Genoise and Raspberries and Cream... Oh my!!

There was no way I was going to pass up a Genoise Sponge when I saw it on The Cake Slice Bakers list this month. 

It is one of my favourite sponges, light and airy and perfect with fresh fruit and cream. I was excited to see how Roger Pizey of World Class Cakes made his and followed the instructions in earnest. 

But alas, it was pretty much the same as every other Genoise recipe I have tried. Not that that was a bad thing, but there was nothing a teeny bit special about it. I did not however, use a the sugar syrup mentioned in the recipe. I really dislike, with all my baking heart sugar syrups used on cake layers to keep them moist. My understanding is, if you have to pour sugar water onto your dried out old sponge, then your recipe is wrong. Maybe that's the novice in me and someone can enlighten... I would love to stand corrected. 

Syrups as glazes and flavours, you can proceed, but sugar water.. YUCK!!! 

What the recipe did make for though, was an exceptionally light sponge, that melted in your mouth. There was no need for the sugar syrup in my opinion. The Chantilly Cream, a basic in most kitchens was a lovely accompaniment to the raspberries, not as sweet at this time of year and which happened to be on sale in my local store this week. And good thing too as there are a lot needed for this recipe.

The recipe it self called for one 8' round. Now. looking at the pictures in the book, I did not think the cake displayed was as small as an 8 inch. But I trusted the book.. I should have went with my gut. I opted to split the batter into two 6' pans, which actually resulted in me using three 6 inch pans and then ended up with double height cakes. You will see in the pictures below, they are very deep layers. Again, not a complaint.. the cake was ate up in no time, just something that I felt coming and ignored. 

Genoise Sponge with Raspberries and Cream

6 eggs

200g caster sugar

160g plain flour

25g plain flour

30g butter, melted

500ml Chantilly cream (recipe below)

625g fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325F or gas mark 3. Line two 8 inch round cake pan or three 6 inch with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until white and foamy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture has trebled in size.

Sift the flour and plain flour together and fold it, using a large metal spoon into the egg mixture, carefully.

Once incorporated, fold in the melted butter.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pans and bake in a preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middles comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

While the cake is cooling make the Chantilly Cream.

Chantilly Cream

500ml double cream

125g icing sugar

Whip the cream to soft peaks, sift in the icing sugar and continue to whip the cream until thick, stable ribbons form. Store in the fridge until needed. 

Putting it all Together

Once the cakes are cooled, spread a layer of the Chantilly cream on the bottom layer before arranging the fresh raspberries in circles on top.

Cover the raspberries with another layer of cream and then place the top layer of cake on the raspberries.

Spread a layer of cream on the very top (and sides if you wish) and place more raspberries. 

Serve.

So what do you think? It's worth a shot for sure.. I know it will be a hit because who doesn't love cake and cream and fruit when the summer is fast approaching!!

Have a great weekend folks!

An InLinkz Link-up

Snickers Macaron

I am always asked where do I get  the time? The time for this, that or the other. 

But the thing is I don't have the time. I have the same amount of time as you or anyone else and I just haphazardly decide what to spend my time on. That'll mean somethings get left out altogether, put on the back burner or get thrown on a list for "another day". Then there are somethings that the world stops for. Those moments where it doesn't matter what you are doing, the world stops.

Did you ever get one of those moments? The have to, right now this instant moments, where you just need a treat? Born out of the necessity to have something sweet and salty but you don't want to just go buy a snickers. That... and because you're in your pajamas since you got home from work and the thoughts of getting dressed again is just too much. Instead you decide you want to lavish over making something, that takes up all your time in the world and then is gone in about two bites. You know the moments I'm talking about right?

It's the salty peanuts. It's the crunch. It's the soft chewiness. It's the stuff it all in my mouth at once and not regret it-ness! 

This batch came to school with me and were a big hit! They are a super little hey look, I baked and you can have some, type of thing!  And they are gluten free too so you know, works for those with allergies..

Unless you've a peanut allergy... Then this post, really, is not for you.

Macaron Shells

This recipe doubles up nicely. 

I have never tripled it because holy moly... that makes a lot of macarons!

4 aged egg whites (and by aged I mean crack the eggs, leave them covered over in a bowl on your counter over night- up to 24 hours.)

