Classic Genoise

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons clarified butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 cup sifted cake flour or AP bleached flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, lightly spooned

Method

• Add vanilla to warm clarified butter (not hot). Cool slightly.
• In a large stainless steel mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water heat the eggs and sugar until lukewarm, whisking constantly so they do not curdle.
• Take off heat and beat with the whisk beater until triple in volume, about 5 minutes. (A hand-held mixer may take 10 minutes).
• While eggs are beating, sift together the flour and cornstarch.
• Remove about 1 cup of egg mixture and thoroughly whisk it into the clarified butter.
• Sift 1/2 the flour mixture over the remaining egg mixture in large bowl and fold in gently but rapidly with a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula until almost all the flour has disappeared. Repeat with the remaining flour. Fold in the butter mixture until just incorporated.
• Pour immediately into prepared pan (about 2/3 full) and bake 25-35 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and starts to shrimk slightly from the sides of the pan.
• Loosen the sides of the cake with a metal spatula and unmold at once onto a lightly greased rack. Reinvert to cool. Use in your favorite way.

Notes

• SERVINGS: 8