whip the egg whites until fluffy, then gradually add the mixture of butter and condensed milk, mixing until homogeneous.
- Egg white: 90 g
- Agar-agar: 5 g
- Lemon: 0.5 piece
- Butter: 250 g
- Condensed milk: 100 g
6
For the glaze, bring heavy cream to a boil, pour it over dark chocolate, and stir until the glaze is dark and smooth.
- Cream: 100 ml
- Chocolate: 100 g
7
Place the sponge in the cake mold, top with soufflé, then pour with glaze. Put the cake in the refrigerator for three to four hours to let the soufflé set.