Have you ever opened and partially used a can of condensed milk, only to wonder what to do with the rest of it? I’m often faced with this predicament, usually after I’ve made a batch of my Dark Chocolate & Sea-Salt Fudge or poured myself a Vietnamese Cold Brew Iced Latte.

Well, as I recently discovered, half a can of condensed milk is really all you need to bake an elegant loaf cake too. It’s the perfect tea-time treat. Dewy, deliciously moist and speckled with hazelnuts, with a splash of coffee adding a delicate kick of caffeine to go with your afternoon cuppa.

I added dark chocolate chips to curb my cocoa cravings too and was pleasantly surprised to discover that rather than studding the final cake, they sank to the bottom of the batter whilst baking, manifesting in a rather fabulous chocolatey crust! As I’m also discovering, baking is both a scientific and magical process, with an element of alchemy never amiss in revealing such unexpected new dimensions…

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Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp instant coffee (we use Illy)
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
• 7 tbsp (100 gm) butter
• 1 tbsp Demerara (brown) sugar
• 13 tbsp (200 gm) condensed milk
• 1/2 cup (125 gm) refined flour
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Method:

• In a pan, add the instant coffee to the milk and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Then, put the pan to heat and bring the coffee to a simmer (around 5 minutes or so), before keeping the milk aside.
• Whisk together the butter and sugar till light and fluffy (use an electric hand mixer if you have one). Then add the milk and condensed milk, whisking well to combine.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda; then fold these dry ingredients into the milk and sugar batter using a spatula.
• Next, fold in your chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts, taking care not to over-mix.
• Pour the batter into a lined cake tin, baking at 180° C for 30 – 35 minutes; you’ll know the cake is ready when a skewer or toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the loaf tin on a wire rack, before tucking in!