100g caster sugar

150g ground almonds

280g icing sugar

3 tbsp cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons crushed salted peanuts

You need to start with a clean, grease free mixing bowl and a mixer. (I use the silver bowl and whisk off my stand mixer but, a hand mixer will do perfectly if that’s what you have!)

On a high speed, whip your egg whites until soft peaks form. Continue whipping the egg whites on a high speed and start pouring the caster sugar into the mixing bowl. I start off with a slow and steady stream and stop after 1/3 has gone in. I let it whip for a while and start again, adding another 1/3 and then stopping pouring sugar. Repeat for the third batch. 

Continue whipping for a further 3-4 minutes until your egg whites form a thick and glossy stiff peaked meringue. 

Sieve together the icing sugar and ground almonds into a large bowl and discard any large lumps or bumps you found were too big to go through the sieve. Sieve in the 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and then sieve the entire dry mix for a second time to make sure it is completely lump free and airy.

Taking a spatula, fold the egg whites into the almond, dry mixture. Your aim here is to squash out any air in the meringue. You can be rough with your folds, just make sure to keep folding through, making sure all the dry mix has been incorporated into the meringue.

You’re going for, what the internet describes as, a “thick ribbon” consistency. Essentially that means the mix almost falls back on itself in around 10 seconds.

I use a macaron silicone mat as a guide, under my parchment paper to pipe my macaron shells to size. You can print off macaron templates which are very helpful in giving you a good reference for size when you are piping out macaron. 

Line a few baking trays with parchment, and using your template, or not, pipe the rounds onto the tray. Keep going until you use all the mix- this recipe yields about 28-30 macrons shells. Giving you 14/15 whole macarons.

Holding your tray about a foot off above the counter top or table you are working at... drop it! Repeat this a couple of times to knock out any air bubbles and smooth out your macarons. Sprinkle the crushed peanuts over the wet tops one half of your shells and leave to dry. (You can so both sides if you like.. It's up to you!)

Leave the shells to rest so that they form a skin and have become dry enough on the outside that you can lightly touch them.  This process could take up to an hour.

Preheat your oven to 130C/250F, Gas mark 1/2.. Once the macarons are ready for the oven,  pop them in for 8 minutes. After the 8 minutes, insert a wooden spoon into the oven door to keep it a little bit open. Continue baking for another 4-6 minutes until the top of the shell is crisp and if you wiggled it, gently, from side to side. It should be one piece!

Remove from the oven onto a cooling tray and cool completely before filling. Continue baking whatever other shells are left in the same way.

Caramel Sauce

Cook 125g butter and 180g of dark brown sugar in a medium non stick pan over a medium heat for two to three minutes, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Whisk in 200ml of double cream and bring the entire thing to a light boil, stirring constantly.

Turn off the heat and allow to stand until it's cooled slightly, stirring often.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

225g soft, room temperature, unsalted butter
500g sifted icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla pod
up to 60ml cream/whole milk

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high until it is very soft and pale. (TIP: pop the butter in the microwave for a few seconds until very soft.)
Add in the icing sugar a few cups at a time.
If the buttercream is very thick, add a tablespoon of cream or milk in until the desired texture has been reached. 
Add the vanilla bean or paste.
Mix the bejeebus out of it until light and fluffy. The faster and longer you mix this, the lighter and fluffier it will be. 

Fill each of the macron halves with some buttercream and some caramel. Top with the macaron shell with the peanuts on it and serve. I like them left until the next day. leave them in the fridge over night, if you can, and allow to come to room temperature before serving. The flavours meld together and in my humble opinion, the macaron shells are nicer!

Let me know if you try them.. I would love to see how you got on!

A Choux Bun.. With a Twist.

This came to me. In class, last week while I was daydreaming about patisserie (as I do) and I thought why can't I do that? I can, nay I should do that. I should challenge myself to build a choux tower but on a miniture scale. On a cupcake.. on a bun. A choux bun.. ohmigoshyouguys.. 

And I did.

