Hints on making genoise from Dessert University by Roland Mesnier

[marilynfl]

White House Pastry Chef for 25 years (I guess both donkeys and elephants like a nice dessert).

1. When whipping the eggs, reduce the speed to MEDIUM after 5 minutes. Whipping longer at high speed will create large bubbles which will collapse during baking >> resulting in a flat, heavy cake.

2. If you have already overwhipped the batter, tap the cake pan on the counter a few times to burst the bigger bubbles.

3. Leave butter out if you want a lighter cake. Leave butter out if you plan to heavily soak the cake layer as drier cake will absorb more. Leave butter in for a slightly heavier cake, but one with more flavor.

4. Baked genoise freezes well for up to 1 month.

 

[charlie]

Good hints M--I've got one---to know if you have full expansion of the eggs..

while they are beatting; pick a spot in the bowl close to the main mixture --like a dot of splatter--and see if the batter reaches it, if it, does pick another spot, and so on. When you pick a spot and after about 30 seconds the batter doesn't reach it---you have full expansion.

 

[oli]

I've never been happy with the heights of my genoise, maybe these hints will help

 

[marilynfl]

oli, mine have never been more than 2" high, but then that works for what I'm making.

 

[traca]

Awesome tips. Thanks Marilyn. I have that book & haven't used it much. You?

 

[marilynfl]

Just got it from the library. I've tried most classics...I'm reading for hints now.