Mini Lava Chiffon Cake

Prepare 8-9 paper cake molds (5cm x 5cm) on a baking tray.

In a large bowl, combine milk and corn oil. Whisk until the mixture is emulsified and frothy.

Sift the cake flour into the milk and oil mixture. Whisk until just combined, without overmixing.

Separate three eggs. Add the three egg yolks to the batter and whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy.

Strain the batter through a sieve into another bowl to ensure it is perfectly smooth.

In a clean, dry bowl, add the egg whites, salt, and lemon juice. Beat with an electric mixer until large bubbles form.

Gradually add sugar in three parts to the egg whites, beating continuously until stiff peaks form. The meringue should hold its shape.

Fold about one-third of the meringue into the egg yolk batter to lighten it. Then, pour the mixture back into the remaining meringue and gently fold until just combined.

Transfer the final batter into a piping bag and pipe it into the prepared molds until they are 60-70% full.

Tap the baking tray on the counter to remove any large air bubbles from the batter.

Preheat the oven. Bake at 130°C (265°F) for 50 minutes, then increase the temperature to 150°C (300°F) and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small saucepan, add egg yolks, sugar, corn starch, and cake flour. Whisk until well combined.

Gradually pour in the milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.

Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until it is fully melted and incorporated.

Transfer the custard to a bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for about 1 hour until completely chilled.

In a separate bowl, whip the cold whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft to medium peaks form.

Take the chilled custard from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and beat it with a mixer to loosen it. Then, fold in the whipped cream in two batches until the filling is smooth and combined.

Using a chopstick or a similar tool, gently poke a hole in the center of each cooled chiffon cake to create space for the filling.

Transfer the custard filling to a piping bag fitted with a long, thin nozzle.

Insert the nozzle into the hole of each cake and pipe in the filling until the cake feels slightly heavier. Garnish the top with a small dot of filling.

Dust the tops of the cakes with icing sugar before serving.