French Desserts basics: how to make genoise (light spongecake)

French desserts basics: how to make genoise (light spongecake)

Genoise is very important in french desserts it is a kind of spongecake that does not use any baking powder to leaven, it only uses the air that is created when you mix the ingredients, it's really easy to make but it is recommended that you learn to make a really good genoise before you can attempt to make more complicated desserts because it is the basis for so many of them, like layer cakes, roll cakes, ladyfingers and many others.

This is a dry kind of cake typically and is perfect to be soaked in syrups creams liqueur etc.

Next is the recipe and a video of the whole process.

Basic Genoise recipe:

• 4 Eggs
• 225 grams Sifted Flour
• 125 grams sugar

1. Place a bowl with the eggs and sugar in a "bain marie" ( the bowl placed on a pot with hot water, be careful that the temperature of the eggs only is warm if not they are going to cook)
2. Beat it with an electric mixer until it turns pale yellow.
3. Add the flour and mix it slowly with a spatula in circular folding motion.
4. Line a 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease it very well.
5. Pour the batter into the pan.
6. Bake at 350º F for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

There are also variations to this recipe:

Genoise with butter recipe

• 8 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Same procedure as above only add the melted butter an vanilla at the end.

And here's the video enjoy: