Genoa Torte Recipes

GENOA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 150C / 130C fan / Gas 2Put a paper liner in a loaf tin approx 21 x 11 x 6 cm or line it with greaseproof or baking paper.
• Put the currants, sultanas, mixed peel, cherries, chopped almonds and lemon zest in a bowl and stir in a little of the measured flour to stop them sticking together. Set aside.
• Sift the rest of the flour with the salt then set aside.
• In a large bowl and preferably using electric beaters, beat together the butter, sugar and almond extract until soft and light.Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary during this and subsequent steps.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time along with 1 tbsp of the measured flour each time.
• Beat in the milk a tablespoon at a time with another scant tablespoon of the measured flour each time.
• Gently fold in the rest of the flour along with the dried fruit mixture until everything is just combined.
• Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top.Cover the top with blanched almonds.
• Put the tin in the oven and bake until a skewer comes out clean: approx 55-65 minutes.
• Put the tin on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
• Take the cake, in its liner, out of the tin and leave until completely cold.Remove the paper when cold, slice and serve.Cake should keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

GENOISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 8 inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper and grease it as well. Lightly flour pan and paper.
• Sift together the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt onto a piece of wax paper.
• Place the eggs into a mixing bowl set over a pan of hot (not boiling) water. Add the 1/2 cup sugar to the eggs and whisk until the mixture feels warm (not hot) to the touch, about body temperature. Place the bowl onto a mixer and beat on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale yellow in color and falls off the end of the whisk attachment in long ribbons. Add the vanilla. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the beaten egg and fold in. Continue to add the remainder of the flour, folding it in each time.
• Place about 1 cup of the batter into the bowl containing the melted butter and combine the butter with the batter. Add this back to the main batter and fold it in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Immediately bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 25 minutes or until the top is a light brown. Cool in pan on a rack about 10 minutes and then invert onto a rack. It is best to invert it again onto another rack so that it cools with the top up. Let cool completely before cutting or frosting.

HUGUENOT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Spray two rimmed baking sheets (17 1/4-by-11 1/2-by-1 inch) with cooking spray; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs on medium speed until pale yellow and thickened, about 4 minutes. Gradually add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add flour mixture. Beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add apples, pecans, and vanilla; beat to combine.
• Divide mixture between prepared baking pans, spreading evenly. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 20 minutes. Using a spatula, break into pieces, and stack on a large serving platter. Serve topped with whipped cream and nuts.

GENOA TORTE

Steps:

• For dough: Bloom yeast in warm water for 10 mins. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix (or make in food processor.) Knead on floured work surface for 10 mins. Place in oiled bowl, cover, and rise until doubled in size. While dough is rising, make filling. Saute mushrooms with garlic until the liquid from the mushrooms has cooked off. In a separate pan, saute peppers and onions together until liquid evaporates. Make sure artichoke hearts, spinach, and olives are as dry as possible. Preheat oven to 400. Punch down dough and divide into two unequal portions, 3/4 and 1/4. Oil a 10" springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. Roll the larger piece to 16" diameter and place in pan with excess dough hanging over the edge. Being layering in the filling ingredients: salami and pepperoni, then mushroom/garlic, onion/red pepper, ham, spinach and artichoke hearts, then cheese. Continue layering until you run out of ingredients. Then roll out the smaller piece of dough and top. Cut several vents and let rest 20 mins. Brush top with egg and water and bake 50-60 mins. Let rest 2 hours before slicing.

CLASSIC GENOISE

Steps:

