Génoise

A génoise cake is an Italian sponge cake (named after Genoa, Italy) that uses air suspended in the batter during mixing for its volume. The batter is often baked to form a thin sheet, as used in Tiramisu. Or the thin sheets are coated with a thin layer of jam or chocolate spread and rolled. I made one of these in Italy on a hot August day with my relatives…it was my one and only cooking experience in Italy. The batter can also be piped to create strips, which form ladyfingers, or poured into molds to make treats such as Madeleines.

Because of its dryness, its often soaked with liqueurs or flavored syrups, and/or served with a frosting.

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What about the eggs? Most sponge cakes are made by beating the yolks and eggs separately. The Genoise is made by using the whole egg, and sometimes extra yolks are added.

Here is a recipe similar to the one I used that hot day in Italy. Enjoy!

Basic Genoise Recipe

Génoise is usually baked in either a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or a 9-inch springform pan.

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

* Cooking spray
* 1 tablespoon cake flour
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup unsifted cake flour (about 3 3/4 ounces)
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 4 large eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray; line with wax paper. Coat paper with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.

Cook butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned (about 4 minutes). Pour into a small bowl; cool and set aside.

Lightly spoon 1 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1 cup flour and salt in a sifter. Sift the flour and salt once; set aside.

Beat sugar, vanilla, and eggs at high speed of a mixer until ribbons fall from beaters (about 10 to 15 minutes or until the egg mixture holds its shape). Lightly spoon one-third of flour mixture onto egg mixture; quickly fold. Repeat procedure twice with remaining flour mixture.

Stir about 1 cup batter into cooled browned butter. Gently fold butter mixture into remaining batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake in jelly-roll pan at 375° for 12 minutes or in spring form pan for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean or the cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Loosen from sides of pan; turn out onto a wire rack. Carefully peel off wax paper. Cool completely.

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