Genoise sponge cake - classic

Votes: 6

How to make - Classic Genoise sponge cake

Time: 50 min.
Complexity: easily
Quantity: 2 biscuits

Genoise, or Genoese sponge cake, is considered difficult to make, but if you strictly adhere to all the proportions and recommendations of the classic recipe, you'll get a tender and airy base for any cake or pastry. Its main advantage is that it soaks easily and takes on the flavor and aroma of the soaking mixture. Genoise pairs harmoniously with almost any type of cream. It can also be served with tea, simply dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with your favorite syrup.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

8 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
2.5 tablespoons of honey
2 cups premium wheat flour, sifted

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: premium flour, eggs, honey

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Place a liter saucepan half-filled with water on the stove and bring to a gentle simmer. Place a large bowl on top of the saucepan. Crack the eggs, add the yolks, honey, and sugar.
While whisking, heat the mixture in a double boiler to 45°C (113°F) for 7 to 10 minutes (use a syrup thermometer to measure the temperature of the egg foam). The mixture will foam for several stages, then become smooth and thicken. The mixture should be thick, light-colored, and hot to the touch. It should triple in volume and flow from the whisk in a wide stream. The sugar should be completely dissolved.

Remove the bowl from the double boiler and continue beating the dough with a mixer at medium-high speed for about 7 to 10 minutes, until it cools, doubles in volume, thickens slightly, and turns pale yellow. Beat thoroughly, otherwise the cake will be too dense.

Then, very carefully fold the flour into the dough using a spatula until it's completely incorporated. Mix the dough from the very bottom of the bowl, but don't overmix it. It shouldn't collapse.
Grease 20cm round baking pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and fill them 3/4 full with batter. Preheat the oven to 175°C and bake for 30 minutes, until the cake rises well and is golden brown.
Let the genoise cool slightly. Then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. The finished sponge cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for 2-3 weeks. Defrost and let it come to room temperature before using.

Chef's Notes

Genoise sponge cake is used as a base for many French desserts, including pastries, rolls, and tarts. It's made with eggs and is quite dry, so it needs to be soaked in syrups such as lemon, coffee, or chocolate. It also pairs well with any cream, ganache, or fondant. You can make the sponge cake with cake flour, adding melted butter.

Make Genoise with matcha (green tea), replacing 10-20% of the total flour weight with matcha (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup).

Genoise can also be made with butter. In this recipe, you can use 5.5 tablespoons (80 g) of butter instead of 3 large egg yolks. Melt and cool the butter, then fold it into the dough after the flour.