• Place a 1-quart saucepan half filled with water over high heat and bring it to a simmer. Make a double boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over the simmering water. Place the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and honey in the mixing bowl and make an egg foam by whisking the mixture to 113 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 7 to 10 minutes. The egg foam passes through various stages becoming foamy, then smooth and finally it thickens. When it is thick, it will be hot to the touch, tripled in volume, and light in color and the sugar will have completely dissolved. If you dip the whisk into the mixture and pull it out, the batter should fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the heat and whip the batter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it cools, increases in volume, stiffens slightly and becomes pale yellow, about 7 to 10 minutes. Take the time to whip it well; if the mixture is under whipped, the baked genoise will be dense. Very, very carefully, fold in the flour with a rubber spatula until the flour is no longer visible, making sure to fold to the bottom of the bowl. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate. Fill buttered and parchment paper-lined 8-inch round cake pans 3/4 full with batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until well-risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Let the genoise cool slightly. Unmold, remove parchment paper and finish cooling on a wire rack. The baked genoise can be stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Return it to room temperature before using it.
• VARIATION: Make this recipe into a Chocolate Genoise by substituting unsweetened cocoa powder for 10 to 20 percent of the weight (a scant 1/4 cup to a full 1/3 cup) of the flour. Weigh the cocoa powder before you sift it.
• Jacques' Tip: Genoise can be made with butter. In this recipe, you can substitute butter (5 1/2 tablespoons) for the 3 large egg yolks. Melt and cool the butter and fold it in after the flour is added.

BANANA TORTE

Steps:

• Combine crumbs with melted butter.
• Pat into bottom of large rectangular baking dish.
• Place in fridge.
• Let stand one hour.
• Using electric mixer,beat butter with eggs, icing sugar and vanilla for 10-15 minutes until it looks like a frosting.
• Spread on top of graham crust.
• Placed sliced bananas over the top of creamed mixture.
• Then spread cool whip over bananas.
• Place in fridge, let stand at least four hours before cutting into squares and serving.

GENOA TOASTS

Steps:

• In a bowl mix together the oil and the garlic paste, brush both sides of the focaccia slices lightly with the oil mixture, and bake the slices in one layer on baking sheets in a preheated 250°F. oven for 30 minutes. Turn the slices, sprinkle them with the salt, and bake them for 30 minutes more, or until they are pale golden and crisp.

HUGUENOT TORTE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Butter the bottom and sides of 2 cake pans, each measuring 9 inches across by 1 1/2 inches deep. Cut 2 rounds of wax paper to fit inside the bottom of the pans. Place rounds in pans and butter lightly. Sprinkle the paper with flour; shake out excess.
• Process the pecan meats in a food processor or electric blender until fine, but not to a paste.
• Put the processed pecans in a mixing bowl and add the flour, salt and baking powder. Blend well.
• Destem and peel the apples and cut into quarters. Cut away the cores. Cut each quarter into thin slices, and the slices into thin strips. Cut the strips into very small cubes. There should be about 2 cups. Add to the pecan mixture and stir to blend well.
• Beat the eggs with a whisk or electric mixer about 2 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding 1 cup sugar in small amounts, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• Gradually fold the apple mixture into the beaten eggs.
• Pour an equal portion of the batter into each of the prepared pans and smooth over the tops.
• Place the pans on center shelf of oven and bake 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Transfer cake pans to a rack and let stand 10 minutes.
• Run a knife around the rim of each cake and unmold. Let stand on a rack until the layers are cool.
• Put cream in a mixing bowl and start beating. Gradually add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and continue beating until cream is stiff.
• Spread one cake layer with slightly more than half the whipped cream. Top with the second layer.
• Spoon the remaining whipped cream into a pastry bag outfitted with a No. 5 star tube. Pipe 8 rosettes of whipped cream on top of the cake.
• Chill the cake briefly. Top each rosette with a pecan.

HOW TO MAKE FARINATA

Steps:

• Combine garbanzo flour and water in a bowl; whisk until batter is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Skim as much foam as possible from top of batter. Whisk salt, rosemary, and 3 tablespoons olive oil into batter.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat and heat until smoking hot. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet and swirl to coat bottom of skillet with oil. Continue to heat until oil shimmers and a wisp of smoke rises from oil.
• Quickly pour batter into hot oil; carefully transfer skillet to preheated oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is browned and crusty, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate, cut into wedges, and serve hot. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

GENOA SANDWICH LOAF

Steps:

• For pesto, in a blender, combine the oil, parsley, basil, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic and nutmeg. Cover and process on high until blended. , Spread cream cheese over cut sides of bread; spread with pesto. Layer the salami and tomatoes over pesto; sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.