Blue Pea Flower Marble Chiffon Cake ~蓝花戚风蛋糕

The Blue Pea flower is highly valued in Ayurvedic medicine as a memory enhancer, antistress and tranquilizing agent.  In Malay it is called 'Bunga Telang' and its petals are very versatile as it's a great source of natural blue colour food dye.  Initially when I boiled the blue pea petals the colour was a dark blue but after baking, the colour changed to a slightly aquamarine bluish green.  Nonetheless this is a soft and moist chiffon and it's best served with a cup of Blue pea flower tea.

Blue Pea Flower Marble Chiffon Cake ~蓝花戚风蛋糕

Ingredients (A)

• 6 large egg yolks
• 75 ml vegetable oil
• 75 ml milk (I used soy milk)
• 50 gm caster sugar
• 90 gm plain flour
• 15 gm cornflour
• 30 petals of blue pea flower + 100 ml water

(B)

• 6 large egg whites
• 45 gm caster sugar

Method

1. Boil the blue pea flower in 100 ml of hot water, strain out 30 ml juice, set aside to cool.
2. Sift the plain flour, set aside.
3. Whisk egg yolks with sugar, add in oil and milk to combine well.
4. Sift in the flour again and fold into the yolk mixture till fully incorporated.
5. In another clean bowl, whisk egg whites till foamy, add sugar in batches and whisk till stiff peaks form, but not dry.
6. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter, mix gently.  Then pour this batter into the remaining egg whites, fold in till well incorporated.
7. Divide batter into 2 portions, add blue pea juice into one, mix well.
8. Scoop the plain batter into an ungreased 23 cm chiffon pan, followed by the blue pea batter, repeat.  Swirl the batter with a skewer.  Tap the pan on the counter top to expel air bubbles.
9. Bake in a preheated oven @ 170 deg.C for 45 to 50 mins. till golden brown.  Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.  Invert the cake immediately till completely cooled, then unmould by hand.