Dede Wilson, the author of The Wedding Cake Book, encourages us to make our own cakes for our parties. One of the most satisfying aspects of baking your own desserts, says Wilson, is that no matter what mistakes you make, you are still left with something edible. It is important to relax into the process and enjoy the freedom that comes from knowing you can eat your mistakes and begin again. Decorating the cake is not as important to Wilson as how it tastes. In order to focus on the flavor, she likes the outer appearance of her cakes to hint at the ingredients within. She achieves this goal by using items such as nuts and chocolate with the icing as well as in the batter. The Genoise cake is one of Wilson's specialties, and she assures us that it is easy to make. This French sponge cake is slightly dry so that it soaks up the syrup that is poured on top. The most common type of Genoise cake is a layered cake filled and covered with a caramel buttercream. Ingredients: 3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
3/4 cup cornstarch, sifted
1/3 cup warm, clarified butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 6"x2" cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper. Resift the cake flour and cornstarch together and set aside. Combine clarified butter and vanilla in a small bowl; set aside. These should be allowed to warm to room temperature. For the batter to reach maximum volume, warm the eggs inside their shells in a bowl filled with hot water for about 10 minutes. Break the 5 whole eggs into a mixing bowl and separate the other 2 eggs before adding the yolks to the bowl. Gently fold the butter and vanilla into the dry mixture of flour and cornstarch. Slowly add the eggs and sugar, using a whisk to gently turn the batter over in broad strokes. Pour the mixture into the pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges will just begin to shrink from the sides, and the color will be pale gold. Let cakes cool on a baking rack. After the cakes are cool, brush with a sugar syrup, which will lend moistness to the dessert. Wilson says to boil water and sugar, remove from heat and let chill. Add dark rum for a flavorful syrup that will enhance your guests' enjoyment. Her recipe for the caramel buttercream frosting can be found in her book, listed below. She likes to decorate with chopped nuts on the side and sugar cherubs on the top: combine super-fine sugar and water to the consistency of wet sand and pack into an angel-shaped mold. Let dry for 24 hours, then pop out of the mold onto a flat surface. Paint with food coloring for added appeal. For a lighter version of the Genoise cake, pour the batter into a bundt pan and when the cake is cool, fill the middle with fresh fruits and berries. Dust with confectioners sugar and ring the edge of cake with fresh flowers for stunning results (figure A).
RESOURCES :
The Wedding Cake Book
Model: 0028612345
Author: Dede Wilson
(1997)
Simon & Schuster
New York, NY 10020
Phone: Private
Fax: Private
Email: ssonline_feedback@simonsays.com
Website: www.simonsays.com
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