Trilece, in the world more known as tres leches is a cake originating from Latin America which I am not sure how or why but is also very popular in the Balkans (including Turkey), especially in Albania. In this post, we’ll try to find that out, share the traditional lokma recipe and teach you everything there is to know about this Arabic-Turkish dessert, including its origins, history, variations, and much more.
But first things first…
What Is Trilece?
Trilece is basically a song cake that uses three different types of milk in its preparation, cream milk, condensed milk, and regular milk (therefore the name tres leches) but the Albanian version is also soaked in liquid sugar syrup as if the original version isn’t sweet enough as it is. It’s a popular street food snack that’s usually eaten as a dessert or as a snack alongside a cup of tea or coffee. In addition to sherbet, you can also top your trilece with caramel sauce, cinnamon, or honey, even though that’s not very common.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like our guide to Albanian cheese.
Trilece Origin
The exact origins of the cake are often debated, as different countries in Latin America claim it as their own but we do know that it first appeared in the early-to-mid-20th century. As I said before, how did it become so popular in Albania, I’m not really sure and couldn’t find any reliable info about it online but nevertheless, it has become an important part of Albanian cuisine and is one of the country’s most popular desserts and it’s also quite popular in Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia as well.
Variations
Although one could argue that the trilece you find in the Balkan is a spinoff from the original, in this section we’ll only focus on the Balkan variations because if we analzye the preparation of tres leches in all countries in Latin America, this will be a very long article. In the Balkans, when we say variation, we usually refer to the syrup that’s being used to top the cake and therefore, you can find the classic trilece with vanilla syrup, chocolate trilece (with chocolate syrup), fruit-infused trilece, nutty trilece, caramel trilece, or even coffee-flavoured trilece.
The dessert is also popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also in Croatia but the preparation method is more or less the same and there aren’t regional variations as is the case with some other dishes.
Prepation Tips
Now before we get to the traditional trilece recipe, let me give you a few preparation tips for making the perfect trilece.
- Moist and Fluffy Sponge Cake: It needs to be done right- after you beat the eggs and sugar, be gentle with the dry ingredients, try to gently fold them and don’t overmix it, you don’t want your cake to be too dense.
- Sweet Syrup is almost as important as the base. It’s important that it’s warm when you pour it on the cake- not cold, and not hot.
- Creamy and Smooth Filling: You have to whip the cream until you feel soft peaks, before adding it into the condensed milk. Whip until you’re able to spread it.
- Time to Chill: At least 4 hours but ideally, overnight.
Serving
Before serving, you can use a bit more syrup and decorate your cake with some fruits like in the photo above. Some people also like to add some cinnamon, or powdered sugar but personally, I think it’s an overkill. Even though primarily dessert, trilece is a very versatile sweet- you can find it being sold among street food vendors/bakeries. Many people also like to eat trilece alongside a cup of Turkish tea, coffee or boza.
A Few Things You May Need
Mixer
Saucepan
Baking Tray
Trilece Recipe
Let us show you the traditional Albanian trilece recipe and teach you all there is to know about this tasty Albanian sweet.
Ingredients
For the sponge cake layers
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rum (optional)
For the creamy filling
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (optional)
For garnishing (optional)
- Caramel sauce
- Powdered cocoa
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a rectangular or square cake pan (around 9x13 inches) and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer.
3. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, milk, and vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Avoid overmixing.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While the cake is cooling, prepare the syrup by combining the water, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup thickens slightly. Remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool.
8. In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and plain yogurt (if using) until smooth. Fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until well combined.
9. Once the cake has cooled, use a knife or cake slicer to cut it into three even layers.
10. Place one layer of the cake back into the cake pan or a serving dish. Pour a generous amount of the syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Repeat this process with the remaining two layers.
11. Spread a layer of the creamy filling on top of the first soaked cake layer. Repeat this step for the other two layers, ensuring an even distribution of the creamy filling.
12. If you want to, drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the trilece.
13. Cover the trilece with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight.
14. Cut the trilece into individual portions and garnish with additional caramel sauce or fresh fruits, serve it, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 pieceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 583Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 248mgCarbohydrates: 66gNet Carbohydrates: 66gFiber: 1gSugar: 59gProtein: 11g
Did you ever try trilece? How did you like our recipe? If you have any questions about the trilece preparation, feel free to ask in the comments below.
Like it? Pin it.