Albanian Three-Milk Cake (Trileçe)
Trileçe Say it: tree-LEH-cheh
Chilled and cut into squares, trileçe is the cake Albanians reach for at birthdays, café breaks and family gatherings. Its crumb is airy but soaked to a custardy softness with three milks, and the caramel top brings a glossy, faintly bitter edge. The practical appeal is simple: the cake improves after a night in the fridge, so it can be assembled ahead and sliced cold when guests arrive.
Albanian Three-Milk Cake (Trileçe)
Trileçe
Pronounced tree-LEH-cheh
- Serves
- 10
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the sponge
For soaking
For the caramel
Method
Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites with 1/4 tsp salt to soft peaks, then add half the sugar in a slow stream and continue whipping until the peaks are stiff and glossy.
In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla until the mixture is pale and thick. Fold the yolks into the whites in a few gentle turns. Sift the flour and baking powder over the top and fold in two batches, stopping as soon as no dry flour is visible.
Scrape the batter into the buttered dish and level it. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Leave the cake in the dish for 15 minutes, then pierce the surface all over with a skewer or fork.
Stir the evaporated milk, condensed milk and whole milk until combined. Pour the mixture slowly and evenly over the still-warm cake so it soaks in. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
To make the caramel, put the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let it cook without stirring, swirling the pan now and then, until it is deep amber, 8–10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the cream carefully; it will bubble. Add the butter and 1/4 tsp salt and whisk until smooth.
Allow the caramel to cool for about 10 minutes, until it is thick but still pourable. Spread it over the chilled cake with a spatula. Return to the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the topping can set a little.
Slice into squares and serve cold.
Regional variant: Trileçe with a hard caramel crust (Trileçe me karamel të fortë)
Skip the poured caramel sauce. When the milk-soaked cake is thoroughly chilled, scatter an even layer of granulated sugar over the top. Caramelise it with a kitchen torch, or run the cake under a hot broiler for 1–2 minutes while watching constantly. Let the sugar cool and harden into a shiny, crackly crust before cutting.
Cook's notes
- Keep an eye on the sponge and pull it from the oven as soon as it tests done; if it dries out, it will take up the milk less evenly.
- Chill the cake well before cutting, and wipe the blade clean between slices for neat edges.
- Should the caramel become too firm as it cools, warm it gently over low heat and stir in a little cream.
Serve with
Offer it cold with strong black coffee or Turkish coffee; it is not usually served with other desserts.
Make ahead and storage
The soaked cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before the caramel is added. Once topped, it keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the caramel will soften slightly.