Only it took two attempts at the choux and another two attempts at the baking because the sizes were all over the place (I have figured out for you below so don't worry!). But the lads here didn't mind, sure they all love choux buns and the fact they were like little poppet sized ones made them even better. Made it a pain in the bum for me, to swat them out of the kitchen as they stole my mini morsels but nevertheless the challenge that was accepted, was fulfilled. 

And I have to say I am pretty smug about it too. Isn't that awful.. to be smug? I could dress it up and pretend to be proud of my creation but no.. nope, I am smug. Smugly smug with a huge grin like.. did you see what I made. Look what I made.. are you looking?

Good. 

Choux Pastry

100g butter
100ml water
70ml full fat milk
140g strong white flour
3 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F, Gas Mark 6.
Grease a baking sheet with butter.
In a pot, put the butter, water and milk and melt the butter over a low-medium heat. Once melted, bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and immediately tip in the four and stir vigorously until a smooth ball has formed and it comes away from the sides of the pot.
Put the pot back on the heat for a minute or so to further cook the dough, stirring all the time.
Remove from the heat once again and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs together and when the dough is cooled, start adding the eggs bit by bit.
Using your wooden spoon mix vigorously until you have a glossy, sticky mess. You may not use all the eggs here.. just add in what you need to make it thick, smooth and glossy.

Spoon little dollops out onto a greased tray and pop into the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your dollops. (the cupcake sized ones, only took 10.
Reduce the temperature, without opening the oven door to 170C and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, pierce a little whole in the side to release more steam and pop back in the oven for a further 5 minutes.

Allow to cool on a wire rack before filling.

Vanilla Cupcakes (makes 12)

110g of room temperature butter
225g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
125g plain/cream flour
 A half a teaspoon of baking powder
2 large free range  room temperature eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (I use vanilla bean paste)
125ml of whole, full fat milk.

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C or Gas mark 4. Line a 12 tray cupcake pan with cases.

Cream your butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale.
Add in an egg, one at a time until the yolks have been incorporated.
Dry whisk or sieve all your flours and the baking powder together.
Add the vanilla to your milk. 
Add half your dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg combination and then half the wet. Mix until combined and repeat. Be careful not to over mix the batter here as you want them to stay light and fluffy. Just make sure all the ingredients have been mixed together.
Fill your cases to two thirds full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You know they are done when the tops are golden, have a slight spring in them when you gently push down or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clear!

Allow to cool on a wire rack until cold and ready to be used. 

Vanilla Custard

1 vanilla pod
125g sugar
500ml milk
4 egg yolks
45g cornflour

Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and put the pod, plus the seeds in a pot.
Add 50g of sugar and milk and gently heat over a low-medium heat. but do not allow it to boil.
In a separate bowl whisk together the rest of the sugar, the eggs and the corn flour.
When the milk is hot, but not boiling, remove it from the heat and pour 3/4 of it into the egg mix. Whisk it all together and transfer it back into the pot and back onto the heat.
Allow the custard to cook, to become thick and bubbling for about 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and push through a sieve to remove any lumps, into a clean bowl.

Allow to cool before using it as a filling.

Caramel Sauce

Cook 125g butter and 180g of dark brown sugar in a medium non stick pan over a medium heat for two to three minutes, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Whisk in 200ml of double cream and bring the entire thing to a light boil, stirring constantly.

Turn off the heat and allow to stand until it's cooled slightly, stirring often.

Putting it all together...

Fill the profiteroles with your usual filling method, with the vanilla custard and leave to one side. Using a vanilla cupcake, dip the cupcake into the slightly warm caramel sauce and stick on a few of the profiteroles to form the base of your mini-croquembouche. Dip the underside of the next layer of profiteroles and stick to the layer previous, continuing along until you have built a tower.

Drizzle over and extra caramel sauce you see fit and pop into the fridge to harden for about 15 minutes.

And if you got through all that like I got through all that then you my friend are one lucky baker! And you can be smug like me. These little morsels of mmmmm... are sheer luxury. Not for the faint hearted or diabetics among us, but darn-it they are good.

And it was all thanks to Patisserie Week on the Great British Bake Off... A choux bun.. with a twist. Be sure to see what the other Bake Off bloggers got up to this week.. I know Jenny tried Mary's Mokatines and added her own twist. Why not swing by Naomi's blog and check out the linky?

French delights to be had, to be sure.