When it comes to baking delicious treats we can always learn a thing or two from our friends across the channel and with this easy-to-make yet delicious cake, you’ll be glad you did.
Here, we have a beautifully light cake, a Gâteau de Savoie, from Florence Rebattet; chef, founder of En Cuisine Cooking School for children aged three to 18, and semi-finalist on Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars. Passionate about food and cooking since her childhood, Florence decided to build her own cooking school designed for children and teenagers and founded En Cuisine Cooking School in 2014. For her, it is fundamental to see the new generations cooking from scratch with seasonal ingredients.
This super-light French sponge cake is sometimes called Biscuit de Savoie, and was invented in 1358 by the pastry chef of the Duke of Chambéry, when he was asked to make a cake ‘as light as a feather’ for the emperor. It is a wonderful comfort food which works well with seasonal fruits. In winter, try it with pears or segments of citrus fruits – orange, of course, to evoke those Christmas vibes.
As Florence says: “I spent most of childhood in Biarritz, on the beach, with this cake stuffed in my mouth! I absolutely loved it and couldn’t get enough.”
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
75g sugar (caster or granulated)
3 eggs
50g flour
20g cornflour
2 drops vanilla extract
Utensils:
2 large bowls
1 wooden spoon
1 cake mould
Weighing scale
A whisk
Method:
1. In two large bowls, separate the egg whites and yolks.
2. Whisk the egg yolk until you reach a smooth texture. Then, add the sugar and keep whisking.
3. Whisk the egg whites until you get a stiff peak. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt.
4. Add the egg whites to the egg yolk by folding the white into the yolks. Do not mix and always fold in the same way.
5. Add the vanilla, and the plain and corn flours into the mixture. Fold the flours into the egg mix.
6. Pour the mix in a mould and cook it for 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven at 170C.
