Classic Génoiseairy with whipped eggs
An airy cake without chemical leavening, risen by eggs and sugar whipped over a bain-marie, with flour and butter gently folded into the foam.
Classic génoise derives all its volume from the egg foam, without any chemical leavening. Gently warming eggs and sugar helps dissolve the crystals and increase volume; flour and melted butter are folded in lightly to avoid deflating the batter. The ribbon stage and careful folding determine the cake's height.
Ingredients
Egg foam
Dry ingredients
Finishing
Preparation
Prepare the pan
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease only the bottom of a 22 cm pan, line with parchment, and lightly flour.
8 minutesWarm eggs and sugar
Whisk eggs, sugar, and salt over a gentle bain-marie until the mixture is warm and sugar dissolves, without cooking the eggs.
7 minutesWhip to ribbon stage
Off the heat, beat at high speed until volume triples, lightens in color, and falls from the whisk in a persistent ribbon.
10 minutesFold in the flour
Sift the flour in three additions and fold with a spatula, turning the bowl and preserving as much air as possible.
8 minutesIncorporate the butter
Mix a portion of the batter into the warm butter, then fold this mixture back into the rest until uniform.
4 minutesBake and cool
Transfer immediately and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, without opening the oven early. Wait 10 minutes, unmold, and cool on a rack.
25 minutes
Substitutions
Chemical leavening would change the aeration mechanism and alter the technique; this recipe relies solely on egg foam.
Storage
Once cooled, wrap well to limit moisture loss. Can be frozen without filling.
Approximate shelf life: Up to 1 day at room temperature or 1 month frozen.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.
