This week was the start of the second last course of Commercial Cookery; Cakes, Pastries and Breads. There are 6 lessons in this course block after which I move onto the final course, Deserts. The end is in sight, even though I still need to complete the required 48 service periods in a commercial kitchen under a trained chef. In this lesson we produced, Genoise Sponge filled with Strawberry Jam and Chantilly Cream, Madeira (Pound) Cake with Lemon Icing and Gluten-free Raspberry Friands.

As Baking is an exact science, there is no more joint preparation of ingredients, we are individually responsible for our own mise en place and weighing properly is essential. I enjoy baking, it makes sense and I’m really looking forward to this part of the course.

Chef spent quite a bit of time to show us how to prepare a cake tin, including those which have no base. Where as I am no novice when it comes to preparing cake tins, it is important that the teaching is at the level to inform the least knowledgeable students in the class.

I was delighted with the Genoise Sponge I turned out (recipe provided below). Past efforts to make a high and light sponge have resulted in varied success. From the get go Chef assured the class if the measurements were right and the process followed, all of us would make a good sponge which would be sold in the college shop for $25 each! The trick to making the sponge rise is to ‘pre-condition’ the egg and sugar mix by heating it to 40C before whisking it to 3 times its volume, after which you gently fold in well sifted flours and finally the melted butter. After the cake is baked, and superbly light and high, it needs to go into the fridge for a few hours to cool right down before the cake is cut and filled. Chef was right.. there was only 1 ‘pancake’ in the class.

Madeira cake has always been one of my favourites. I remember many afternoon teas with my Nanna, a good cup of tea and a slice of Madeira cake made everything better. I prepared some garnishes at home for the 2 little loaves made in class. I did fumble the turning out of one of the cakes, nothing that a little icing and decorating didn’t save.

The gluten-free friands were easy to make and delicious. I haven’t done a lot of gluten-free baking but have a friend who makes gluten-free cakes and treats for her celiac husband, so I’m glad I now have this in my repertoire. Frozen raspberries are ideal for these. The batter was piped into the muffin papers, 3/4 full, and the raspberries were placed on top. Once cooked a liberal sprinkling of icing sugar was all the finishing these little cakes needed.

At the end of the class, there was a bounty of baked goods to sell at the college shop. I kept two of the friands to take home, one for Aron and one for a work colleague for whom I was intending to make a birthday cake, but wasn’t able to as I did a service period at the Golf Club after college. Hope I see you back for the next lesson which will cover choux pastry and sweet pastry.

Bon Appetit

Kathryn 💙👩‍🍳

Genoise Sponge

This is a simple, light as air, Genoise Sponge filled with Chantilly Cream and Strawberry jam….afternoon tea anyone? 

• 280 gm eggs
• 190 gm Sugar, Castor (super fine)
• 95 gm White Bakers Flour
• 95 gm Cornflour
• 60 gm Unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• 150 gm Strawberry Jam, thinned with a little water and warmed through
• 1 punnet Strawberries, fresh (halved)
• 25 g icing sugar (sifted)
• 5 ml Vanilla extract
• 300 ml Cream, thickened (heavy)
• 1 23 cm Cake Tin, spayed and lined
• 6 cm Acetate roll (optional)
• 1 9 inch Cake Board (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 180C 

2. Prepare Cake Tin – spray and line bottom and sides

3. Add flours and sift several times

   
   
   

4. Combine sugar and eggs in stand mixer bowl, place over a Bain Marie and whisk by hand until temperature reaches 40C. This will ensure the sponge rises.

5. When temperature achieved place in stand mixer and whisk until light and fluffy (3 times volume) and ribbon stage achieved.

   
   
   

6. Fold in the sifted flours gently by hand, getting right under the mixture to incorporate the flour whilst preserving the air in the batter.

7. Fold in the melted cooled butter with a pallet knife

8. Put batter into the prepared cake tin 

   
   
   

9. Bake for 35min or until skewer comes out clean. Leave for 5 mins in pan before inverting onto sprayed bakers paper on cake cooling rack. Place in fridge for 2 hours to totally cool.

   
   
   

10. Cut the sponge through the middle in half using a bread knife.

    
    
    

11. Spread both halves with the thinned and warmed jam

    
    
    

12. Spread generously with Chantilly cream  – not quite to the edges

    
    
    

13. Decorate around the edge with the halved strawberries – pushing against the cream. Place top on and gently push down. make any adjustments to the strawberries around the edge. If transporting, place an acetate ring around the middle and tape to close.

    
    
    

14. Place the cooling rack on top and give a gentle sprinkling of icing sugar (this makes a nice pattern