Coconut and Jam Génoise with Ganache

 

Yeah, so I have been away for a month. I'm not even going to make excuses. There have been things for me to do, but frankly, if I told you everything that went on in my life, you'd realise that I wasn't really completely super fabulous and stop coming back here. So rather than the boring truth, let's just say that I was off trying to find someone who actually likes Thousand Island salad dressing.

I reckon that that would take at least a month or two. Which explains the absence rather well.


I was planning on posting something else today (another cake, as it happens), but sadly, I forgot to put my recipe notes into the suitcase when I was packing for my trip (I'm am typing this from my hotel room). So you get a rather fancy-looking cake with a difference. The difference being that it was made expressly to use up ingredients I had lying around. Though admittedly this was months ago, so I can't remember exactly why I had to use them. It was probably to do with cream. There's always too much cream. I know it's stupid and illogical, but I always feel that if I cook with the cream, not having it in the fridge any more makes me feel better. Healthier. Even if all I do is turn it into ganache!

I see that actually, now I think about it, last month's cake was also made to deal with too much of the white stuff. But I stand by that cake; I have made it twice more since. Once for a friend's housewarming, and once for a friend's thirtieth. Though on both those occasions I added the zest of an orange. I don't think that there can be more than a handful of things in life that can't be made better with the addition of fresh orange zest, though obviously, Thousand Island is very much on the list.

I don't even like typing the words.

So. My 'use-up' cake. I think really, in posting this, what I want to convince you to do is try making a génoise. I have implored you to do this before, but truly, it is a magical cake and you would doing yourself a great disservice not to at least have a go.

The gossamer-textured crumb is kept moist by infused sugar syrup. Mine contained Malibu (ha!), but since the sponge is simply flavoured with vanilla, frankly you could play with this any number of ways. You could drench the cake with lavender syrup, made by steeping dried lavender in the warm sugar and water solution, and smooth white chocolate cream cheese frosting around the cake instead of ganache. You could even add orange zest to that very white chocolate cream cheese frosting. And if you did all of those things, well, you could even go one step further and Fed Ex a piece right over to my house. I'd make sure somebody was home.

Coconut and Jam Génoise with Ganache

OK, from memory, this cake was made up of various components that I already had. I'll give you a recipe for the ganache below, because I have the amounts of each ingredient needed down to a tee for this size of cake. But otherwise:

• the cake itself was made following these strictures;
• the jam was homemade and I used about 1/2 a jar to sandwich the split layers of cake;
• camelias are not edible. Remove before eating!
• I didn't make the shredded coconut. I'm not Superman. 

Now, the ganache and syrup are pretty easy peasy. I'd make the ganache first, since it needs to cool. To do that, break up 200g of your favourite eating chocolate. I seem to remember making up the weight of this with white chocolate, so don't worry about mixing things up. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour over 250ml double cream that has been heated just until it nearly boils. Don't actually let it boil. I believe this is known as 'scalding'. Stir until the chocolate is melted and allow to cool. It should then be thick enough to frost the cake.

The syrup is simple: heat 60ml water and 60g caster sugar together until the sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly and add 3 tbsp liqueur of your choice. Use to moisten the cake before frosting it.

OK, how thrown together was that? Proper post next time!

Frangelico-Infused Genoise Cake

Bundt cake! For 'I Like Big Bundts 3', why ever else?

We all make mistakes sometimes. (Don't worry, I'm not talking about getting married.)

Once, I dusted and polished the entire upstairs of my house with a can of Raid ant poison, thinking it was Mr. Sheen. I consider it a miracle that we didn't die and have actually only recently (as in within the last 6 months) stopped worrying about possible health problems we could end up facing.

I also once accidentally tipped a waiter in Chambéry around €20 for bringing us the hugely difficult to remember order of a citron pressé and coffee (which came to about €6). I am actually appalled that he didn't give me the money back to be honest, but hey: you'll never be able to call me a bad tipper

The mistake I made today was dancing for too long in the kitchen when the good light (for taking photos) was available. I'm sorry readers, I just couldn't help it. I'm powerless to resist the charms of a well timed pop song on the radio. This could all lead to a new career change though: I reckon I could be one of Britney's dancers. I've been told I am all shoulder (in terms of style), so would fit right in to her video anyway. Look. Specifically at 2:03. I could do that. And make genoise cake at the same time.

I just wouldn't be able to photograph it in decent light...

I know that, really, a plain cake like this should have some sort of garnish. But it's for a dinner party and is going to go with some Frangelico whipped cream and raspberries. I'm so not mucksying up my beautiful cake stand with that lot just to get a photo of it now. They're more of an 'on the side when you actually eat it' type thing. The obvious choice - that's flowers from the garden to those who don't know - is not an option in freezing Cardiff today, so, searching around for something else to brighten up my pages with, I decided to snap a quick portrait of my Doraemon hand wash dispenser. Enjoy.

Lovely.

