3000 miles 'til dinner.

Genoise is a sponge cake, easy to roll or cut into rectangle strip and layer with the filling.  The roll cake is often prepared during the holidays in certain countries and presented as a Yule Log or Buche de Noel. Of course, little meringue mushrooms are made and attached to  the log for decoration. To create “branches” the ends of the roll are sliced off, cut into three or four pieces, stuck on log and iced with ganache. Here is the Chocolate Genoise in it’s most simple form. This recipe involves a few steps but is really quite easy.

Pan:  17” x 12 1/2” heavy sheet pan or jelly roll pan; oil bottom & sides, line bottom with parchment 

Baking temp:  350 degrees

Baking time:  10-12 minutes

Servings:  10 generous servings

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

Chocolate Genoise

3/4 C.  unbleached flour 

1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. sea salt

2 large eggs

3/4 C. granulated sugar

2 T. milk or strong coffee

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Filling

1 1/2 pint (3 C.) whipping cream

2 t. pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. gelatin

1 T. water (or liquor)

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

16 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate 

1 1/2 C. half ‘n half

1 t. pure vanilla extract

♥Prep in this order: 

   #1 -  prepare ganache and refrigerate so it can begin to cool & thicken

   #2 - bake genoise, remove from oven, roll, cool

   #3 - prepare whipped cream filling

   #4 - whip ganache

   #5 -  assemble cake

#1 ♥ Ganache - bowl over hot water to melt chocolate & cream; whip later

Melt chocolate and cream over hot water until it is dark and glossy. Refrigerate until it is thick (consistency of thin mayonnaise). 

When cool, In mixer bowl, whip chocolate mix until its light and fluffy. Add vanilla. 

#2 ♥Genoise - mixer

In mixer bowl, high speed, beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Slowly stir in milk and vanilla. 

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. With a rubber spatula, fold into egg mix, mixing throughly until there is no flour visible. Immediately pour into pan and spread evenly in a thin layer.

♥ Bake Genoise - 350 degrees - 10 to 12 minutes

Genoise is done when the center springs back when pressed lightly with your fingers. Don’t over bake  or it may crack and won’t roll easily.

Immediately flip cake over onto 2 clean sheets of parchment that are overlapping so there is plenty of room to catch the genoise. Carefully peel off the parchment on the bottom of the cake and roll, long side to long side, using the new parchment. Cool completely.

#3 ♥Whipped Cream Filling - food processor

In a small glass bowl, mix gelatin in 1 T. cold water. Microwave for 30 seconds or set over a small pot of simmering water to dissolve. Scrape down granules and mix in so the gelatin is all liquid. Cool slightly.

In processor bowl, whip cream until it just begins to thicken. NOTE: fill bowl 1/2 full or less. May have to whip cream in two batches. Continue whipping and slowly add the melted gelatin through the feed tube. Add vanilla. Continue until cream is thick, may want to pulse at this point,  and cream holds it’s shape; don’t over mix or you’ll have butter!

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*consider: add 2 T. liquor of choice to the whipped cream

*consider other fillings such as sweetened ricotta (powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest) or whipped chocolate ganache as the filling, then dust the roll with powdered sugar and served with shipped cream 

*consider summer time fruit & whipped cream as the filling; do this the day you plan to serve, not a day in advance; fruit will “weep”

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*genoise cake can be made 1 day in advance and finished the day you serve

*the entire finished cake can be made 1 day in advance, serve the following day

*ganache can be made DAYS ahead; soften (over hot water) before whipping

*left over whipped cream : freeze (good in coffee!) OR served an extra dollop on the side of each slice of cake left over ganache

*left over ganache:  freeze for future use OR  melt for chocolate sauce

(MIL post)