It has been a while since I’ve done a dessert and with all that’s gone on in Boston since the marathon, and since all my friends are constantly reminding me of my Boston accent, I thought it would be fitting to try a Boston cream pie. The thing is, since this cake, yes, it is really a cake and not a pie, has three distinct parts or recipes to it, and since I have limited space, I will give you one recipe for the next three articles.
I believe this particular cake was invented in Boston sometime in the 1800s, and cakes were made in pie tins at the time because they didn’t have cake tins yet, hence the name. Anyway, another reason for breaking it down into three articles is that each recipe is versatile and can be used for many other things besides a Boston cream pie.
For example: the Genoise sponge cake is awesome as a regular birthday cake with a nice vanilla, chocolate, lemon, or pretty much any flavor butter cream frosting on it. Also, strawberries are in season now and this cake is a classic using whipped cream instead of frosting and fresh strawberries or even mixed berries. When people serve strawberry shortcake, it is more often than not served on a sponge cake and not really a short cake.
When I make this cake, I use the same techniques I learned back during my apprenticeship because since I was learning from one of the best and it worked so well, I see no need to change now. There are a few musts: all your bowls and utensils must be clean and grease free. I rub down the mixing bowl with the lemon I take the rind from and also rub it on my hand before folding in the flour. This was one of the techniques taught to me that you can choose to leave out if you want. Besides eliminating any oils, it adds a slight lemon flavor that I like.
I also use my hand to fold in the flour and the butter, but you can use a spatula. For me, it is easier to tell everything is folded in completely, as well as there is not as much plopping the batter around so it stays fluffy. Use a ladle to transfer the batter to the tins to be sure they are both even and to avoid excess plopping. If I was making more than one, I would weigh the tins to be sure they were all the same, but using the ladle for two tins will work fine. Enjoy.
Genoise Sponge Cake
- Makes 2 8- or 9-inch cake layers
- 8 whole eggs
- 3 yolks
- 1 1/8 C sugar
- 1 C cake flour
- ¼ C + 2 T all purpose flour
- 1/3 C cornstarch
- 4 oz. melted, unsalted butter
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 1 lemon rind
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of the tins with parchment paper, grease and flour them. Place the butter in a pot and add the zest of the lemon. Wipe down the bowl and paddle of the mixer with the lemon.
Add the eggs and yolks to the mixing bowl, cover and let come up to room temp while getting everything else ready. Sift the flour and corn starch together twice. Put a pot of water on a burner to use as a double boiler for the mixing bowl. Whisk the sugar with the eggs. Place the mixing bowl over the pot of water and over medium to medium high heat constantly whisking until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture gets to be luke warm to the touch, around 110 degrees.
Place on the mixer and beat with the paddle on high until it doubles in size and reaches the ribbon stage. When you lift the paddle from the bowl the batter will slowly flow back down and leaves little walls for a few seconds as it lands in the batter.
Add the vanilla and beat until fully mixed. Sift 1/3 flour mix over the top of the batter and use an open hand (fingers slightly spread) or spatula, using long strokes down the side of the bowl to the bottom and up to fold in the batter until fully incorporated. Repeat two more times until all of the flour is mixed in. Try not to plop the batter too much. Use closed hand (fingers together and slightly cupped) or spatula and fold in the butter again in three stages not allowing it to pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Ladle the batter into your tins gently. Give the pans a few taps on the counter and run a thin knife through to release any air bubbles, set the tins in the middle of the oven, with the pans not touching, and bake 10 to 20 minutes. Top should be golden and toothpick should come out clean, but cake should not be pulling off the sides of the tins. Remove from oven, run a sharp knife around the edge, and let cool for 3 minutes. Remove from tins and place on a wire rack right side up until completely cool.
Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events. For more information and archived copies of Stir it Up, visit chefsmitty.com. Smitty welcomes your questions and comments at smitty@chefsmitty.com or (530) 412-3598