Oh, and thanks for all your lovely comments and well wishes. I feel very happy indeed. Maybe I'll post a few more photos of the day when I get a chance. And the cake!


Frangelico-Infused Genoise Cake
adapted from Rose's Heavenly Cakes

You will need:

50g clarified butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 large eggs

125g caster sugar

66g plain flour (cake flour, should such be available)

60g grams cornflour

For the syrup:

65g sugar
160ml water
45ml (3 tbsp) Frangelico, or liqueur of your choice (please not Jägermeister)

1. This recipe is for a regular 10-cup bundt tin, such as those made by Nordic Ware. Please grease the hell out of it before proceeding. If you can get hold of baking spray oil, then please do. Heat the oven to 180­°C.
2. Follow the method given in this post to make the genoise batter. Bake for around 25 minutes, and immediately unmould the cake onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the syrup: heat the sugar and water in the microwave until dissolved; add the liqueur when cool.
4. Brushing the cake with the syrup (and all of it) is essential. It will take a few minutes, but make sure to apply all of the syrup. Set the cake aside for at least 12 hours, ideally more, to allow the syrup to distribute and flavour the sponge.
5. Serve with cream and berries.

Cooking Fears: Genoise Cake and Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Life is too short to wear cheap shoes. It's also too short to drink cheap wine, but most people already know and agree on that. I have a feeling though that you might not be with me on the shoes, so allow me to explain my thinking. Please.

I always flinch when I see the cost of footwear in shops. But when you consider how long you'll wear a good pair of boots for, and how frequently, the cost per wear falls quickly. I bought some brown leather ones in New York a few years ago, and messed up the exchange rate (read: I was schmoozed into buying them by the very friendly shop assistant, and didn't bother to work it out). It was only when my Mastercard bill came the following month that I realised my error, and told myself that I was going to have to wear them at least three times a week over the next three years to make them cost effective. Fortunately, they combine impeccable style with unbelievable comfort and I have not once regretted the purchase. Unlike my cheap sandals from Muji which gave me a blister that took a month and a half to heal. Vile.

One strawberry, or many? It's a tough decision to make.

They have met with the fate of untold numbers of well-heeled Cardiffians' shoes though: worn down soles. It's all this traipsing around on Victorian paving slabs.

Anyway, I thought they were ready for the bin, and was distraught. I'm not in a position, financially speaking, to be chucking money around at the moment. New shoes would mean reverting to my lentils and rice diet, and I had enough of that last month. So I had them re-heeled, which was a first for me. And readers: it should be a first for you too. I have new old shoes, and at a bargain price.

Rewarding first time experiences are great. Like making genoise cake, and Swiss meringue buttercream. I had put it off long enough. I would no longer be slave to my fears. Just because I don't have a Kitchen Aid, does it mean I can't make these things? They both pre-date the stand mixer after all.

Genoise. Nude. Shock!

Rose Levy Beranbaum helped me out on this one. I can't tell you enough that you should buy her book. Buy it. Buy it. Buy it. It'll change the way you bake forever. And it's really cheap on Amazon right now.

Proof that I did this without a stand mixer. What are you waiting for?

Life is too short not to make genoise cakes and Swiss meringue butter cream. Get on it.


Genoise Cake
(from Rose's Heavenly Cakes

You will need:

50g melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 large eggs at room temperature

125g caster sugar

66g plain flour

60g cornflour or potato starch

Optional jasmine syrup:

60g sugar
60ml water
1 tsp jasmine extract

1. Grease and line a 24cm cake tin. Flour the sides too. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Warm the butter: if it contains lots of residue (using unsalted will limit this), pass it through a strainer. Add the vanilla, and pour into a small bowl.
3. Bring a sauce pan of water to a simmer and place a heatproof bowl over it. To the bowl, add the eggs and sugar; stir until just warm to the touch.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat, and beat the egg mixture with electric hand beaters on high speed for at least 5 minutes until it has more than quadrupled in volume.
5. Sift together the flour and cornflour. Remove a little of the egg mixture and whisk it into the bowl with the melted butter and vanilla and set aside.
6. Working quickly, fold in half of the flour mixture into the egg mixture and once it is incorporated, fold in the rest.
7. Scrape down the bowl to insure all the flour has been incorporated and then fold in the butter mixture. Immediately pour into the prepared cake tin.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sides begin to slightly pull away from the pan.
9. Make the syrup: heat the sugar and water in the microwave until dissolved; add the extract.
10. Once out of the oven, turn out the cake onto a wire rack immediately. Cool completely before brushing with the syrup, and icing with strawberry meringue buttercream.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
from (Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)

2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
175g butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
100g strawberries

1. Purée the strawberries. Set aside.
2. Place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture feels warm to the touch. Remove from the heat.
3. Beat the egg whites and sugar for 10 minutes until stiff peaks form.
4. Add the butter a little at a time and beat in.
5. Beat two minutes more, and then add the purée. Mix in and use immediately, or keep in the fridge for up to three days.