That's pronounced: pah-stel im-poe-see-blay, Mexican-Spanish for Cake Impossible, a beautiful layered all-in-one cake-flan wherein 'impossible' refers to the fact that the flan batter is poured into the mold last (or on the bottom) but ends up on top after baking. You heard right--this isn't about what happens when you invert the dessert, it's that during baking the two batter literally switch places--in tact! I haven't made it myself but watched Rick Bayless make it on an episode of his series currently showing on PBS' Create channel. It's quite stunning, and el perfecto for the type of dessert eater who loves both cake and flan and hates to have to choose (like my husband). It's a procedure I've never seen before that I thought the bakers on this board would find quite interesting. Here's Rick's recipe.
Pastel Imposible (AKA Chocoflan)
Serves 12 generously
Recipe from Season 6 of Mexico--One Plate at a Time
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Ingredients
For the mold:
A little softened butter and some flour
1 cup store-bought or homemade cajeta (goat milk caramel)
For the cake:
3 ½ ounces (7 tablespoons) butter, slightly softened
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
Or 2 tablespoons espresso
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup cocoa powder (I like the more commonly available—not Dutch process—cocoa best here)
¾ cup buttermilk
For the flan:
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican vanilla
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Directions
Prepare the mold. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees and position the rack in the middle. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch round cake pan (you need one that’s 3 inches deep), sprinkle with flour, tip the pan, tapping on the side of the counter several times, to evenly distribute the flour over the bottom and sides, then shake out the excess. Microwave the cajeta for 30 seconds to soften it, then pour over the bottom of the pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Set a kettle of water over medium-low heat. Set out a deep pan that’s larger than your cake pan (a roasting pan works well) that can serve as a water bath during baking.
Make the cake batter. With an electric mixer (use the flat beater, if yours has a choice), beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light in color and texture. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the egg and espresso. Sift together the all-purpose and cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa. With the mixer on medium-low, beat in about ½ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat. Scrape the bowl, then raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
Make the flan mixture. In a blender, combine the two milks, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Layer and bake. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread level. Slowly, pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. (I find it easiest to pour the mixture into a small ladle, letting it run over onto the batter.) Pull out the oven rack, set the cake into the large pan, then set both pans on the rack. Pour hot water around the cake to a depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide the pans into the oven, and bake about 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out dry. Remove from the water bath and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Serving. Carefully run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake/flan to free the edges. Invert a rimmed serving platter over the cake pan, grasp the two tightly together, then flip the two over. Gently jiggle the pan back and forth several times to insure that the cake/flan has dropped, then remove the pan. Scrape any remaining cajeta from the mold onto the cake.